We have reached the 2026 World Cup final to cap off a memorable summer. That has us wondering: when will we see all these squads back in action when a trophy is on the line?
Want to know when is the next top competition for European squads like England, France and Spain? What about Argentina, Brazil, Colombia and the rest of South America? When could the USA and Mexico face off? What about teams in Africa and Africa? Let’s break it down:
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2026-27 Nations League: The Nations League competition begins in September and will run through next summer. The tournament was created in 2018 to allow teams across the continent to play competitive matches throughout the year while featuring a form of promotion and relegation that is more associated with clubs.
The 2026-27 Nations League calendar begins with all qualified European teams (54 in all, with Russia suspended) starting with two group stage games each in September, October, and November. The quarterfinals will be in March 2027 and then the semifinals on June 9-10, 2027. The final and third-place match will be on June 13, 2027.
Cristiano Ronaldo and Portugal won the 2025-26 Nations League title over Lamine Yamal and Spain. Previous winners include Spain (2022-23), France (2021-22), and Portugal (2018-19).
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2026-27 Nations League: The Nations League competition begins in September and will run through next summer. Much like the European edition, the tournament was created in 2019 to allow teams across the region to play competitive matches throughout the year.
The 2026-27 Nations League calendar begins with all 41 CONCACAF teams starting with two group stage games each in September and October. The quarterfinals will be in November, with the semifinals/third-place match/final held in March 2027.
Mexico won its first Nations League title in 2025 after the USA had won the first three editions.
(Photo by John Dorton/ISI Photos/USSF/Getty Images)
2027 Copa América: The next official competition for the 10 South American sides – Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Paraguay, Peru, Uruguay, and Venzuela – will be the 2028 Copa América.
Lionel Messi and Argentina are back-to-back champions of the competition, including the 2024 edition that was held in the United States and featured a 16-team tournament, with six teams from CONCACAF joining the field.
The hosts or the number of teams for the 2028 edition has yet to be determined, although the USA has reportedly expressed interest in hosting again.
Overall, Argentina has won the competition 16 times – the most ever. Uruguay has 15 titles (the last being in 2011) while Brazil has nine (the last in 2019). Chile, Paraguay, and Peru have two each while Colombia and Bolivia each have one. Venezuela and Bolivia are the only South American teams to not have a title.
(Photo by SEBASTIEN BOZON / AFP via Getty Images)
2027 Asian Cup: The tournament will be FIFA’s first major men’s international tournament for 2027 as it will held from January 7 through February 5.
The tournament – held every four years – will once again include 24 teams, including hosts Saudi Arabia. The field also includes several of the confederation’s other teams that appeared at the 2026 World Cup – Australia, Jordan, South Korea, Japan, Iran, Iraq, Qatar, and Uzbekistan.
Qatar is back-to-back champions. Japan has four titles overall, while Iran and Saudi Arabia each have three. South Korea has two titles.
OFC Men’s Nations Cup: The confederation composed of mainly South Pacific island nations such as Fiji, Tahiti and New Caledonia – along with New Zealand – has yet to announce when it will next have its tournament. The last one held was in 2024 with New Zealand winning it to clinch its 2026 World Cup spot.
New Zealand has six titles while Tahiti has one. Australia has four, but left the confederation for Asia’s AFC in 2006.
