Football is universally loved with billions of people around the world tuning in to watch matches all year round.
From international tournaments to domestic competitions, the game is played on every continent with loyal and passionate fans constantly turning out for their club. The upcoming 2025/26 season promises to be one of the best yet with, plenty of title races, relegation battles and continental knockout bouts to view.
If you are after a football fix, you will be able to view games throughout the traditional league season with Cup matches and European fixtures adding to the excitement. What's more, 2026 is also a World Cup year and so is set to be an incredible and unforgettable time for fans of the sport. This article will look at the must-watch competitions you should follow next season.
Predicting The Winners
Fans who follow football have the opportunity to predict the outcome of matches and wager on the final result to add an extra thrill to the action out on the pitch and boost their personal interest in every kick. For those keen to explore betting on games, there are a number of strategies to follow. It's a wise move to compare and assess a range of different platforms and consider offers and promotions like South African no deposit bonuses which can enhance your experience.
These bonuses on games like slots and sports betting can help new players practice moves without the usual financial risks involved, while assisting more seasoned bettors to make additional steps not ordinarily possible. Supporters should also track Premier League team news and the form guide in order to make predictions from a place of genuine knowledge and authority as opposed to taking a blind punt.
Premier League
The Premier League is largely considered the best on the planet as it is home to some of the biggest clubs in the history of the beautiful game playing at incredible stadiums boasting spine-tingling atmospheres. Liverpool, Manchester United and Arsenal regularly battle for supremacy while storied sides including Everton, Aston Villa and Tottenham have been regulars throughout the years. Newcastle, Manchester City and Chelsea have all challenged and then you have sides like Leeds, Crystal Palace and West Ham who have added to the narrative.
Champions League
The Champions League features the best teams and players in Europe and has produced some of the most incredible moments in football this century. With Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo lighting up the competition for Barcelona and Real Madrid, the pair set a world-class standard and wowed supporters each and every game. Bayern Munich, Juventus, Milan, Inter, Borussia Dortmund and England's top sides have all contributed to the rich heritage of the European Cup while the group stage clashes teed up some amazing knockout games.
In 2024, a new format was introduced which sees the sides face-off in a league table before the knockouts which has given the tournament a freshness while introducing even more games for fans to enjoy. It remains the stellar competition and it's the one every club dreams of playing in.
Championship
While the Championship is the second tier in England, it features some historic clubs and is widely considered the most competitive league there is. It always produces surprise results and the unpredictability of the division is one of its unique selling points. Teams can often be stuck near the bottom of the league at Christmas but a strong run of form can suddenly see them appear in the top six come May.
Three of the 24 teams in the Championship are promoted to the Premier League while three are relegated to League One. What really makes the second division stand out though is the play-offs. The sides who finish third to sixth meet and battle it out for the chance to join the top two who go p automatically. The semi-finals of the play-offs see the third-placed team face the side in sixth and fourth take on fifth. These games are played over two legs at the home teams involved and the winners then meet at Wembley in a showpiece game with the winner earning promotion.
FA Cup
The FA Cup is the oldest and most magical cup competition in the world. First played back in 1871 and 1872, this is the tournament in which dreams are truly made as any team can draw another, giving non-league sides the opportunity to earn once-in-a-lifetime clashes with top-flight heavyweights like Liverpool and Manchester United and play at historic arenas including Villa Park, Goodison Park and Highbury through the years.
This is the cup of shocks and then, after a long arduous season, two teams meet at Wembley in English football's showpiece. The FA Cup is true heritage and for more than a century was the peak piece silverware footballers wanted to win.
World Cup
The World Cup is a festival of football and in 2026 the tournament will be played in the United States, Mexico and Canada. For the first time ever, 48 teams from around the world will compete in twelve groups of four. The top two sides will progress and be joined by the eight best performing third-placed sides. It's sure to be an extraordinary first which will no doubt throw up plenty of fascinating narratives which will live in football folklore forever.
Overall, the 2025/26 is going to be hectic with so many games for fans to watch all through the season and deep into the summer. From enjoying the action to predicting results, football supporters are set for a sensational year.
