The excitement in football just keeps on coming. Over the next few years there are going to be more thrilling football events taking place around the world.
Of course, there’ll be the usual fare of domestic championships taking place but also a new expanded FIFA Club World Cup in 2025. Let’s look at what lies ahead.
2025/26: FIFA World Cup
The countdown is already on to the next FIFA World Cup. It’s back to being a summer event in 2026 and hosted by three countries. Canada, the USA and Mexico will be hosting the tournament as Argentina defend the title they won in Qatar in 2022.
Canada will be hosting the finals for the first time and interest is already reaching fever pitch. Those who love to gamble on the sport will be able to go to Powerplay in Canada and place their bets.
June 11 to July 19, 2026 are the dates you need to put down in your diary. It’s the first time the finals have been held in this part of the world since 1994. The last World Cup to be hosted in more than one country was in 2002 when Japan and South Korea were co-hosts.
It’ll be an historic tournament as even more countries will be taking part. Previously, the most there’s been in a finals has been 32. In 2026, 48 countries will be battling it out for the right to be called world champions.
There had been plans to have 16 groups, each with three teams. That’s been changed to 12 of 4 to ensure the final group games are more exciting as teams fight it out to qualify. 32 countries will qualify for the knock-out stages.
104 games will be played in the finals, so get ready for one of the most action-packed World Cup finals ever seen.
The qualifying rounds have already started, some beginning in late 2023. There are 45 places to be won. The three hosts qualify automatically but even holders Argentina are having to earn their right to be in the 2026 finals.
March 2025 sees the start of the UEFA World Cup qualifying groups and they take a year to complete. The group draws have yet to take place and 16 European countries will be participating in the finals.
2025: UEFA Nations League finals
2025 sees the finals of the UEFA Nations League tournament take place. The group stages begin in Autumn 2024 and just as with the World Cup, there’s been some changes to the format.
In previous tournaments, only four countries have qualified for the finals. That will be the case again in 2025 but there are also two-legged quarter-finals to be won in March. The four winners go into the finals that will be held between June 4 and 8.
Spain are the reigning champions after their win in 2023. A year later, they became European champions. They beat England in the Euro 2024 final but there’ll be no repeat next year. The English side were relegated to League B in the last tournament so promotion is their target this time around.
The tournament also helps determine which countries will qualify for Euro 2028. That’s being hosted by England, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland and Ireland, though it’s unlikely all will automatically qualify as hosts.
2025: FIFA Club World Cup
One of the biggest arguments in football at present is the fixture congestion. Rather than officials making it easier for the players, they’ve expanded the FIFA Club World Cup.
The finals have usually been held in December and haven’t been the most high-profile events. Just one club represents each continent, for example the winners of the UEFA Champions League qualify for the final.
The timing of the tournament disrupts league seasons and a top club might only need to win two matches to be crowned world champions. That all changes in 2025 with the tournament taking place in the USA between June 15 and July 23.
32 clubs from around the world will be taking part and it’s already being heavily criticized. Critics say the footballing schedule is already too busy and this expansion will just make matters even worse. FIFA are being accused of being more interested in TV rights and sponsors than the welfare of players.
The defending champions will be England’s Manchester City who won the last tournament in 2023. Rather than the knockout matches that have taken place in the past, 2025 wil see eight groups of four with the top two in each making it into the knockout stages.
Already qualified for the tournament are top clubs such as Manchester City, Chelsea, Real Madrid, Bayern Munich, PSG, Inter Milan, Porto, Benfica, Borussia Dortmund, Red Bull Salzburg, Juventus, Atletico Madrid, Palmeiras, Al-Hilal, Seattle Sounders and River Plate.
12 of the 32 clubs will come from Europe mainly based on rankings over a four-year period.. Notable absentees include Liverpool, Manchester United, Milan and Barcelona.
2025: CONCACAF Gold Cup
It’s going to be a busy time for football with the CONCACAF Gold Cup also being held in the USA. That’s being held from June 4 to July 6 so just like this year with the Euros and Copa America, they will overlap.
While the FIFA Club World Cup is being held on the East Coast, this one is being played on the West. It’s certainly going to be a busy time for football in the USA.
Wherever you look there appears to be some major football event taking place. It’s not going to be an easy time for the players but for fans, it’s going to be a feast of football.
