Best in class: International and domestic football back for new term

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 fini...

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.