Dipo Olowookere
The offseason for European football is notoriously short. The Champions League Final was played on June 10, while the 2023-24 Premier League season kicks off on August 11, making for barely two months without the top European leagues in action. But even if that’s too long of a break for fans and bettors, the summer months offer plenty of football around the world. Remember that some parts of the world play their seasons during the summer. There are also international tournaments held during the summer months. While you wait for the start of a new season in Europe, here are some football competitions to consider betting on this summer.
Major League Soccer
By the time the European season ends in June, Major League Soccer in the U.S. is already in full swing. Even if the quality of play in MLS isn’t as high as it is in the top European leagues, the entertainment value is off the charts. There are 29 teams from coast to coast, all with a fantastic fanbase.
Clubs like New York City FC and the New York Red Bulls play in one of the biggest cities in the world and get plenty of action at prominent New York sportsbooks like FanDuel, BetMGM, and DraftKings. On the other side of the country, Los Angeles FC and the Los Angeles Galaxy attract football-loving fans in Southern California. In between, clubs like St. Louis City, FC Cincinnati, and Nashville SC are also enjoying successful seasons in 2023.
Of course, the MLS season is going to get a jolt of energy in July when Lionel Messi makes his debut with his new club Inter Miami. Longtime Barcelona star and World Cup winner Sergio Busquets is also joining Inter Miami so he can play alongside Messi. As a result, MLS will have more star power than ever before, which will surely lead to an unforgettable 2023 season.
Women’s World Cup
Between July 20 and August 20, the FIFA Women’s World Cup should be able to capture the world’s attention. Australia and New Zealand are co-hosting the biggest tournament in the world for women’s football. Over the month-long tournament, there will be 64 games played among the best teams in the world. Naturally, all of the top sportsbooks in the world from William Hill to Bet365 to FanDuel will be taking action on the Women’s World Cup.
For the first time, the Women’s World Cup will have 32 teams, meaning both traditional powers and debutants will be participating. Of course, all eyes are on the United States, which is hoping to win a third consecutive World Cup. However, the likes of England, Spain, Germany, and France will all fancy their chances of lifting the trophy on August 20. Meanwhile, sleepers like Australia, Brazil, Canada, the Netherlands, Nigeria, and Sweden will feel that they’re capable of making some noise as well, which should make for a competitive and compelling World Cup.
Liga MX
Beginning in late June, Liga MX in Mexico will start to steal the football spotlight. Only the Premier League, Bundesliga, and La Liga attract more fans annually than Liga MX. It’s undoubtedly the premier football league in Latin America, which is why sportsbooks like Betway and 888sport take plenty of action during the season.
The new season will kick off with Pachuca as the reigning champion. However, the likes of Club America, Monterrey, and Tigers UANL are all traditional powers in Liga MX that hope to prevent Pachuca from winning back-to-back titles. In addition to clubs with proud histories, Liga MX offers plenty of star power, including former French internationals Florian Thauvin and Andre-Pierre Gignac and American international Alejandro Zendejas, not to mention many of the current stars of the Mexican National Team.
League of Ireland Premier Division
Even when the Premier League takes a break during the summer, on the other side of the Irish Sea, the League of Ireland Premier Division is in full swing. Flutter Entertainment and the other top sportsbooks are operating at full capacity during the summer months with all of the action on Irish football games.
Obviously, the League of Ireland lacks the star power of the Premier League and the other top European leagues. But there is never any love lost among the 10 teams in the league, which leads to some intense games throughout the summer and fall. Shamrock Rovers of Dublin are both the reigning champs and the league leaders, so their title chase figures to be the main plot of the Ireland Premier Division this summer.
