Annual second-tier European club competition, now a 36-team league phase
Celtic and Rangers will meet in the Premier Sports Cup quarter‑final at Ibrox with no away supporters, following an independent review into crowd disorder at last season’s Scottish Cup quarter‑final. The SPFL has also ruled out away allocations for all SPFL matches between the clubs this season.
Sabah’s historic Champions League debut at Old Trafford is underway as Valdas Dambrauskas’s remarkable journey from a Lithuanian Who Wants to Be a Millionaire? contestant to a top coach underscores a broader rise of Azerbaijani football.
Manchester United have secured Youri Tielemans on a four-year deal after activating a release clause; Andrey Santos has joined from Chelsea in a deal around £48m. Ederson’s move from Atalanta has stalled after a medical, prompting a shift toward younger targets as United recalibrate amid a crowded market.
Hearts trail 4-0 after the first leg in Austria but have moved to strengthen their squad as they bid to overturn the deficit in the second leg. Keeper Schwolow is departing for Mainz while new signings prepare for their Tynecastle bow.
The Brazil midfielder has joined Premier League champions Arsenal on a four-year deal, with Newcastle accepting a fee after extensive talks. Guimarães has left Newcastle, where he captained the side and helped win the 2025 EFL Cup, and will bolster Arsenal’s midfield options as they defend their title.
Liverpool is pushing to reboot under Andoni Iraola after a turbulent pre-season, with Szoboszlai and Elliott reflecting on last season’s upheavals. New signings and young players are in focus as the manager shapes a cohesive unit ahead of the new campaign.
Rangers draw 1-1 away at Dundee United as new manager Derek McInnes watches from the touchline. Lachlan Rose gives United the lead; Thelo Aasgaard equalises after the break. Debutants and fresh signings feature, but no winner is found.
Celtic has secured a four-year deal with Haissem Hassan, a 24-year-old winger from Oviedo, with an option for a fifth year and add-ons totalling around £9m. The signing follows late-season interest and signals a broader transfer push as Mika Baur negotiations continue. Liverpool and Barca-linked moves also shape the summer, with new options for squads across the Premier League and La Liga.
Celtic faces LASK in a two-legged Europa League play-off-style path for a place in the Champions League groups. First legs are scheduled for Aug. 18-19 with the return a week later. LASK won the Austrian Bundesliga last season and has a track record against Scottish sides; Celtic aims to advance after last season’s exit at this stage.
MLS has named Larry Berg as the league’s next commissioner, with Don Garber transitioning to a chairman role by 2027. Berg will divest from LAFC and lead the league into a new calendar and media rights era following the 2026 World Cup boost.
Mohamed Salah has signed a two-year contract with Turkish club Trabzonspor after leaving Liverpool. The 34-year-old has agreed to earn €17m a season plus a 20% share of merchandise revenue; the club has scheduled a public signing ceremony at Papara Park as supporters greeted him on arrival in Turkey.
Rangers have secured the signing of 26-year-old Japanese winger Daisuke Yokota on a three-year deal with an option for a fourth. The move strengthens Rangers’ attacking options ahead of their Europa League third qualifying round match against Jagellonia, with Yokota registered in time for the tie.
Unai Emery leads Aston Villa into the UEFA Super Cup in Salzburg, chasing a first European trophy since 1982. PSG enter as holders; Villa face a deficit in squad stability amid talks of signings and injuries ahead of the clash.
Real Madrid have completed a €125m upfront fee plus €15m in add-ons to sign Yan Diomande from RB Leipzig, making him the club’s sixth summer arrival under Jose Mourinho. The 19-year-old Ivory Coast winger starred at the World Cup and becomes Madrid’s answer to long-term talent priorities.
The Argentina international has joined Manchester City from Marseille for £1.7m and will back up Gianluigi Donnarumma after James Trafford's departure to Leeds for up to £45m. Rulli has won the World Cup and Copa America with Argentina and previously spent time with Villarreal, Real Sociedad and Ajax.
Bruno Fernandes and co. see off Leeds United in a shootout after a 1-1 draw in the first Gaelic Games stadium game since 2009. The match ends amid fan invasions and a late crossbar hit as Mazraoui secures the win in the shootout.
Benfica leads 6-0 at half-time, extending to a 6-1 final in the first leg, as Hearts are overwhelmed in Lisbon. Benfica dominates with early goals and set-pieces, leaving Hearts facing an uphill second leg in Edinburgh. Vrancken laments poor defending and calls for composure in the return.
The 47-year-old referee has retired from English football after officiating 668 pro matches, including 163 international fixtures and all major domestic cup finals. He will direct elite refereeing in Turkey and has criticised media scrutiny, saying balance is needed in officiating analysis.
Benfica have overwhelmed Hearts 6-1 in Lisbon, but Hearts forward momentum is the focus as the tie ends 7-2 on aggregate. The Edinburgh side now faces a Conference League route via Rapid Vienna while Benfica progress in Europe.
Rangers have struggled at the start of the Derek McInnes era, with mixed results in domestic and European fixtures. The team is chasing improvement after a difficult run that has left them trailing Celtic in the league and facing a pivotal return leg in Europe.
Celtic has moved ahead in their Champions League play-off after a 3-0 first leg in Glasgow, with Nygren and Durán scoring and Duran adding a third. LASK created chances; Celtic are in a strong position for the return leg in Linz.
