Following the frantic festive fixture list of December, football fans have much to look forward to in a glorious 2026. The conclusions to the leading domestic and European competitions promise to be as thrilling as ever, but the action doesn’t end there. Once the names are etched on the Premier League and Champions League trophies, attention turns to the greatest football tournament of them all, as a bumper 48 nations head to North America for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
As ever, fans of most clubs and nations will see their heroes end the year empty-handed. Only the fortunate few will celebrate a season touched by silverware, but who is most likely to be toasting a trophy in 2026?
Premier League: Arsenal on Top but City in Touch
Having finished second in each of the past three seasons, could this be the year that Arsenal finally get over the line? Mikel Arteta’s men were the most consistent side over the first half of the season but haven’t managed to pull away.
Arsenal now face a significant threat in the shape of Manchester City. Riding a wave of goals from the unstoppable Erling Haaland, Pep Guardiola’s men produced six consecutive wins to sit just two points off the pace as 2025 turned to 2026. Having relegated the Gunners to the runners-up position in 2023/24 and 2022/23, City are best placed to break the hearts of the Emirates faithful once again.
Already 10 points off the pace, defending champions Liverpool have their work cut out. However, Aston Villa, led by the outstanding Unai Emery, are only six points off top spot and very much in the race. Could the man Arsenal dismissed in 2019 come back to haunt the Emirates faithful?
FA Cup: Big Guns Dominate the Market
January sees the Premier League sides join the FA Cup party in the third round of the oldest club competition in the world. Manchester City, Liverpool, Arsenal, and Chelsea occupy the top four positions in the betting market, but as so ably demonstrated by Crystal Palace in 2025, this competition doesn’t always go to one of the big hitters.
As ever, much will depend on the luck of the draw. Getting underway on the weekend of the 10 and 11 January, the third round has thrown up a host of intriguing ties. Spurs vs Villa, Everton vs Sunderland, Newcastle vs Bournemouth, and Man Utd vs Brighton are the all-Premier League affairs, while Exeter’s trip to Man City provides a dose of David vs Goliath Cup romance.
Champions League: Gunning for European Glory
Arsenal’s excellent domestic start has carried over into their European form. Six games into the league phase, the Gunners were the only side with a perfect record. Conceding only once across those six games, Arsenal boast the stingiest defence in the competition and were outstanding in a 3-1 home win over Bayern Munich.
Tournament favourites Arsenal have booked their place in the last 16. Bayern Munich, Man City, defending champions PSG and Champions League kings, Real Madrid, also look good to progress automatically. Liverpool, Spurs, Newcastle, and Chelsea have solid claims of advancing, but may face an additional knockout round to reach the last 16.
La Liga: El Clásico Rivals Out in Front
Having claimed 10 of the last 11 La Liga titles between them, Barcelona and Real Madrid are setting the pace in Spain once again. Hansi Flick’s Barcelona side sit four points clear of Xabi Alonso’s Real Madrid after 18 games, but Real kept themselves in contention with a 2-1 win in the first El Clásico at the Bernabéu. With Lamine Yamal and Ferran Torres terrorising defences, Barcelona are favourites to retain their title but will need to stay on their A-game to fend off Real and their goal-a-game hitman Kylian Mbappé.
Serie A: Five in Contention in Italy
The most exciting title race in Europe is found in Italy, with only four points separating the top five sides at the end of 2025. With former player Christian Chivu in the hot seat, Inter sit one point clear of city rivals AC Milan. AC has an additional incentive this season, as a 20th title would see the Rossoneri draw level with Inter in the all-time league winners list. Scott McTominay and champions Napoli are only a point further back in third, with Gian Piero Gasperini’s Roma side and 36-time winners Juventus also firmly in contention.
Bundesliga: Bayern Domination
No surprises so far in Germany, with Bayern Munich firmly on course to claim a 13th title in 14 years. Having wrested the crown back from Bayer Leverkusen last season, Bayern sat nine points clear of nearest pursuers Borussia Dortmund after just 15 games. Having scored 22 goals more than any other side and with the league’s stingiest defence, Vincent Kompany’s men are long odds on to lift the trophy. Harry Kane has been one of the key components in that attacking output, having struck an incredible 19 goals in his first 15 Bundesliga games.
Ligue 1: Shock in Store in France?
Champions League winners PSG started the season as overwhelming favourites to claim a fifth consecutive Ligue 1 title. That remained the case at the 16-game mark, despite the Parisian giants sitting only second on New Year’s Day. Leading the way are surprise package Lens. Twenty-eight years after their only Ligue 1 title in 1997/98, the northern club are flying in their first season under Pierre Sage. The odds suggest they will struggle to maintain a one-point advantage over PSG, but they will have plenty of support among neutrals in their bid to cause an almighty shock.
World Cup: England at Last?
There’s nothing quite like a World Cup summer. The latest instalment kicks off on Thursday, 11 June, with the final taking place at the MetLife Stadium, New Jersey, on Sunday, 19 July. With 48 teams and 104 games, this will be the biggest World Cup to date.
There’s a strong European flavour towards the head of the market, with 2010 winners Spain edging favouritism. Unbeaten in qualifying, Luis de la Fuente’s side boasts strength in all positions and one of the most exciting players on the planet in teenage sensation Yamal.
It has now been 60 long years since England lifted a major trophy. With runners-up finishes in the last two European Championships, the Three Lions have been knocking on the door in recent years. A cut above their Group K rivals in qualifying, Thomas Tuchel’s troops won eight of eight games, scoring 22 goals and conceding none. Solid at the back, littered with creativity in the wide positions, and with one of the hottest strikers in the game in Kane, could this be the year when the hurt finally ends? Trading as second favourites with most firms, the odds compilers like England’s chances.
South American giants Brazil and Argentina also feature prominently in the market. Brazil won the last tournament on US soil in 1994, while Argentina, of course, arrive as the holders following the famous success in 2022. Improbable as it seemed four years ago, both 38-year-old Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo – who will be 41 when the tournament kicks off – are expected to line up in what will surely be the final showdown between the two biggest icons of the modern game.