What will happen to the major European leagues after the end of 2025? See what’s at stake.

Check out the summary of the Spanish, English, French, German and Italian leagues.

The end of the year in European football usually marks the halfway point of a cycle within the international season. It is at this time that clubs and managers evaluate the paths taken so far and plan adjustments for the future, with the January transfer window being a key point for changing course.

The 2025/26 season of the French, Spanish, English, Italian, and German leagues has been offering a high level of entertainment. A balance between traditional powerhouses, recurring upsets, pressured favorites, and the possibility of breaking historical taboos mark the European football landscape, which enters 2026 with open competition on different fronts. In this context, Lance! takes a look back at how 2025 will end in the five major European leagues.

The Premier League continues to confirm its status as the most attractive league in world football, combining intensity, unpredictability, and a high level of technical skill. After years of Manchester City’s dominance, 2025 highlighted the end of an era. Liverpool, which was going through a period of transition with the departure of Jürgen Klopp, responded immediately and, under the leadership of Arne Slot, built a remarkable season, regaining prominence after recent frustrating campaigns.

By the 2025/26 season, the scenario had changed. Even with reinforcements like Isak, Wirtz, and Ekitiké, Liverpool failed to translate investment into returns and experienced a season below expectations. In contrast, Arsenal maintained consistency after narrowly missing out in previous years, took center stage, and finished 2025 leading the English Premier League.

Balance is one of the hallmarks of this edition. Aston Villa, Manchester City, and Arsenal alternate in the direct battle for the top of the table, separated by minimal margins. Further down, the fight for places in the top four involves a large number of teams, reinforcing the competitive nature of the league.

Among the highlights, Aston Villa stands out for its eight-game winning streak, which has firmly placed it in the title race. Newly promoted Sunderland is surprisingly in seventh place, while Brentford is right behind, boosted by Igor Thiago’s good form. At the bottom, Wolves, West Ham, and Nottingham Forest are having disappointing campaigns. Wolves, who signed John Arias, are yet to win and occupy last place. West Ham, with Lucas Paquetá, are trying to bounce back, while Nottingham Forest, with players like Igor Jesus, are inconsistent but have managed to temporarily escape the relegation zone.

For 2026, the title race remains concentrated between Manchester City, Arsenal, and Aston Villa. The race for European places involves Tottenham, Liverpool, Sunderland, Brentford, Manchester United, Fulham, and Everton, while Wolves, Nottingham Forest, and West Ham remain under pressure in the fight against relegation.

Alternating the spotlight with the Premier League, La Liga continues to focus its attention on two giants: Real Madrid and Barcelona. As usual, both monopolize the spotlight in Spanish football. At the beginning of 2025, Barcelona was experiencing a moment of euphoria, buoyed by a great run of form, while Real Madrid faced internal and sporting turbulence. In the current season, the panorama holds similarities, but presents significant changes.

The most prominent example is Real Madrid. Under the leadership of Xabi Alonso, who took over from Carlo Ancelotti, the Merengue team started the 2025/26 season in overwhelming fashion. Reinforced by new signings and with a more aggressive playing style, the club seemed ready to regain its dominance. However, internal conflicts undermined the stability of the project. A strain in the relationship between Vini Jr. and the coach became public, affecting the atmosphere and culminating in a sharp drop in performance. After opening up a lead over Barcelona, ​​then second in the standings, Real Madrid ended up being overtaken and is now chasing its rival, accumulating points behind.

On the other side, Barcelona remains the dominant force, although it faces unprecedented problems compared to the previous season, when it experienced a true positive cataclysm. This time, the offensive sector suffers from recurring injuries. Raphinha and Lamine Yamal have spent long periods sidelined, directly impacting offensive production. Furthermore, the Blaugrana defense, which already showed signs of fragility in 2024/25, has once again become a sensitive point. Even so, the team maintains enough consistency to lead by a considerable margin and reaches the end of 2025 with solid tools to support the project of winning a second consecutive title.

Atlético de Madrid is closely watching the competition. After an uneven start, Diego Simeone’s team has staged a remarkable recovery and occupies third place. Villarreal, Espanyol, and Real Betis are also performing well and are fighting for spots in continental competitions. Girona, on the other hand, which recently competed in the Champions League, is in the opposite situation and is battling against relegation.

The Italian Serie A maintains its status as one of the most competitive leagues on the continent. After recent seasons marked by balance, 2025/26 continues in the same vein. At the beginning of 2025, Napoli and Inter Milan were locked in a round-by-round battle for the title of best team in the country.

Now, the scope is even broader. Napoli and Inter remain strong contenders, but Milan, Juventus, and Roma have joined the title race. The championship shows constant changes in leadership, with teams reaching the top and then stumbling, opening up space for direct rivals. Napoli, the current champion, tried to raise the level of its squad with the arrival of Kevin De Bruyne, but failed to maintain the same consistency. Milan, on the other hand, reinforced with Luka Modrić, ends 2025 in a better position. Led by Pulisic, the team occupies the top spot, albeit by a minimal margin.

Another highlight is Como FC’s campaign. Under Cesc Fàbregas’s leadership, the club is in the top six and has established itself as one of the great surprises of the European season. Atalanta, without Gian Piero Gasperini, is feeling the change and occupies only ninth place. Fiorentina is in an even more delicate situation. A traditional participant in international competitions, the club is going through a disastrous season and ends 2025 as the bottom team in Serie A, with only one win in 17 games.

French football has a recent history of absolute dominance by PSG. After a historic season, crowned with their first-ever Champions League title, expectations were high for another year of domestic supremacy. However, the 2025/26 season has deviated from that script.

The price of glory proved high. PSG has been plagued by a series of injuries that have hampered their performance. Dembélé, voted the best player of the year, winner of the Ballon d’Or and The Best award, was unable to maintain consistency due to physical problems. The same happened with Doué, Marquinhos, Barcola, Nuno Mendes and João Neves. As a result, the start of the season was inconsistent, and the club finishes 2025 in second place in Ligue 1.

Lens stands out as the main surprise. The team has strung together seven consecutive victories, taken the lead, and established itself as a standout in the championship. Even so, their advantage over PSG is minimal, just one point. Marseille and Lille are also experiencing good moments and complete the group of protagonists in the French season.

Finally, the Bundesliga once again displays a clear dominance by Bayern Munich after years of threats to its hegemony. Even with recent title wins, the Bavarians had been facing greater internal resistance, with Bayer Leverkusen even breaking the historic streak.

In the 2025/26 season, under Vincent Kompany’s management and led by Harry Kane, Bayern became one of the strongest teams in Europe. They are the only undefeated team among the top five leagues, with a near-perfect record: 13 wins and two draws in 15 games. Kane is the main exponent, but names like Luis Díaz and Olise enhance the team’s attacking power.

With 41 points, Bayern opened up a comfortable lead. Borussia Dortmund is in second place, nine points behind, while Bayer Leverkusen occupies third position, after a significant recovery following a turbulent start without Xabi Alonso and with the brief spell of Erik ten Hag.