I Predicted the Table of Every European League 2026/27 (PT. 1)
Updated: Aug 18
Part I — The Big Five
The champions, contenders, surprises, disappointments, players to watch, and the predictions I'm willing to put my name behind.
European football is back.
The World Cup is over. The transfer window is still moving. Clubs are finishing preseason, managers are settling into new jobs, and across the continent, another nine-month football marathon is about to begin.
And naturally, I've decided I know exactly how it's going to end.
I don't.
But that's never stopped me before.
This is the first part of my attempt to predict the 2026/27 European football season. Eventually, we're going far beyond the biggest competitions. The goal is to cover as much of European football as possible, from the Premier League and La Liga all the way down to leagues that rarely receive international attention.
But we're starting with the Big Five.
England.
Spain.
Germany.
Italy.
France.
Five leagues that dominate European football economically, culturally and competitively.
Some of these seasons have technically already begun, while others are still waiting for their opening weekend. La Liga has already kicked off, while the Premier League begins on August 21, Serie A on August 23 and the Bundesliga on August 28. Ligue 1's opening weekend follows August 22–23.
So yes, I'm making these predictions knowing that a few games have already been played.
I'm not going to pretend otherwise.
But one match doesn't change my entire prediction for a 38-game season.
These are my picks based on where I think these clubs are heading right now.
And by May, we'll find out how wrong I was.
Premier League
My Prediction
Position | Club |
1 | Arsenal |
2 | Manchester City |
3 | Manchester United |
4 | Chelsea |
5 | Aston Villa |
6 | Liverpool |
7 | Brighton |
8 | Bournemouth |
9 | Nottingham Forest |
10 | Brentford |
11 | Tottenham Hotspur |
12 | Newcastle United |
13 | Leeds United |
14 | Crystal Palace |
15 | Ipswich Town |
16 | Coventry City |
17 | Sunderland |
18 | Everton |
19 | Fulham |
20 | Hull City |
Arsenal Repeat
I'm starting with what might be the least controversial part of my Premier League prediction: Arsenal are winning it again.
The defending champions ended their 22-year wait for the Premier League title last season, and I don't see enough evidence to move them off the top of my prediction. Mikel Arteta is now the longest-serving manager in the Premier League, and Arsenal enter the season with a level of continuity that several of their closest competitors don't have.
Manchester City are my biggest threat to them.
But this is a very different City team.
Pep Guardiola is gone.
That alone makes predicting Manchester City difficult. The club is entering a post-Guardiola era, and while the squad remains exceptional, there is a natural question about how quickly the new structure settles.
That's enough for me to put them second.
Manchester United Are Back?
This might be one of my biggest predictions of the entire series.
I'm putting Manchester United third.
Not because I think they're suddenly going to become the dominant Manchester club again, but because I think they're finally capable of putting together a season that resembles the club's stature.
Third place would represent a significant step forward, particularly in a league where the competition for Champions League football is brutal.
Chelsea finish fourth, while Aston Villa continue their rise into the upper tier of English football.
Then comes Liverpool.
Sixth.
That's probably the prediction that will get me yelled at.
Liverpool are too talented to collapse, but I think the combination of Champions League football, competition from the improving clubs around them and the difficulty of repeating a title-level campaign pushes them further down than many expect.
Teams I'm Watching
Brighton are my team to watch outside the traditional giants. They're seventh in my prediction, but I could easily see them challenging even higher.
Bournemouth continue to look like one of the more interesting clubs outside the established elite. With their first taste of European football eight might feel ambitious, but not impossible.
Nottingham Forest at ninth is another prediction I'm particularly interested in. They've established themselves as a genuinely competitive Premier League side, and I think another step forward is coming.
The Relegation Battle
This is where my table gets ugly.
I'm predicting Hull City, Fulham and Everton to go down.
Sunderland survive by the narrowest possible margin in 17th, European football will completely alter this club's season. While Coventry finish 16th in their first season back in the Premier League. Lampard is making his return to the Prem with an outstanding Championship 1st place finish last year.
