How do we fill the days until the 2026 World Cup? By keeping up with some of the world’s top sides in what will be an action-packed European club season.
Three of the continent’s Big Five circuits – England’s Premier League, Spain’s La Liga and Ligue 1 in France – kick off this weekend, with Germany’s Bundesliga and Italy’s Serie A following on Aug. 22 and 23, respectively. In other countries, domestic league action is already underway.
But these are the 20 clubs to watch, loaded with the stars we’ll be seeing next summer. Ahead of the top European campaigns kicking off, let’s count down the teams who’ll shine the brightest.
Note: League positions reflect last season’s finish.
So what if the defending European champions lost decisively to Chelsea in last month’s FIFA Club World Cup final? Luis Enrique’s PSG is still the team to beat in 2025-26. Luis Enrique returns close to his entire squad from last season’s long-awaited triumph, though keeper Gianluigi Donnarumma could leave this month. If he does, the Parisians already have Donnarumma’s replacement in French international Lucas Chevalier, who arrived from Lille for $47 million.
Last year, the Reds ran away with the Premier League title, besting second-place Arsenal by 10 points. Despite the tragic death of forward Diogo Jota, Liverpool has only gotten better this summer. Arne Slot’s side has been the big winner of this transfer window, dropping north of $350 million on backup keeper Giorgi Mamardashvili, defenders Jeremie Frimpong and Milos Kerkez, and forwards Hugo Ekitike and Florian Wirtz. No wonder they’re the favorites to retain the English title.
Baca was just seconds away from reaching the UEFA Champions League final last season under first-year manager Hansi Flick. This season, the Blaugrana are looking to go at least one step further. Who says they can’t? Eighteen-year-old Lamine Yamal is on his way to becoming the world’s best player — if he isn’t already. Fellow Ballon d’Or candidate Raphinha had 34 goals in all competitions in 2024-25, doubling his previous career-best. Robert Lewandowski, who turns 37 on Aug. 21, remains an elite striker. Pedri runs the show behind them. The rest of the regulars return, too, with forward Marcus Rashford the marquee summer addition.
After finishing fourth in the Prem last term, the Blues stunned many by winning the expanded, 32-team Club World Cup in July. Can they harness that momentum and use it to challenge for English and European titles next spring? They’ve got the firepower. Chelsea already have an emerging superstar in winger Cole Palmer — this season he’ll be supported by new recruits like strikers Liam Delap and João Pedro, Pedro’s fellow Brazilian attacker Estêvão, and English forward Jamie Gittens.
The Premier League runner-up in each of the last three seasons, what Mikel Arteta’s team is missing at this point are trophies. Still, Arsenal continues to improve. The Gunners knocked then-Champions League holders Real Madrid out of Europe’s top club tournament last April, snaring a convincing 5-1 aggregate win. And they’ve added real quality this summer in the form of defensive midfielder Martín Zubimendi and forwards Viktor Gyökeres and Noni Madueke.
The record 15-time European champs are coming off what, by their standards, was a dreadful 2024-25, with no major titles secured. But Los Blancos still boast one of the deepest, most expensive squads on Planet Fútbol. And Kylian Mbappé & Co. are now led by one of the sport’s great up-and-coming coaches in former Real Madrid captain Xabi Alonso, who replaced the legendary Carlo Ancelotti in June.
City’s unprecedented run of four consecutive Premier League titles came to a halt last season, when Pep Guardiola’s side finished third, lost the FA Cup final to Crystal Palace, and were eliminated from European play before the Champions League’s round of 16 even began. This team is too good not to bounce back in a big way this year, though — even without club legend Kevin de Bruyne, whose contract wasn’t extended.
Having reached the UEFA Champions League final in two of the last three seasons, nobody should underestimate the Nerazzurri. Inter added Croatian midfielder Petar Sučić, Brazilian winger Luis Henrique and French striker Ange-Yoan Bonny this summer. Besides veteran forward Joaquín Correa, their most significant departure is manager Simone Inzaghi, who was replaced by former Inter defender Cristian Chivu in June.
