Best In Class: International And Domestic Football Back For New Term

(MENAFN- The Peninsula) The Peninsula

Doha: The summer holidays are over, and that can mean only one thing: A new football season of fresh faces, old rivalries, and a 10-month race to finish top of the class. Be it Spain's La Liga or France's Ligue 1, the German Bundesliga or the English Premier League, there are narratives aplenty to keep an eye on as football's biggest stars return to domestic battle. And with Asian and European qualifiers for FIFA World Cup 26 also taking place throughout the season, the on-field drama will be non-stop.

The Road to '26' starts now

FIFA World Cup 26 in the United States, Mexico, and Canada will feature an expanded roster of 48 countries, with Asia being allocated eight direct qualification spots and a ninth Asian team advancing to an inter-confederation playoff. With Rounds 3 of Asian qualifying taking place over the next 10 months and the first round of European qualifying kicking-off next March, there will be some huge international games to catch this season. Whether it is Asian Cup winners Qatar welcoming the UAE to Doha tomorrow, Japan hosting Palestine on the same night, or Europe's 'big four' of Germany, France, Spain and Italy starting out on their journey to the global showpiece next spring, beIN SPORTS has the rights to every match live – including all 104 Asian qualifiers, 74 of which feature Arab countries.

Madrid's new Galacticos chase rare back-to-back titles

Domestically, Real Madrid are seeking back-to-back top-flight titles in Spain for the first time since 2008. Carlo Ancelotti's side coasted to a 36thleague title last year, losing just once all season and finishing 10 points clear of eternal rivals Barcelona. This year, with Madrid's new superstar French striker Kylian Mbappé promising to light up the Spanish league, a new generation of Galacticos are expected to be the team to catch once again.

The first El Clasico of the season takes place October 27 in the Estadio Santiago Bernabeu. Like all 306 Spanish top-flight matches, the tie can be watched live and exclusive across the MENA region on beIN SPORTS.

Guardiola and City seek famous Five

Pep Guardiola's swashbuckling Manchester City are hunting for a fifth consecutive Premier League title after pipping Arsenal to the championship last season for an unprecedented four-in-a-row. Liverpool and Chelsea are both hoping to avoid transitional seasons under new managers Arne Slot and Enzo Maresca, while the likes of Tottenham, Manchester United, and Aston Villa are all looking to push on. beIN subscribers can watch monumental matches such as Chelsea versus City, United hosting Liverpool, and Arsenal visiting Spurs.

PSG hope strength in depth can prove 13 to be lucky

Paris Saint-Germain may have lost star striker Mbappé to Spain, but the Parisian giants will remain outright favourites for the Ligue 1 crown – especially having added strength in depth. Joao Neves, Willian Pacho, and Desire Doue have all made the move to the Parc des Princes as Luis Enriqué's side look to secure a record 13th league title.

Olympique Lyonnais have bolstered their attack with the purchase of Georgian striker Georges Mikautadze who shone at the recent European Championships, while Marseille are hoping new manager Roberto De Zerbi can provide an instant impact after quitting his role at Brighton. The two sides face-off on September 22, while PSG face Marseille in Le Classique on October 27.

Bundesliga's young managers prepare to do battle

By all accounts, Bayer Leverkusen enjoyed an unprecedented year in what was Spanish coach Xabi Alonso's first full season in charge. The team went undefeated for the entire Bundesliga to claim a first-ever top-flight. They also won the DFB-Pokal Cup and reached the final of the Europa League – which delivered their only defeat in 52 games. Bayern Munich replaced coach Thomas Tuchel with 38-year-old Vincent Kompany, then they backed him aggressively in the transfer market, spending big on Michael Olise, Joao Palhinha and Hiroki Ito. The two young managers face off for the first time on September 28 at the Allianz Arena. Borussia Dortmund, meanwhile, Champions League finalists in 2023-24, can also never be discounted.

beIN - Home of sports

In celebration of a narrative-rich new season, beIN SPORTS is offering new subscribers discounted access to its comprehensive sports portfolio, including FIFA World Cup 26 qualifiers from Asia and Europe and all of Europe's elite football competitions: La Liga, the Bundesliga, England's Premier League and Football League pyramid, and France's Ligue 1 and Ligue 2. With beIN also broadcasting US Open tennis, the second half of the Formula One calendar, padel, rugby, and much more in the next five months alone, the network is indisputably the home of sports in the Middle East and North Africa.

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