Mourinho has confirmed his return to Real Madrid for a second spell, a move that reshapes the club’s coaching dynamics and expectations after a trophy-laden first era. The Netflix documentary adds fresh context, recounting a pivotal moment when a Chelsea reunion fell through after Real Madrid’s 2010-13 dominance.
Everton has confirmed a four-year deal for Johnson, with McNeil moving to Crystal Palace in a swap that mirrors a rocky June, when paperwork delays delayed a February near-miss. The move signals Palace’s continued rebuild under pressure to qualify for European competition; Johnson seeks top-flight form again after an underwhelming Palace spell.
Artan has become the first non-European official to referee the UEFA Super Cup, guiding Paris Saint‑Germain to a 2-1 victory over Aston Villa in Salzburg. His appointment follows UEFA’s CAF cooperation and comes after a US entry denial that sparked international scrutiny. The match confirms Artan’s place among Africa’s top referees and marks a historic moment for Somali football.
A three-part Netflix series on Jose Mourinho examines a career marked by spectacular highs and ferocious rivalries. While the director highlights personal vulnerability, reviewers say the documentary covers only part of Mourinho’s story, leaving tactical details and early life largely unexplored.
Paris Saint-Germain has beaten Aston Villa 2-1 in the 2026 UEFA Super Cup in Salzburg. Khvicha Kvaratskhelia opened, Villa teenager Brian Madjo levelled, and Desire Doue scored the winner after a VAR review awarded the goal. Somali referee Omar Artan, controversially denied a US World Cup visa, officiated the match.
Juventus has accelerated talks to sign Tottenham goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario, with a season-long loan including an option to buy. The move follows a summer of activity that has seen Spurs bolster the squad while Vicario seeks regular football in Italy.
PSG has boosted its squad with Ferran Torres and others as heat forces the Ligue 1 opener to move to Rennes. Strasbourg records a significant sale to Milan, with Moreira signing a five-year deal as part of a broader financial shake-up.
Tottenham Hotspur have acquired Omar Marmoush from Manchester City on an initial loan, with a 60m pounds option to buy next summer, amid a flurry of summer signings that have put Spurs over 300m in expenditure. Marmoush joins Savio in a City-to-Spurs reshuffle as Roberto De Zerbi rebuilds his attack.
Larne is eliminated after conceding a late penalty in extra-time to Invermen following a 2-0 lead, with Montel Gibson sent off and controversy around a handball in the dying stages.
Celtic has built a commanding 3-0 lead over LASK Linz after the first leg of the Champions League play-off. The second leg at the Raiffeisen Arena will determine whether they advance to the league phase or drop into the Europa League.
Manchester United have signed Cameroon midfielder Carlos Baleba on a five-year deal from Brighton, joining a cohort including Andrey Santos and Youri Tielemans as Michael Carrick reshapes the midfield after Casemiro’s departure and Ugarte’s injury. The transfer is valued at about 65m pounds with add-ons; Baleba is set to strengthen a line that has faced physical demands and a recent poor result against Hull.
Celtic have surrendered a four-goal aggregate lead to LASK Linz, crashing to a 5-1 defeat in Linz and losing Champions League group-stage progression. The comeback keeps Celtic in European football via the Europa League, while coaching staff face scrutiny over squad depth and defensive resilience.
Celtic has collapsed from a 4-0 aggregate lead to a 5-4 loss in Linz, exiting the Champions League playoff. Manager Martin O’Neill has taken responsibility, while players defend the team as they face a costly European setback.
Hearts have qualified for the Conference League play-off after a dramatic 2-2 draw with Rapid Vienna, then winning 4-3 on penalties. A red card to Tomas Magnusson forced a reshuffle, with Pierre Kabore and Calvin Miller delivering equaliser and stoppage-time drama. Beau Reus saved twice in the shoot-out as Hearts advance.
The Champions League league phase draw has placed PSG, Bayern, Real Madrid and others into eight-match groups for the 2026–27 campaign, with fixtures kicking off in September 2026 and Madrid hosting the final on 5 June 2027. Arsenal and Liverpool face stern tests as they bid to advance to the knockout rounds.
Eight teams face an extensive Europa and Conference League schedule as the new season begins, with Bournemouth and Sunderland among the highlights, including ties against Milan and Real Sociedad and a return to European competition for Palace and Celtic.
Northern Ireland clubs face a potential loss of a European slot as Larne exits and Rangers miss out; the play-off system and finances come under scrutiny, with implications for coefficients and domestic competition this season.
Tottenham Hotspur have completed a major transfer window, signing Marmoush on a permanent deal and securing Savio in a high-value package from Manchester City. The signings bolster an attack-wide squad as De Zerbi eyes one final addition before the deadline. Kudus could return and Sarr’s departure remains under consideration.
Chelsea has completed the signing of Emi Martínez on a three-year contract for 7.5 million pounds. The goalkeeper has declared he is ready to help the club win titles, following a career at Aston Villa and success with Argentina.
Guendouzi and Greenwood have been fined and banned for their roles in a mass brawl after Fenerbahce’s Champions League play-off win over Lyon. UEFA has imposed bans and fines on both players and others involved, with further sanctions on the clubs and a Lyon coach.
UEFA has fined Red Star Belgrade 90,000 euros and banned ticket sales for their next away match after supporters chanted in tribute to Ratko Mladić, who died last week in The Hague while serving a life sentence for genocide. The incident followed a 5-1 defeat by Viktoria Plzeň on Aug. 27.