Looking to beat post-World Cup football blues? Here’s how to do it

After six weeks of relentless football, fans must now find something to fill the void left by the FIFA World Cup ۲۰۲۶. The biggest edition in the event’s history saw ۴۸ nations compete over ۱۰۴ matches and score ۳۰۸ goals.

In a few weeks’ time, attention will turn towards the resumption of club football across Europe’s biggest leagues, with news of player signings and manager appointments doing the rounds immediately after the World Cup.

Besides league and continental fixtures, national teams will resume their preparations to qualify for the next cycle of international tournaments. Spots will be up for grabs for several regional and international tournaments.

Al Jazeera looks at how football fans can fill the void left by the World Cup:

A week after the World Cup final, African nations will return to action at the Women’s AFCON (WAFCON) ۲۰۲۶, with hosts Morocco taking on Kenya on the opening day.

The Atlas Lionesses will look to emulate the form and success of their male counterparts, who reached the World Cup quarterfinals and won the AFCON ۲۰۲۵, albeit contentiously.

Nigeria will look to defend the title they won a year ago, while Ghana, Zambia and Malawi are also among the pre-tournament favourites.

Here’s Al Jazeera’s complete guide to WAFCON ۲۰۲۶.

When is PSG and Aston Villa’s UEFA Super Cup showdown?

The UEFA Super Cup ۲۰۲۶, which pits the ۲۰۲۵-۲۶ UEFA Champions League and Europa League champions against each other, will see Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) and Aston Villa face off prior to the resumption of European leagues.

It promises to be a fascinating encounter, with Aston Villa aiming to add another European trophy under Unai Emery, while PSG will be looking to retain the Super Cup after winning the ۲۰۲۵ edition.

Here’s what you need to know about the high-profile match:

When: Wednesday, August ۱۲, ۲۰۲۶
Kick-off: ۹pm local time (۱۹:۰۰ GMT)
Venue: Stadion Salzburg, Salzburg, Austria

When will UEFA Champions League start?

The most elite inter-league club competition, where the top teams from across the continent fight to be crowned champions at the end of the season, will get under way in the second week of September and conclude in May ۲۰۲۷.

Clubs and their supporters will know their fate on Thursday, August ۲۷ when the draw for the league stage will be held in Nyon, Switzerland.

Of the ۳۶ teams in the competition, ۲۹ booked their spots at the end of last season, while seven will be confirmed after a qualifying round.

When does the Premier League start?

In great news for football fans, the English Premier League – arguably the most widely followed league competition across the world – is less than a month away.

Champions Arsenal open their title defence by hosting Coventry City at the Emirates Stadium on Friday, August ۲۱, at ۸pm (۱۹:۰۰ GMT).

A few other key fixtures on the opening weekend include:

• Hull City vs Manchester United on Saturday, August ۲۲, at ۱۲:۳۰pm (۱۱:۳۰ GMT)
• Manchester City vs Bournemouth on Sunday, August ۲۳, at ۲pm (۱۳:۰۰ GMT)
• Newcastle United vs Liverpool on Sunday, August ۲۳, at ۴:۳۰pm (۱۵:۳۰ GMT)
• Fulham vs Chelsea on Monday, August ۲۴, at ۸pm (۱۹:۰۰ GMT)

When does La Liga start?

Several stars from world champions Spain will resume their club football at the start of La Liga, when holders Barcelona, their archrival Real Madrid and other league teams return to action.

Record ۳۶-time champions Madrid will welcome back their World Cup stars, including Kylian Mbappe, Jude Bellingham and Thibaut Courtois, in their bid to win another Spanish league title. But in their way will stand world champions led by Lamine Yamal, Pau Cubarsi, Gavi, Pedri and title-winning goalscorer Ferran Torres.

The season begins on August ۱۵ as Alaves host Getafe at ۱۷:۳۰ GMT.

Atletico Madrid host Malaga on August ۱۹ at ۱۸:۰۰ GMT.

When do Real Madrid and Barcelona play their first La Liga games?

La Liga holders Barcelona will start their season at Elche on August ۲۳, with their original opener against Athletic Bilbao delayed until August ۲۷.

Real Madrid were due to host Real Sociedad on the opening weekend, but the league has moved that game to August ۲۶.

That means manager Jose Mourinho’s first La Liga game in charge of Madrid in his second spell at the club will be away at Espanyol on August ۲۲ .

When is the first Serie A game of the season?

Italian football fans did not have much to cheer for at the World Cup, with the Azzurri failing to qualify for the tournament for the third successive global showpiece. However, league football in the country will act as a balm when the ۲۰۲۶-۲۷ season of Serie A opens on August ۲۲.

Here’s a pick of the fixtures on the opening weekend:

Saturday, August ۲۲:

• Inter Milan vs Monza at ۱۶:۳۰ GMT
• Genoa vs Napoli at ۱۸:۴۵ GMT

Sunday, August ۲۳:

• Frosinone vs Juventus at ۱۶:۳۰ GMT
• Atalanta vs Sassuolo at ۱۸:۴۵ GMT
• Torino vs AC Milan at ۱۸:۴۵ GMT

Monday, August ۲۴:

• AS Roma vs Fiorentina at ۱۸:۴۵ GMT

When are the next UEFA World Cup qualifiers?

The World Cup qualification process for European teams will be different from previous tournaments, as it will use a two-tier league system rather than the traditional small qualifying groups.

The ۳۶ highest-ranked UEFA nations will compete in League A, using a Swiss-system format similar to the UEFA Champions League.

The remaining ۱۹ UEFA nations will compete in League B.

Teams will play six qualifying matches in the initial phase, with promotion, relegation and play-offs determining the European qualifiers.

When does the UEFA Nations League begin?

European and world champions Spain will lead the charge when the continental sides return to competitive football in the UEFA Nations League, which also acts as a qualifying platform for the World Cup and Euro ۲۰۲۸ championship.

Cristiano Ronaldo’s Portugal will open the next matchday with their fixture against Wales on Thursday, ۲۴ September, at ۱۸:۴۵ GMT.

World Cup semifinalists England will host champions Spain on Saturday, September ۲۶ at ۱۸:۴۵ GMT.

When does African qualifying for World Cup ۲۰۲۶ begin?

After a historic run for Africa at the World Cup, with ۱۰ teams representing the continent for the first time and nine progressing to the knockouts, fans in the region will be eager to see which nations will make it to the next edition.

Based on FIFA’s international match calendar and previous qualification cycles, the expectation is for the process to start in September ۲۰۲۷ and for the qualification process to run until ۲۰۲۹.

With Morocco being one of the ۲۰۳۰ tournament cohosts, they will automatically qualify, and the remaining African places will be contested by the other CAF nations.

Africa is expected to have nine direct qualification places, with the possibility of an additional place through the inter-confederation playoffs if FIFA keeps the same allocation.

When does Asian qualifying for World Cup ۲۰۳۰ begin?

Asian teams had a disappointing showing at the recent tournament, with only Australia qualifying past the group stage, only to be knocked out by Egypt in the round of ۳۲.

The Asian (AFC) qualification for the ۲۰۳۰ FIFA World Cup is expected to begin in late ۲۰۲۷, with the first matches likely taking place in October or November ۲۰۲۷. The AFC has not yet released the official match schedule, but its international calendar and planning documents point to that timeframe.

The likely timeline for qualification to begin is from late ۲۰۲۷ and run for nearly two years.