20 dates every football fan should mark this year
The 2026 football calendar is packed with unmissable events, headlined by the 2026 FIFA World Cup in North America.
Without further ado, read on as we look at 20 key dates every football fan should mark in their calendar this year.
Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) – Mar 17 – Apr 3
Female teams will showcase their talents at the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco.
Nigeria’s road to an 11th title won’t be easy, with Morocco, South Africa, Ghana, Zambia, and Ivory Coast among the teams who could knock them off their perch.
League Cup Final – March 22
While the League Cup is often dismissed by fans, it is an important piece of silverware in the English football landscape.
Manchester City face Arsenal at Wembley Stadium in a rematch of the 2018 final. City emerged victorious on that occasion.
FIFA World Cup Intercontinental Play-Offs – March 26-31
The World Cup Intercontinental Play-Offs will take place in Mexico in March. Six teams will compete for two spots in the expanded 48-team tournament.
The play-off features two knockout brackets, with semi-final winners facing top-seeded sides DR Congo and Iraq to book their tickets to the summer showpiece.
AFC Champions League Elite Final – April 25
Asia’s elite football competition reaches its climax at the King Abdullah Sports City Stadium in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, in April.
The winner will bag a lucrative $12 million prize and a spot in the 2029 FIFA Club World Cup.
UEFA Europa League Final – May 20
The 2026 UEFA Europa League final will be held at the Besiktas Park in Istanbul on May 20.
The culmination of UEFA’s second-tier competition provides the winner with an automatic spot in the following season’s UEFA Champions League.
UEFA Women’s Champions League Final – May 23
The 2026 UEFA Women’s Champions League final will be held at the Ullevaal Stadion in Oslo, Norway, on May 23.
Arsenal, Barcelona, Chelsea and Lyon could feature in the final. The winner secures a spot in the 2027 FIFA Women’s Champions Cup.
Scottish Cup Final – May 23
Hampden Park will host the final of Scotland’s oldest cup competition on May 23, bringing its trademark intensity to a fixture wrapped in tradition.
With the Rangers and Celtic scheduled to meet in the quarter-final, at least one of the country’s smaller clubs will have the chance to play in the showpiece.
EFL Championship Play-Off Final – May 23
The Championship play-off final on May 23 is widely regarded as the richest game in world football, offering a life-changing promotion to the Premier League.
Millwall, Ipswich Town and Hull City are fighting to stay in the top six, while Wrexham are pushing for a fourth consecutive promotion.
CAF Champions League Final – May 24
The CAF Champions League winner will be decided in a two-legged final on May 15 and May 24, as Africa’s elite clubs battle for the biggest club trophy on the continent.
Al-Ahly, Mamelodi Sundowns and Esperance de Tunis are among the teams who could feature in the prestigious final.
Premier League Final Day – May 24
The drama of the Premier League’s final day rarely disappoints, with numerous elements potentially set to be determined.
The title race between Arsenal and Manchester City could go down to the wire, while European qualification will also be on the line.
UEFA Europa Conference League Final – May 27
The 2026 UEFA Europa Conference League final will take centre stage at the Red Bull Arena in Leipzig, Germany, on May 27.
This newest European trophy is an increasingly important route to securing international credibility for teams a little lower down the scale.
CONCACAF Champions Cup – May 30
The 2026 CONCACAF Champions Cup ends with a single-leg final on May 30, in which the best team in North America, Central America, and the Caribbean will be determined.
The champions will also secure a spot in the 2026 FIFA Intercontinental Cup and the 2029 FIFA Club World Cup.
UEFA Champions League Final – May 30
The 2026 UEFA Champions League final will take place at the Puskas Arena in Budapest, Hungary, on May 30.
Reigning champions Paris Saint-Germain are eager to defend the title. Real Madrid, Man City or Arsenal may have something to say about that.
Women’s FA Cup Final – May 31
The 2026 Women’s FA Cup final will be played at Wembley Stadium on May 31.
The stage is set for another potentially record-breaking attendance, highlighting the growing popularity of women’s football.
FIFA World Cup – June 11 to July 19
The 2026 FIFA World Cup will be the biggest in history, featuring an expanded 48 teams competing in 104 matches across North America.
The tournament kicks off at the Estadio Azteca in Mexico City and concludes with the final at the New Jersey Stadium in the United States.
UEFA Super Cup – August 12
The 2026 UEFA Super Cup will be played at the Red Bull Arena in Salzburg on August 12.
The match features the winners of the 2025/26 UEFA Champions League and the UEFA Europa League.
Premier League Opening Day – August 22
The 2026/27 Premier League campaign will officially kick off on August 22, the latest start date in the competition’s history.
The adjusted schedule provides a 33-day recovery plan following the World Cup final in New Jersey.
OFC Men’s Champions League Final – August 22
The 2026 OFC Men’s Champions League final will take place in Fiji on August 22, where the region’s top clubs compete for continental relevance.
The final will mark the end of a two-week tournament held across Lautoka and Ba, determining which team is the best in Oceania.
UEFA Champions League Opening Stage – September
The 2026/27 UEFA Champions League group stage is scheduled to kick off on September 8, marking the start of the third season under the expanded 36-team format.
Europe’s elite clubs compete across eight rounds of fixtures before the tournament enters the knockout phase later in the campaign.