Best leagues to watch while Europe’s big leagues are on hold
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With players and coaches from Europe’s top leagues enjoying a well-earned summer break, football fans across the world are looking get their fix elsewhere. But where can they scratch the itch?
Of course, leagues like the English Premier League and Spain’s La Liga are popular for a reason. But there are plenty of other leagues to enjoy while the high-profile leagues are on hold. Let’s check out the top five.
• Major League Soccer (United States and Canada)
The 2022 Major League Soccer season kicked off in late February, with the MLS Cup final scheduled for early November. That means we still have months of North American football action to enjoy.
The league features tons of big-name stars, including Gonzalo Higuain, Javier Hernandez, Blaise Matuidi, while Lorenzo Insigne and Giorgio Chiellini are set to team up with Toronto FC and Los Angeles FC, respectively.
New York City are the defending champions, having claimed their maiden MLS Cup crown in 2021. This year, LAFC, New York Red Bulls, Philadelphia Union and Real Salt Lake are well placed to compete for the title.
• Serie A (Brazil)
Brazil’s Serie A runs from April to November, meaning the 2022 campaign is only a couple of months old. As it stands, Palmeiras, Corinthians and Internacional are the frontrunners for the title.
Aside from the frontrunners, Serie A is stacked with historic clubs. With teams like Santos, Sao Paulo, Atletico Mineiro, Flamengo and Fluminense involved, Brazil’s top tier is definitely worth following.
• Allsvenskan (Sweden)
Like the Brazilian top flight, Sweden’s Allsvenskan usually runs from April to November. Due to the long, harsh winters in the Scandinavian country, the league operates from spring until autumn to avoid disruption.
“The Big Three” in Swedish football are AIK, IFK Goteborg and Malmo FF, hailing from the country’s three largest cities – Stockholm, Gothenburg and Malmo. Right now, Gothenburg’s BK Hacken are attempting to upset the odds.
• Primera Division (Argentina)
The 2022 Argentine Primera Division season only started earlier this month. Fans of Manchester City can enjoy watching Julian Alvarez, who will join the club on a permanent basis once his loan spell at River Plate expires.
River Plate and Boca Juniors are the dominant forces in Argentina, having won 37 and 34 titles, respectively. One only side in the past five years – Racing Club – has managed to break the duopoly.
• Eliteserien (Norway)
Norway’s Eliteserien has produced countless stars over the years, from modern-day heroes like Erling Haaland and Martin Odegaard to past legends such as Ole Gunnar Solskjaer and John Arne Riise.
The 2022 Eliteserien campaign started in April and will end in November. Lillestrom are the early frontrunners, although Rosenborg are the country’s most successful club by some distance.
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