Hull's return to the Premier League is a major achievement, but survival at this level is another matter entirely. I really like this Ipswich Town side; I don't see them going down at all. They will be fighting for most of the season, yet I don't see them as a side to back down just like their last campaign in the EPL.
Players to Watch
Bukayo Saka, Arsenal
The name speaks for itself.
Benjamin Šeško, Manchester United
If United are going to finish third, they need their attacking investment to translate into goals.
João Pedro, Chelsea
A player capable of changing the complexion of Chelsea's attack.
Game Changer
Mikel Arteta
The Arsenal manager has already taken the club from a rebuilding project to Premier League champions.
Now comes the harder part:
staying there.
My Boldest Take
Coventry City and Ipswich Town both staying up.
If I'm right about this one, I'm going to be insufferable.
La Liga
My Prediction
Position | Club |
1 | Barcelona |
2 | Real Madrid |
3 | Atlético Madrid |
4 | Real Betis |
5 | Villarreal |
6 | Rayo Vallecano |
7 | Valencia |
8 | Real Sociedad |
9 | Athletic Club |
10 | Celta Vigo |
11 | Deportivo Alavés |
12 | Getafe |
13 | Osasuna |
14 | Levante |
15 | Espanyol |
16 | Sevilla |
17 | Racing Santander |
18 | Deportivo La Coruña |
19 | Málaga |
20 | Elche |
Barcelona Stay on Top
Barcelona are my La Liga champions.
Real Madrid are second.
That might sound obvious, but the gap between these two clubs is where the interesting part begins.
Barcelona enter the campaign as back-to-back champions, while Real Madrid are beginning a new managerial era under José Mourinho. Atlético Madrid remain the third member of the traditional elite, but I don't see them breaking into the title race.
The real surprise is fourth.
Real Betis.
Real Betis Break Into the Champions League
I'm predicting Betis to finish fourth.
That's one of my favorite predictions of the entire Big Five.
They're surrounded by clubs with greater historical weight, but I think their consistency and squad quality can push them into Champions League territory.
Villarreal finish fifth.
Rayo Vallecano finish sixth.
And then we get Valencia in seventh.
Valencia are one of the clubs I'm most interested in watching because they have the history and infrastructure to eventually return to the upper levels of Spanish football.
The Bottom
My relegation predictions are much harsher.
Deportivo La Coruña.
Málaga.
Elche.
Three historic Spanish names would be going down.
Racing Santander survive in their return back to the top-flight.
Players to Watch
Lamine Yamal, Barcelona
At this point, he's already a superstar, but another leap forward could make him the defining player of the league.
Arda Güler, Real Madrid
The question is no longer whether Güler has talent. It's how consistently he can influence matches.
Ademola Lookman, Atlético Madrid
Arriving back in the January window, Lookman has 4 goals in 12 fixtures. Leading his former club, Atalanta to a Europa League trophy, the Nigerian striker is looking to add an extra piece of European silverware in the biggest stage of them all.
Game Changer
José Mourinho
Putting Mourinho back in charge of Real Madrid makes this season significantly more interesting.
My Boldest Take
Real Betis finish fourth and qualify for the Champions League.
Bundesliga
My Prediction
Position | Club |
1 | Bayern Munich |
2 | Borussia Dortmund |
3 | Bayer Leverkusen |
4 | Eintracht Frankfurt |
5 | Stuttgart |
6 | RB Leipzig |
7 | SC Freiburg |
8 | Hoffenheim |
9 | Mainz |
10 | Borussia Mönchengladbach |
11 | Augsburg |
12 | Union Berlin |
13 | Werder Bremen |
14 | Hamburg |
15 | Elversberg |
16 | Schalke 04 |
17 | Köln |
18 | Paderborn |
Bayern Are Still Bayern
Bayern Munich are winning the Bundesliga.
I'm not overthinking this one.
