Global Football Spotlight: European Thrills, World Cup Road, and MLS Breakthroughs

By Sota Nakazaki

European club competition highlights

A standout moment came when Chelsea thrashed FC Barcelona 3–0 at Stamford Bridge. The match swung dramatically after Barcelona’s Ronald Araújo received a red card just before halftime. Chelsea then converted their numerical advantage into goals, with contributions from Estêvão Willian and Liam Delap.
That result delivered a major blow to Barcelona’s group-stage hopes, and meanwhile bolstered Chelsea’s chances of progressing to knockout rounds.
On a broader note, after 5 matchdays of group play, some clubs are looking like serious contenders, according to recent power rankings and one of the teams often highlighted is Arsenal.

In the Europa League, Nottingham Forest delivered a strong statement with a 3–0 victory over Malmö FF. Goals from Ryan Yates, Arnaud Kalimuendo, and Nikola Milenković sealed the dominant win.
That win kept their knockout-round hopes alive and improved their standing in the group showing that Forest have regained some momentum under their current coach.
Meanwhile, other clubs made noise too: Olympique Lyonnais hammered Maccabi Tel Aviv 6–0, with a hat-trick from Corentin Tolisso, underlining their strong form.

The qualification phase for the 2026 FIFA World Cup continues globally. In Europe, several nations secured wins in November’s qualifying matches a key step on the road to the tournament.
Meanwhile in Asia, qualifying journeys are still ongoing under the Asian Football Confederation (AFC). Teams are vying for a place in the global showpiece.
On the global stage, the latest update to the FIFA men’s world rankings shook up some standings affecting seeding and perception ahead of upcoming major tournaments.

In the 2025 MLS Cup Playoffs, Inter Miami CF advanced to their first-ever league final, after a dominant 5–1 win over New York City FC in the Eastern Conference Final. The star of the night was Tadeo Allende, who scored a hat-trick.
Meanwhile, in the Western Conference Final, Vancouver Whitecaps FC beat San Diego FC 3–1, to reach MLS Cup final for the first time.
That sets up an intriguing MLS Cup final between Inter Miami and Vancouver — neither club had previously played an MLS Cup final.
Across the playoffs, Allende’s 8 goals tied a league record for most in a single postseason.
Star names like Lionel Messi continue to shine although in that Eastern Final, it was Allende who led the scoring rather than Messi.

Big change for fans: MLS broadcasting & calendar issues

It was announced that starting in 2026, all MLS matches will be available via Apple TV as part of their subscription meaning global fans will (for the first time) be able to watch every game without regional restrictions.
The change follows the end of “MLS Season Pass” as a separate product Apple TV subscription will now include full access.
Also worth noting: there are broader structural discussions ongoing about the future of MLS’s calendar and format, with potential changes under discussion in coming years (as many leagues globally operate a different season rhythm).

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