HT Kick Off: 11 things to look forward to in 2026
A bigger-than-ever men’s FIFA World Cup will have the planet’s attention but there will be enough to engage us before and after.
Hello 2026!
Hopefully, the men’s club game in India will move beyond meetings on virtual platforms to those on the pitch. Hopefully, salaries will be paid and teams that have stopped first team operations resume them. A long-term proposal has been received favourably and, hopefully, that will get All India Football Federation (AIFF), the sports ministry, the Supreme Court—to think that the last two would need to be involved is proof of how bizarre 2025 was—and the clubs to work together and come up with a solution for 2025-26.
That would be one of the most looked forward-to things for most Kick Off subscribers. Here are some of the others:
Will this be Arsenal’s year?
They have not been champions since 2004 but finished second in the last three seasons. There were times in two of those three terms when it seemed like Arsenal’s wait would be over but a tired squad and injuries, sometimes both, came in the way. Add to that the relentlessness of Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City and, last season, Liverpool.
Both are in what promises to be a multi-team title race but Arsenal’s win against Aston Villa was proof that this could be different. Mikel Arteta’s squad has the depth to deal with injuries. Players coming back from injury layoffs too are making an impact as Gabriel showed against Villa.
Will Salah stay?
It could turn out to be much ado about nothing. But heads turn and tongues wag when Mo Salah speaks of being thrown under the bus. That said, before leaving for the Africa Cup of Nations, where he scored two of Egypt’s three goals on way to a Round of 16 match against Benin, he did come on as a substitute against Brighton. Have the club and the Merseyside legend patched up or will he move to Saudi Arabia?
The first Women’s Champions Cup
From 28 January to 1 February, the final rounds of the first intercontinental women’s club competition will be held in London. UEFA Champions League winners Arsenal will meet African champions AS Far of Morocco in one semifinal, the other pitting North and South American champions Gotham City and Corinthians. Asian champions Wuhan Jiangda lost to AS Far in the second round in December after defeating Oceania champions Auckland United in the first. Here’s what Arsenal’s Emily Fox told FIFA about the Champions Cup.
Challenge for Crispin Chhetri’s team
The AFC Women’s Asian Cup begins in Australia on March 1. Three days later, India open their campaign against Vietnam in Perth. They play Japan next (March 7), also in Perth, and finish the group stage against Chinese Taipei in Sydney on March 10. Head coach Crispin Chhetri will be keeping a close eye on the Indian Women’s League in Kolkata. The league will pause on Jan. 9 to focus on preparations for a competition where India have qualified for the first time. Also in March, the women’s Africa Cup of Nations will start in Morocco.
U20 women and U17 Asian finals
From April 1 to 18, the Asian under-20 women’s finals will be played in Thailand. India have qualified for this tournament after 20 years. They have been grouped with Japan, Australia and Chinese Taipei. The junior men and women’s teams (Under-17) have also qualified for the Asian finals. The boys will play in Saudi Arabia between May 7-24 and the girls in China from April 30 to May 17.
Encore for Arsenal?
Stina Blackstenius’s late goal stunned Barcelona, who had won three of the last four editions, played the last five finals and were aiming for a hattrick of Women’s Champions League titles. On May 23 in Oslo, can Arsenal do an encore? They are fifth in the standings on 12 points, four less than leaders Barcelona after six match days.
PSG’s European adventure
Luis Enrique’s men conquered the continent in style last year. Enrique has helped in rebuilding the squad taking the club in the opposite direction to the “flashy, bling, bling” culture. Till the end of 2024-25, he had notched up a win percentage of 68.53 at Paris St-Germain (PSG). Also among the contenders this time will be Arsenal, Bayern Munich, Real Madrid, Barcelona and Manchester City. Third in the standings after six match days, can PSG do what no team has since Real Madrid in 2017-18? The final is in Budapest on May 30.
But before that…
Will PSG be able to maintain their hold on Ligue 1? Only twice since 2011-12 have they not won the league in France. Last term, 19 points separated PSG and the second team (Marseille). This time, after Paris FC qualified to Ligie 1, Paris will have a city derby for the first time since 1990 when PSG host them on Sunday but that is not the only change. Ater 16 of the 34 matches, PSG are second, one point behind Lens who are on 37. Marseille and Lille are not too far behind meaning another exciting multi-team title race after the Premier League.
The Serie A battle
Make that three. The race for the Serie A too has a number of teams with reigning champions Napoli very much in the mix along with Inter Milan, AC Milan, Roma and Juventus. Winners of the Super Cup, Napoli have won two of the last three editions but have never won back-to-back titles.
The FIFA World Cup
June 11 to July 19. You may not be a football tragic, you may barely know what off-side is, look blankly if asked whether the off-side was passive or not and have no idea that DOGSO means Denial of Obvious Goalscoring Opportunity.
But between the dates mentioned, you will find it difficult to steer conversations away from the World Cup. There will be 48 teams this time, the most so far, and it will be played in three countries (United States, Canada and Mexico). It will be the last dance for Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo. Or will it? Will the baton pass to Lamine Yamal? Can Argentina, their federation in turmoil, do what has not been achieved since 1962? Will Carlo Ancelotti, Brazil’s first full-time foreign coach since 1925, deliver a sixth World Cup? Will England match potential with performance? How will the newbies Uzbekistan, Jordan, Cape Verde and Curacao fare?