The reigning champions remain the team to beat, and Bundesliga's own preseason analysis has Bayern as the clear benchmark heading into 2026/27.
But I'm predicting Dortmund to finish second again.
Their 2025/26 campaign produced 73 points. Their highest total since 2018/19 and they finished eight points ahead of third-place RB Leipzig.
Niko Kovač has given Dortmund a more stable foundation, and I think another year together makes them Bayern's biggest domestic threat.
Leverkusen Still Matter
Bayer Leverkusen finish third.
The post-title era hasn't completely destroyed their status as one of Germany's strongest clubs.
Stuttgart finish fifth, while Leipzig fall to sixth.
That is another prediction I'm watching closely.
Leipzig have enough talent to finish considerably higher, but I think the clubs around them make the Champions League race incredibly difficult.
Schalke Are Back
One of the most fun parts of this Bundesliga season is the return of Schalke.
The Revierderby is back.
Schalke are my prediction for 16th, meaning survival through the relegation playoff.
It's not glamorous.
But after everything the club has gone through, staying up would be a successful season.
Hamburg also return to the Bundesliga, with their first campaign back beginning against Dortmund.
Players to Watch
Jamal Musiala, Bayern Munich
A now proven superstar leading the league's best team.
Serhou Guirassy — Borussia Dortmund
The Guinea international is Dortmund’s top scorer in both the Bundesliga and UEFA Champions League
Ibrahim Maza — Bayer Leverkusen
A Versatile midfielder who finished the season with 11 goal involvements in all competitions, indicating both attacking creativity and he has held a strong defensive presence.
Game Changer
Vincent Kompany
Bayern are trying to turn domestic dominance into European dominance.
Kompany is central to that project.
My Boldest Take
Elversburg survive. RB Leipzig only finish sixth.
Serie A
My Prediction
Position | Club |
1 | Inter |
2 | Juventus |
3 | Napoli |
4 | Como |
5 | Roma |
6 | Atalanta |
7 | Fiorentina |
8 | Milan |
9 | Bologna |
10 | Lazio |
11 | Udinese |
12 | Torino |
13 | Genoa |
14 | Sassuolo |
15 | Parma |
16 | Venezia |
17 | Cagliari |
18 | Frosinone |
19 | Monza |
20 | Lecce |
Inter Win It
Inter are my Serie A champions.
Juventus finish second.
Napoli finish third.
And then comes the prediction that will probably get the most attention:
Como finish fourth.
Yes.
Como.
Como In The Champions League
This might be my biggest club prediction of Part I.
Como have become one of the most fascinating projects in Italian football, and I'm predicting their rise continues all the way into the Champions League places.
Fourth place would completely change the perception of the club.
Roma finish fifth, Atalanta sixth and Fiorentina seventh.
Then comes Milan.
Eighth.
Another enormous prediction.
I don't think Milan are bad.
I just think the top of Serie A is becoming too competitive for every historic giant to occupy the Champions League places.
The Relegation Fight
Lecce finish last.
Monza finish 19th.
Frosinone finish 18th.
Cagliari survive by one place.
And Venezia escape with ease.
That is a brutal prediction for several clubs, but Serie A's relegation battle is usually one of the most unpredictable in Europe.
Players to Watch
Kenan Yıldız, Juventus
The kind of young player who can turn Juventus from a contender into a champion. A player than can help a deep run in Champions League as well.
Nico Paz, Como
One of the players I'm watching most closely in this entire series. Everyone is talking about him.
Gianluca Busio, Venezia
If Venezia do pull it off and survive, the American midfielder will be at the forefront of it. 11 goal involvements and holding a 7.62 FotMob rating in the Serie B last year.
Game Changer
Cesc Fàbregas
If Como's project continues progressing, Fàbregas could become one of the defining young managers in European football.
My Boldest Take
Como finish fourth.
I know.
I'm standing by it.