After losing the German title to Bayer Leverkusen in 2023-24, Bayern reclaimed its status as the Bundesliga’s standard-bearer last season, finishing as champs for the 12th time in 13 seasons. Things will be different this year without club legend (and new Vancouver Whitecaps midfielder) Thomas Müller, with Leroy Sané leaving, too. But the $81 million arrival of Colombian winger Luis Díaz from Liverpool will help.
Can Atleti end their four-year title drought and beat Barcelona and Real Madrid to La Liga glory this season? Occasionally, Madrid’s other team outlasts Spain’s double-headed monster. Longtime manager Diego Simeone will be hoping his team is due after a strong summer transfer window which saw $185 million-worth of new talent arrive — including former Villarreal attacker Álex Baena, USMNT midfielder Johnny Cardoso and Argentine World Cup-winner (and Atlanta United alum) Thiago Almada.
Scudetto winners in 2023 and 2025, the Neapolitans are no doubt aiming for similar success in European play this season to celebrate the club’s centennial. The arrival of Champions League winner Kevin de Bruyne on a free transfer from Manchester City can’t hurt. Neither will forward Noa Lang, who helped PSV reach the knockout stage in each of the last two years.
The Magpies eked into the Champions League places last term only because UEFA granted England’s top flight one additional spot. Newcastle fans aren’t complaining though, though they will be if and when star forward Alexander Isak leaves for Liverpool on the eve of the new season.
Juve got the proven, consistent goalscorer they’ve long needed when the “Old Lady” inked Canadian striker Jonathan David on a free transfer from Lille following the Concacaf Gold Cup. David replaces Randal Kolo Muani, who returned to PSG upon the completion of his loan, in manager Igor Tudor’s lineup.
The club that helped develop the all-world likes of Jude Bellingham and Erling Haaland in recent years has a new batch coming through — one led by midfielder Jobe Bellingham, Jude’s younger brother. But most of the vets that took the Black & Yellow to the 2024 Champions League final remain, not least captain Emre Can, playmaker Julian Brandt and Swiss keeper Gregor Kobel.
It’s hard to believe that the 20-time English champions finished 15th last season, when they also lost the Europa League final to Premier League rivals Tottenham. But the Red Devils added forwards Matheus Cunha, Bryan Mbeumo and Benjamin Šeško this window, and they should fare better in Ruben Amorim’s first full season at the Old Trafford helm.
Plenty of big names — think Mbappé, Thierry Henry and George Weah — have come through the Principality over the years. AS Monaco added a few more this summer in former France World Cup winner Paul Pogba and Barcelona loanee Ansu Fati. Both should help in the Champions League, with Les Rouge et Blancs looking to reach the round of 16 for the first time since 2017.
The loss of star attractions Florian Wirtz and Jeremie Frimpong (both to Liverpool) and manager Xabi Alonso (to Real Madrid) hurts. Same for Odilon Kossounou and Granit Xhaka, who also left this summer. But stout defender Jarell Quansah, fellow $40 million man (and USMNT star) Malik Tillman, and new boss Eric ten Hag should help keep the club near the top of the Bundesliga.
As Dutch champs the last two years, PSV has also pushed above its weight in the Champions League, reaching the knockout stages twice and knocking out Italian titans Juventus last season. They lost Tillman, Lang and others this summer, but having USMNT pair Sergiño Dest and Ricardo Pepi back healthy this season could be a coup for coach Peter Bosz.
The Champions League-bound Turkish giants made waves this summer by signing prolific 26-year-old Nigerian striker Victor Osimhen from Napoli for $87 million on a permanent deal, as well as bringing in German winger Leroy Sané for free from Bayern Munich.
The Ligue 1 runner-up to PSG last year and three times overall this decade, Marseille is chasing its first domestic title since 2010. The ambition is there, with L’OM dropping almost $90 million on transfers this summer. Yet two potentially huge contributors came for free: former Arsenal captain Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and USMNT veteran Tim Weah, who previously won a French title with Lille in 2020-21.
Doug McIntyre is a soccer reporter for FOX Sports who has covered United States men’s and women’s national teams at FIFA World Cups on five continents. Follow him @ByDougMcIntyre.
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