The 2026 FIFA World Cup is fast approaching, and excitement is in the air. With the UEFA Champions League final now behind us, marking the end of the European club season, football fans will have a noticeable gap until the tournament kicks off on June 11.
But don’t worry! You won’t need to wait for Mexico and South Africa to take the field at Estadio Azteca to catch some football action. We’re not referring to the usual pre-World Cup friendlies that often don’t pique much interest.
For starters, there’s a full slate of European Women’s World Cup qualifiers on Friday, including a rematch between Spain and England, featuring the last two tournament finalists, as well as a match on June 9 where the Netherlands will face Poland (stream LIVE on ESPN+ in the U.S.).
Additionally, the Maurice Revello Tournament—known in the past as the Toulon Tournament—is one of the notable youth football competitions, commencing on May 31 with a match between China‘s U20 team and Saudi Arabia‘s U23 team.
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These matches represent just a fraction of the exciting action lined up in the coming weeks. The thrill of the beautiful game never stops!
So as you gear up for a month filled with the sport’s biggest names competing at the highest level, consider exploring some of the more unconventional soccer viewing options available to you.
Think Beyond FIFA and UEFA. Explore CONIFA!
The CONIFA (Confederation of Independent Football Associations) European Football Championship offers a platform for teams not affiliated with UEFA or FIFA, running every two years. The 2026 edition will be held in Insubria, a unique cross-border area between Italy and Switzerland, home to two of the six participating teams: Padania and Canton Ticino.
An intriguing entrant is Greenland. After a recent rejection from UEFA’s membership due to rules restricting m membership to recognized sovereign states, the Danish autonomous territory later applied for Concacaf membership but was unanimously turned down by its 41 member associations in the summer of 2025. Now, the Polar-Bamserne (Polar Teddy Bears) will seek glory in the CONIFA competition.
The group stage will see each team play two matches between June 2 and 4, followed by three placement matches on June 6 to establish final standings. The bottom-placed teams in each group will face off in a fifth-place playoff, while the runners-up will compete for third place, and the group winners will meet in the final.
Experience an International Tournament Older than the World Cup
The same day the CONIFA Euros wrap up, another biennial tournament kicks off—the Baltic Cup, recognized as the oldest ongoing international competition in Europe, established in 1928, making it two years senior to the World Cup. This event features the three neighboring nations of Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania, each vying for regional supremacy. Recently, these countries have invited a guest nation to participate, leading to a four-team knockout format. Finland participated in 2012 and 2014, while Iceland famously won on their only appearance in 2022. The Faroe Islands debuted in 2024 and will return this summer.
The semifinals are set for June 6, with Lithuania facing Latvia in Kaunas and Estonia hosting the Faroe Islands in Tallinn.
While players across Europe are enjoying holiday time (or preparing for the World Cup), action in Spain’s second tier is not yet concluded. The final fixtures of LaLiga2 will occur on the evening of May 31, followed by playoffs for four teams competing for promotion to Spain’s top division.
The playoffs will conclude on June 21, meaning teams like Brazil will have played two group matches at the World Cup before the Spanish club season officially wraps up. The stakes are high, as winning could mean matches against Barcelona and Real Madrid in LaLiga next season, compared to facing off against teams like FC Andorra or a challenging trip to Ceuta, so fans can anticipate hard-fought battles.
– Stream Spanish LaLiga2 matches on ESPN+ in the U.S.
Catch Liverpool in Action… in Uruguay
South American club competitions will continue during the World Cup. The Copa Argentina promises intense matchups throughout June leading up to the main event, as does the Copa Ecuador.
If you’re interested in watching Ecuador, deemed by many as potential dark horses, consider tuning in to see Independiente del Valle in the round of 32 against Vargas Torres on July 8. Their youth academy has produced a wealth of Ecuador’s World Cup talents, including playmaker Moisés Caicedo and defenders Piero Hincapié and Willian Pacho.
For Liverpool fans feeling a little nostalgic after a challenging season marked by the firing of Arne Slot, Liverpool FC will take the field in Montevideo in the Uruguayan Primera División. They will face Boston River on June 1, followed by a trek to Cerro Largo, the league’s most remote team, on June 8.
Explore Grassroots Football in the U.S.
The World Cup isn’t the only soccer activity happening in the USA this summer. The USL Championship—the secondary tier of the American soccer league system—will keep the action rolling through June and July for those who appreciate a more grassroots approach to the sport.
Teams are scattered across the country, with few located near World Cup venues. For some fans, attending a USL match could be a fantastic addition to their World Cup experience, while for others, it may offer a more affordable option.
– Stream UCL Championship, USL League One and USL Cup matches on ESPN+ in the U.S.