Top Upcoming Football Events in September 2026

The 2026/27 season is already underway. All major European Leagues have kicked off, and we look forward to another edition of the Champions League, as well as the Europa League.

Let’s have a look at the major events that we are going to follow in the upcoming month of September.

Major Upcoming Football Fixtures in September 2026

The draw for the Champions League and Europa League has already been announced. The Conference League will take place in October. In the meantime, gear up and watch Europe’s first and second top-tier tournaments.

Champions League

PSG look like they are on the way to repeat Real Madrid’s record and win the Champions League for the third year running. Doing so won’t be easy though, as there are a lot of challengers, including Bayern, Barcelona, and Arsenal.

Real Madrid got a favourable draw, while Arsenal have a relatively difficult schedule. Here are the top matches that you should not miss in early September:

  • Real Madrid vs Inter - September 8.
  • Barcelona vs Feyenoord - September 9.
  • Napoli vs Arsenal - September 9.

Europa League

Europe’s second top-tier competition will kick off on September 16. The major contenders are Juventus, Milan, Leverkusen and Benfica, and the motivation is huge, as the winner of the tournament automatically qualifies for the Champions League. Here are the standout games in mid-September:

  • Milan vs Benfica - September 16.
  • Real Sociedad vs Bournemouth - September 17.
  • Besiktas vs Marseille - September 17.

Top European Competitions in September 2026

The top 5 European Leagues have already started the campaign. Let’s check out each of them.

Premier League

Two rounds into the Premier League season, Manchester City have provided the clearest title statement, winning both matches and scoring six goals. Chelsea have also taken six points, although their 4-3 win over Brighton exposed defensive vulnerability.

Promoted Hull are the early surprise package with two victories, while Liverpool have opened with consecutive 2-2 draws and look less secure than expected. Manchester United responded to defeat at Hull by thrashing Ipswich 5-2. Early evidence suggests City are setting the standard, but Chelsea and Arsenal remain serious contenders.

  • Arsenal vs Chelsea - September 6.
  • Manchester United vs Manchester City - September 13.
  • Brighton vs Arsenal - September 19.

Bundesliga

Bayern Munich immediately underlined why they remain favourites, destroying Stuttgart 5-1 in the season opener, and Borussia Dortmund also started convincingly with a 2-0 victory over Hamburg. RB Leipzig impressed in a 3-0 win against Borussia Mönchengladbach.

The biggest shock was Bayer Leverkusen’s 3-2 defeat at promoted Elversberg, an early warning for one the favourites. Freiburg and Augsburg also recorded emphatic victories. After one matchday, Bayern already look formidable and are on the way to winning their third straight trophy.

  • Schalke vs Bayern Munich - September 5.
  • Stuttgart vs Dortmund - September 19.
  • Bayer Leverkusen vs Leipzig - September 20.

Serie A

Serie A has opened with a familiar group of rivals setting the pace. Inter won their first two matches, following a 4-1 victory with a 1-0 success at Cagliari. Juventus and Milan have also taken maximum points, both looking disciplined rather than spectacular.

Napoli started with a 2-0 win at Genoa but then suffered the round’s major shock, losing 2-1 at home to Como. Inter look the most complete side, but Juventus and Milan have also started efficiently.

  • Inter vs Napoli - September 5.
  • Juventus vs Milan - September 6.
  • Lazio vs Milan - September 13.

La Liga

The first two La Liga rounds strengthened the expectation of another Barcelona-Real Madrid title battle. Barça were devastating in their opening away match, beating Elche 5-0, before adding a controlled 2-0 win over Athletic Club when their delayed first-round fixture was played.

Real Madrid were similarly convincing, winning 2-1 at Espanyol before crushing Real Sociedad 4-1 in a rescheduled opener. Atlético Madrid began with a 2-0 victory over Málaga but then dropped points in a 2-2 draw with Villarreal. The early picture is clear: Barcelona and Real look strongest, with Atlético chasing behind them.

  • Athletic Bilbao vs Atletico Madrid - September 5.
  • Sevilla vs Barcelona - September 19.
  • Atletico Madrid vs Real Madrid - September 20.

Ligue 1

Two rounds have produced an unexpected Ligue 1 leader: Monaco. They are the only side with six points after beating Le Havre 1-0 and then Marseille 2-0, with Paris Brunner scoring twice in the second victory.

PSG remain title favourites, but consecutive 2-2 draws against Rennes and Lille have exposed an unusually slow start. Lille and Lyon have also begun positively without being perfect. Monaco have made the strongest early statement, yet PSG’s squad quality still makes them the clear favourites.

  • PSG vs Monaco - September 4.
  • Strasbourg vs Monaco - September 12.
  • Marseille vs PSG - September 20.

Additional Sports Events to Consider

Alongside European competitions, these tournaments also deserve attention. We will review:

  • Nations League
  • AFC Champions League
  • FIBA Women’s Basketball World Cup

UEFA Nations League

The 2026/27 UEFA Nations League begins on 24 September 2026, with the league phase running until 17 November before the knockout rounds in March and June 2027. The competition features 54 European national teams, divided across Leagues A, B, C and D according to ranking.

Each nation plays its group opponents home and away, with promotion and relegation connecting the four divisions. In League A, the top two teams from each group advance to two-legged quarter-finals, followed by a four-team Finals tournament from 9-13 June 2027. Portugal enter the edition as defending champions.

AFC Champions League 2026/27

The AFC Champions League Elite 2026/27 is Asia's premier men's club competition. Preliminary matches began in August 2026, before the main league stage, with the tournament expanding to 32 clubs for the new season.

The field brings together leading teams from across Asia, including clubs from Saudi Arabia, Japan, South Korea, UAE, Qatar, China and other AFC nations. Teams are divided geographically between West and East during the league phase before the leading clubs progress towards the knockout rounds.

2026 FIBA Women's Basketball World Cup

The 2026 FIBA Women's Basketball World Cup takes place in Berlin, Germany, from 4-13 September 2026. The tournament has expanded to 16 national teams, including defending champions USA, hosts Germany, Australia, Belgium, China, France, Nigeria and Spain.

The teams are divided into four groups of four and play a round-robin opening phase. Each group winner advances directly to the quarter-finals, while second- and third-placed teams enter an additional qualification round. From the quarter-finals onward, the tournament becomes single elimination, culminating in the final and third-place game on 13 September.