Ligue 1
My Prediction
Position | Club |
1 | Paris Saint-Germain |
2 | Lens |
3 | Lille |
4 | Rennes |
5 | Lyon |
6 | Monaco |
7 | Marseille |
8 | Paris FC |
9 | Strasbourg |
10 | Toulouse |
11 | Lorient |
12 | Nice |
13 | Auxerre |
14 | Brest |
15 | Le Havre |
16 | Angers |
17 | Troyes |
18 | Le Mans |
PSG Remain the Standard
Paris Saint-Germain are my Ligue 1 champions.
I don't think anybody should be shocked by that.
PSG enter the season as defending champions, while Lens—who finished second last season and won the Coupe de France—are the club I'm predicting to finish closest to them. The two clubs also opened the French season against each other in the Trophée des Champions on August 16.
I'm putting Lille third.
Rennes fourth.
Lyon fifth.
Monaco sixth.
Marseille seventh.
That's a pretty crowded group of clubs fighting for European football.
Lens Are My Team to Watch
Lens are the team I'm most interested in outside PSG.
They've already demonstrated that they can compete with Paris domestically, and their Coupe de France victory gave them another major achievement to build around.
Second place is my prediction.
But I wouldn't be shocked if they make the title race more competitive than expected.
Paris FC
Paris FC finish eighth.
They're another club I'm watching because of the potential of building a second major football institution in Paris.
For years, Parisian football has essentially meant PSG.
That doesn't necessarily have to remain the case forever.
The Relegation Battle
I'm predicting Le Mans finish last.
Troyes finish 17th.
Angers finish 16th.
Le Havre survive in 15th.
Ligue 1's smaller clubs are facing an increasingly difficult financial environment, making survival just as important as competing for Europe.
Players to Watch
Désiré Doué, PSG
Already one of the most exciting young players in Europe.
Saud Abdulhamid, Lens
A player who could help determine whether Lens can sustain their position near the top. One of the most versatile footballers in the league, playing RWB.
Moses Simon, Paris FC
One of the most naturally gifted attacking players in French football. A winger involved in all attacking build-ups for this upcoming Parisian side.
Game Changer
Luis Enrique
PSG have already conquered France.
The next challenge is maintaining domestic dominance while continuing to compete at the very highest level in Europe.
My Boldest Take
Lens finish second again and actually make PSG work for the title.
The Big Five: My Champions
So, after all that, here's how I'm finishing the biggest leagues in Europe.
Premier League
Arsenal
La Liga
Barcelona
Bundesliga
Bayern Munich
Serie A
Inter
Ligue 1
Paris Saint-Germain
Four of those five aren't particularly shocking.
The Premier League is where I'm taking the biggest risk.
Arsenal defending their title.
Manchester United returning to the Champions League places.
Liverpool dropping to sixth.
And at the other end, Fulham and Everton going down.
If that happens, I'll look like a genius.
If it doesn't, well...
There's always Part II.
Five Predictions I'm Most Interested In
1. Manchester United finish third.
2. Real Betis finish fourth in La Liga.
3. Como finish fourth in Serie A.
4. Elversburg survive the Bundesliga relegation battle.
5. Lens finish second in Ligue 1.
Those are the five predictions I'm putting the biggest target on.
And there are plenty more waiting underneath them.
This Is Only Part One
The Big Five are done.
But Europe doesn't stop here.
The Netherlands.
Portugal.
Belgium.
Turkey.
Scotland.
Austria.
Switzerland.
Poland.
Czechia.
Croatia.
Greece.
Romania.
Denmark.
Norway.
Sweden.
And eventually, we'll get to the leagues that most people outside their own countries barely watch.
That's where this project gets really interesting.
Because the further down the European football pyramid we go, the less predictable everything becomes.
And that's exactly why I'm doing this.
Part II is coming next.
The Big Five are only the beginning.
Theron Norrington
Founder & Editor, OffTheRecord
Independent journalism exploring the stories that shape sport, culture, and the world beyond the headlines.
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