The World Cup Is Over. Here’s Where To Get Your Next Football Fix

After 39 days and 104 matches, the World Cup is over.

No more videos of Scottish fans placing traffic cones at statues and taking over baseball stadiums. No more clips of fans shedding tears of joy over what they just witnessed. No more shouting “Country Roads” or Viking rows.

If you’re a new fan of football, you’re wondering, “What happens now?” You may be thinking.

First of all, the big summer tournaments are not far away; The Women’s World Cup in Brazil starts in June, while the UK will host the men’s European Championship in 2028.

But football never has too many breaks (as exhausted players will attest).

In just a few weeks, some of football’s biggest stars will return to their clubs and begin preparing for new seasons in the English Premier League, Spain’s La Liga and Germany’s Bundesliga, to name a few. And of course there is the Champions League, where Europe’s best teams face each other.

Here’s a guide to some of the world’s biggest leagues and how you can follow them to help sort out the most serious cases of World Cup withdrawal.

Premier League

The world’s richest league features heavyweights such as Arsenal, Liverpool, Manchester United, Chelsea and Manchester City, as well as gritty and increasingly competitive underdogs such as Bournemouth and Brighton; Hove Albion.

The fans create an incredible atmosphere with creative and often profane chants aimed at the opponent. And with so many personalities among both the players and the highly stressed coaches, each 38-game season invariably turns into a soap opera.

Who Plays There:

– Erling Haaland, Manchester City: The Norwegian striker’s goofy personality caused a storm on social media this summer, but he is even more famous for scoring 112 goals in the Premier League in just four seasons for Man City.

— Enzo Fernández, Chelsea: Chelsea’s social media team went into crisis after celebrating the midfielder’s stunning goal in Argentina’s semi-final win last week. Ultimately, Fernández’s strike helped England eliminate.

— Bukayo Saka, Arsenal: The English midfielder, nicknamed “Starboy”, dazzles on the right side of Arsenal, which won its first league title in 22 years.

— Tyler Adams, Bournemouth: The tough-tackling American has been a fixture in Bournemouth’s midfield since 2023.

How to Watch: Matches are mostly held on Saturdays and Sundays, but weekday matches are not uncommon either. Premier League matches can be streamed on JioHotstar in India.

2026-2027 Season Dates: 21 August-30 May

LaLiga

A league that has long been dominated by Real Madrid and Barcelona. The two giants have won 11 of the last 12 league titles and meet twice a year in El Clásico, one of the fiercest competitive matches in the world. Beyond that, the league is a showcase for creative and offensive talent.

Who Plays There:

— Jude Bellingham, Real Madrid: England’s 23-year-old midfielder scored seven goals in the World Cup and played for Real Madrid the last three seasons.

— Lamine Yamal, Barcelona: Spain’s youth phenom has quickly emerged as Barcelona’s biggest star since Messi.

— Marc Cucurella, Real Madrid: The Spanish defender with perfectly curly hair has just been transferred to “Los Blancos” from Chelsea.

— Kylian Mbappé, Real Madrid: The France star has been outstanding in each of the last three World Cups. Real Madrid isn’t too shabby either, scoring 25 goals in La Liga last season.

How to Watch: Matches usually start a few hours after Premier League matches, making it more accessible for U.S. fans who aren’t morning people. Every match is available on the ESPN+ app; Some of the bigger matchups are also available on ABC, ESPN or ESPN2.

2026-2027 Season Dates: 15 August-30 May

Bundesliga

With the non-stop singing of the fans in the crowd and the constant attacks of the players on the field, the Bundesliga makes for great TV. The famous “Yellow Wall” of Borussia Dortmund’s fans is particularly intimidating. Don’t be surprised if Bayern Munich wins the championship once again.

Who Plays There:

— Harry Kane, Bayern Munich: England’s captain has dominated the Bundesliga since joining Germany’s most decorated club in 2023.

— Michael Olise, Bayern Munich: The winger produced some of the most exciting performances of the World Cup as part of France’s devastating attack.

— Yan Diomandé, RB Leipzig: The 19-year-old had a superb World Cup in Ivory Coast and attracted the attention of several Premier League giants. Leipzig insist he is not for sale.

How to Watch: The Bundesliga signed an English-language deal with USA Network and Fandango. You’d be forgiven for not knowing that Fandango, a company famous for selling movie tickets, had started sports broadcasting.

2026-2027 Season Dates: 28 August-22 May

Champions League

Every year, the best teams from the European leagues qualify for the Champions League. In the opening phase, 36 clubs will play eight matches each. From there, the field is whittled down through knockout rounds before culminating in the final in a major European city. The next match will be in Madrid.

If you are looking for football of the highest technical quality, the Champions League is the answer. Unlike the World Cup, where teams have limited time together before the tournament, Champions League clubs are well-adjusted teams that train together almost all year round. For many fans, winning the Champions League trophy is a much bigger prize than the league title.

Who Plays There: Almost all of the European-based heavyweights will be there. Yes, not Chelsea: they finished 10th in the Premier League last season, too far behind to qualify.

2026-2027 Season Dates: The league phase will start on September 8 and the final will be held on June 5, 2027.