With August just around the corner, the football season is set to heat up again. After nearly two months off, Europe’s top five leagues — the Premier League, La Liga, Ligue 1, Bundesliga, and Serie A — are making their return.
But that’s not all August has in store. Want to know what else is coming up? Check out our rundown of the key tournaments kicking off next month.
Major Upcoming Football Fixtures in August 2025
Before we move to the major European domestic championships, some other competitions deserve our attention:
African Nations Championship 2025
The African Nations Championship will kick off on August 9, featuring 19 teams from Africa. It’ll be hosted by Kenya, Tanzania, and Uganda. Initially, it was meant to be between 1 and 28 February, but was rescheduled due to preparatory issues.
Senegal are the reigning champions and will try to defend their title. Doing so won’t be easy as they’ll have to face strong Nigeria, Morocco, and Algeria. Below, we’ve picked the most interesting games coming up:
- Senegal vs Nigeria – August 5.
- Kenya vs Morocco – August 10.
- Guinea vs Algeria – August 15.
Leagues Cup 2025
The Leagues Cup 2025 is also underway. The defending champions, Columbus Crew, are once again participating in a renovated tournament, where the teams from the MLS and Liga MX will face off.
It will also be a chance for Inter Miami and Leo Messi to grab a trophy. Amidst the ongoing fierce competition. Don’t forget to follow these games:
- Los Angeles vs Pachuca – August 2.
- Inter Miami vs Necaxa – August 3.
- Monterrey vs Charlotte – August 8.
Champions League Qualifiers
The Champions League qualifiers are slowly entering the decisive phase. We are already in the third round, and overall, there haven’t been unexpected results. Here are the two-legged encounters that you should definitely watch this month:
- Nice vs Benfica – August 6.
- Feyenoord vs Fenerbahce – August 6.
- Salzburg vs Brugge – August 5.
Top European Competitions in August 2025
The summer transfer window has already racked up some high-profile names. In each of the top five European leagues, listed below, we anticipate drama and excitement. Let’s have a look at what the schedule has in store:
Premier League
The English top-tier will kick off on August 15 with a match between Liverpool and Bournemouth. The Reds have had a prolific transfer window, signing Florian Wirtz, Hugo Ekitike, Milos Kerkez, Jeremie Frimpong, and are on the verge of adding Alexander Isak.
Arsenal have sealed Viktor Gyokeres’ transfer from Sporting, and the Swedish forward comes with ultimate expectations. Man City also modified their squad, while Manchester United signed Bryan Mbeumo and Matheus Cunha. With that, make sure to keep up with these fixtures:
- Manchester United vs Arsenal – August 17.
- Man City vs Tottenham – August 23.
- Liverpool vs Arsenal – August 31.
Bundesliga
The Bundesliga will start with a classic clash between Bayern and Leipzig. Similar to other seasons, Munich are considered the favourites to win the trophy, especially after Xabi Alonso’s departure and Leverkusen’s weakening.
Stuttgart’s talisman Nick Woltemade will likely be in the spotlight. However, the interest in the young German forward is surging, and top clubs will try to sign him. Meanwhile, make sure you don’t miss the games below:
- Bayern vs Leipzig – August 22.
- Werder vs Leverkusen – August 30.
- Stuttgart vs Gladbach – August 30.
Serie A
Napoli, under Antonio Conte, claimed a trophy last season. Now they’ll be even stronger, with Kevin De Bruyne bolstering their squad.
It will be a thrilling season for Milan, who’ve appointed Massimiliano Allegri as their head coach. The Croatian legend Luka Modric is also joining their ranks, so this campaign will be even more diverse. Here are the top matches from August in Serie A.
- Sassuolo vs Napoli – August 23.
- Juventus vs Parma – August 24.
- Inter vs Udinese – August 31.
LaLiga
If we can pick up one side that underwent significant changes, then it is indeed Real Madrid. Following Carlo Ancelotti’s departure, Xabi Alonso became the new manager. The club also made high-profile transfers, adding Dean Huijsen, Alvaro Carreras, Franco Mastantuono, and Trent Alexander-Arnold.
Barcelona were relatively modest during the Summer transfer window, but have sealed a deal with Marcus Rashford. The English forward was loaned to Blaugrana and will try to regain his form. In the meantime, take a look at these:
- Mallorca vs Barcelona – August 16.
- Real Madrid vs Osasuna – August 19.
- Atletico Madrid vs Elche – August 23.
Ligue 1
Rennes and Marseille will open the Ligue 1 2025/26 season on August 25. Prior to the new campaign, it’s clear that PSG will again be the major contenders to win another title.
Lyon barely survived elimination to the lower league, but it seems that financial difficulties have been solved for now. Lille may be a dark horse for the Champions League spot, while Monaco will be looking forward to securing second place. Without further ado, here are some more highly anticipated games:
- Nantes vs PSG – August 17.
- Lille vs Monaco – August 24.
- Lyon vs Marseille – August 31.
Additional Sports Events to Consider
Football won’t be the only discipline that we will have in August. Tennis and basketball are underway, with the US Open and EuroBasket starting. Let’s take a look.
US Open 2025
The 2025 US Open will mark the 145th edition of tennis’s final Grand Slam. The competition will be held from August 24 to September 7, at Flushing Meadows, New York City.
Defending champions Jannik Sinner and Aryna Sabalenka return. It will be a chance for Sinner to win his third Grand Slam trophy this year. Carlos Alcaraz will be the one challenging him. And it could also be a swansong for 38-year-old Novak Djokovic.
EuroBasket 2025
EuroBasket 2025 will be the 42nd edition of Europe’s premier men’s basketball championship, running from August 27 to September 14. Cyprus, Finland, Latvia, and Poland will co-host it.
There will be 24 teams, with Serbia and Spain as the main favourites, alongside contenders like Germany, Greece, and Slovenia. NBA stars, the likes of Luka Dončić (Slovenia) and Giannis Antetokounmpo (Greece), will draw global attention. Sadly, Victor Wembanyama of France has opted out for health reasons.