Soccer leagues resume as demand for matches grows

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The supply of soccer seems to be enormously exceeding demand. It’s made the sport feel utterly overwhelming On Friday, the Scottish Premiership kicks off its 2026-27 season. The following Friday, the Dutch Eredivisie begins anew, and England’s Carabao Cup sets off on its ponderous journey. The various European club competitions have already begun their qualifying rounds – and did so on 7 July, in the case of the Champions and Conference Leagues. Liga MX is two rounds into its Apertura season; Major League Soccer resumed its regular season on 16 July. Other soccer is available elsewhere and at other times. It has been only a week since the World Cup ended. This is an extract from Soccer with Jonathan Wilson, a weekly look from the Guardian US at the game in Europe and beyond, helmed this week by Leander in Jonathan’s absence. Subscribe for free here. Have a question for Jonathan? Email soccerwithjw@theguardian.com, and he’ll answer the best in a future edition. Leander Schaerlaeckens is a Guardian US contributor whose book on the US men’s national soccer team, The Long Game, is out now. You can buy it here. He teaches at Marist University. Continue reading...