Photo by Markos90 / CC-BY-SA 4.0
Soccer is one of the most-loved sports in the world, offering the largest spectator numbers across the globe. While the likes of basketball, baseball and football can be exciting, there is something about soccer that triggers emotion and passion inside a fan that few sports can replicate.
If you would like to immerse yourself in the most intense and competitive championships in the sport, check out the biggest and best soccer tournaments to watch.
FIFA World Cup
The FIFA World Cup might only be held every four years, but it is definitely worth the wait. The premier international soccer tournament is basically a celebration of the finest international sports teams in the world, all of which will be competing against one another to lift the sought-after World Cup.
The event dates back to 1930 and has become one of the most anticipated sporting events, with people from across the globe tuning in to cheer their homegrown players to victory. However, you will have to wait until 2022 for the next FIFA World Cup, which will be held in Qatar.
UEFA Champions League
Every professional European club will be vying to become the next Champions League winner, if they are good enough to qualify for the celebrated tournament. It is easily one of the most-watched competitions in the sport, attracting billions of TV viewers and stadium spectators each year.
Only the strongest soccer clubs in the continent will compete in the challenging event, as they will need to qualify through multiple rounds to secure a place in the final. The winning team will then automatically qualify for the FIFA Club World Cup and UEFA Super Cup.
UEFA European Championship
The UEFA European Championship, also nicknamed “the Euros”, is a quadrennial sporting event that will commonly take place two years after the World Cup. Twenty-four European teams will need to qualify for the tournament, which will allow them to compete for the coveted title of European Champion.
While the event is commonly hosted in one or two European countries, the 2020 event will be hosted by not one, not two, but an incredible thirteen nations in celebration of the tournament entering its 60th year. However, while many countries will have the honor of hosting a game or two, both the semi-final and final will be held at Wembley Stadium in London, England.
Premier League
While the Premier League consists of solely English teams, it is the most-watched soccer tournament in the world, attracting an average of 4.7 billion people. Despite there being much competition, only six soccer clubs have managed to win the Premier League:
- Manchester United
- Chelsea
- Manchester City
- Arsenal
- Blackburn Rovers
- Leicester City
There are, however, various clubs that are determined to change the league’s history, with Liverpool FC making a serious play for this season’s trophy.
La Liga
The National Professional Football League, known to many sports fans as La Liga, is an unmissable tournament that features the 20 best Spanish club level teams. Each qualifying team will complete in 38 rounds in an attempt to win the sought-after title.
The season typically starts from early August and will come to a close in the following May. Sports fans can, therefore, enjoy 380 matches that are commonly held on Saturdays and Sundays. The four highest-ranking clubs will also automatically qualify for the European Cup, while the fifth and fourth-ranking teams will enter the UEFA Europa League.
Photo by Ben Sutherland / CC-BY-2.0
The African Cup of Nations
The African Cup of Nations is not to be missed, as the biennial tournament determines the finest international teams in all of Africa. Twenty-five soccer clubs will compete to prove they are the best of the best, but they often face tough competition in the form of Egypt, which is the most successful team in the event’s history (with a superb seven wins). However, Cameroon aren’t far behind with five wins.
So, if you want to absorb many action-packed soccer games throughout the years, the above tournaments will not disappoint.