India in Asian Games
By the time of the Asian Games (September 19-October 4) a lot of things may have changed in football in India. If AIFF elections are held on time, Kalyan Chaubey’s fate will be decided. But before that he will have to convince the government of the need to send teams to the Games. He did that last time, but it was also the start of the end of India’s good run under Igor Stimac and hastened the breakdown in the relationship between the head coach and Chaubey. It was also a lesson in how not to send a team. Will history repeat itself?
Play of the week
In other news
Maresca leaves Chelsea: Enzo Maresca left his post as Chelsea head coach on Thursday after a reported deterioration in his relationship with the Premier League club's hierarchy, reports AP. "Enzo and the club believe a change gives the team the best chance of getting the season back on track,” the club said in a statement.
The Italian coach was midway through his second season in charge. In his first season, he won the Conference League and Club World Cup.
Last month, Maresca said he had experienced his “worst” 48 hours at Chelsea and expressed his unhappiness at the lack of support at the club but didn't go into specific reasons. Chelsea are fifth in the Premier League, but have won just one of their last seven league matches, and have advanced to the English League Cup semifinals.
Fatal accident for Valencia coach: Fernando Martin, a coach with Valencia women’s team, has died with three members of his family after their boat capsized in Indonesia, Reuters reported. Valencia said they were “deeply saddened by the passing of 44-year-old Fernando Martin, coach of Valencia CF Femenino B, and three of his children, in the tragic boat accident in Indonesia, as confirmed by local authorities”.
On Saturday, Indonesian and Spanish authorities said that Martin and three of his children were missing after the boat carrying 11 people sank in extreme weather on Friday in the Padar Island Strait near the island of Labuan Bajo—a popular tourist spot. Martin’s wife and one daughter, as well as four crew members and a tour guide, survived the accident.
Mbappe injured: Real Madrid forward Kylian Mbappé has injured his left knee, AP reports. Real Madrid said in a brief statement that the French superstar had been diagnosed with a sprain but did not provide a timeline for his recovery. French sports daily newspaper L’Equipe said Mbappé would be unavailable for at least three weeks, without quoting a source, and that he had been suffering for several weeks from an issue with the lateral ligament in his knee. An MRI carried out on Wednesday morning revealed a lesion that requires treatment and rest. Earlier this month, Mbappé scored his 59th goal for Madrid in 2025, tying the club record for the most in a year held by Cristiano Ronaldo.
Heart procedure for Roberto Carlos: Former Brazil and Real Madrid great Roberto Carlos posted a picture of himself smiling in hospital and said he was “recovering well” after confirming Wednesday he had undergone a heart procedure, AP reported.
“I did not suffer a heart attack. I am recovering well, and looking forward to returning to full fitness and resuming my professional and personal commitments soon,” the 52-year-old former defender said on social media.
Earlier Wednesday, Spanish media reported that he had undergone surgery in Brazil. Hospital Vila Nova Star in Sao Paulo said in a separate statement that Carlos, who is now a Real Madrid ambassador, had a heart obstruction detected on Monday and was advised to have a coronary angioplasty.
Three Indians on FIFA list: Three more Indians, including a woman, have been added to the list of FIFA Referees by the world football governing body, PTI reported. Rachana Kamani from Gujarat has been added to the FIFA list of women referees for 2026. Ashwin Kumar (Puducherry) and Aditya Purkayastha (Delhi) figured among the men. Muralitharan Pandurangan (Puducherry) and Peter Christopher (Maharashtra) have been inducted as assistant referees taking the number of Indians on FIFA panels to 19.
Botafogo transfer ban: Brazilian club Botafogo have been hit with a three-window transfer ban by FIFA for a debt relating to the signing of Argentinian international Thiago Almada from MLS club Atlanta United, reports AFP. The US club filed a complaint with FIFA, claiming $21 million in unpaid transfer fees owed by Botafogo, who signed the World Cup winner in 2024.
Lumumba tribute: Most Democratic Republic of Congo fans sang, cheered and played drums as their team secured a place in the Africa Cup of Nations last 16 with a 3-0 win over Botswana on Tuesday, but one supporter remained motionless throughout the game. Michel Kuka Mboladinga, dressed smartly in jacket and tie and looking very like his country’s first Prime Minister Patrice Lumumba, has stood still on top of a makeshift podium at every DR Congo group match in tribute to the politician who was assassinated in 1961, reports Reuters.
Nicknamed “Lumumba” because of his tribute act, Kuka Mboladinga sets up his podium in the stands at the start of every game, and raises his arm to strike a pose similar to one held by Lumumba in a statue of him in his country’s capital Kinshasa.
Ban on Equatorial Guinea duo: Two Equatorial Guinea players have been banned for insulting a referee at the Africa Cup of Nations, reports Reuters. Equatorial Guinea captain Carlos Akakpo and midfielder Josete Miranda have each been banned for four games for swearing at referee Messie Nkounou of Congo after their 1-0 loss to Sudan in Casablanca on Sunday which left them bottom of Group E. Two of the matches have been suspended for the period of a year, the federation said.
Iconic Moment: ‘You will never walk alone’
Two of Diogo Jota’s children were mascots at Anfield on Saturday as Liverpool and Wolves paid tribute to their former forward, says AFP. Jota, who was killed in a car accident in July, joined Liverpool from Wolves in 2020. In the first meeting between the sides since his death, both sets of fans paid their respects, including a chant in Jota’s name on the 20th minute. Two of his three children, Dinis and Duarte, as well as family members performed the role as mascots, while his wife Rute Cardoso was also in attendance.
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They said it
That’s all for this week. As always, I look forward to your feedback. You can either write to me at dhiman@htlive.com. You can subscribe to this newsletter here.
