We’ve reached the end of 2025. With half of the season now over, we can see a general picture in European tournaments and domestic championships.
Still, December will be filled with a lot of action, excitement, and drama. Here we’ll cover the top matches as well as what to expect from the favourites.
Major Upcoming Football Fixtures in December 2025
The new format of European competitions has lived up to expectations. In each match, the teams are more prone to going forward and producing intensity. Here are the tournaments that we will explore:
Champions League
So far, only Arsenal have managed to win all five of their contests in the group stage. After defeating Bayern 3-1 in the fifth round, Mikel Arteta’s men are undisputed leaders and are practically guaranteed to finish in the top 8.
Pafos have been a discovery. The Cyprus team only lost to Bayern, while in the rest, they have three draws and a win over Villarreal. Ajax are in horrible form, and even reaching the 24th spot looks unlikely. Here are our top matchups for December:
- Inter vs Liverpool – December 9.
- Atalanta vs Chelsea – December 9.
- Real Madrid vs Manchester City – December 10.
Europa League
In the Europa League, three clubs have dominated the headlines: Lyon, Midtjylland, and Aston Villa. After five rounds, each have 12 points.
Perhaps the biggest surprise is Nice, who are yet to grab their first point. With consecutive defeats, they sit at the bottom of the table, and the situation doesn’t look promising. See what’s happening in the second week of December:
- Celtic vs Roma – December 11.
- Basel vs Aston Villa – December 11.
- Celta Vigo vs Bologna – December 11.
Conference League
Turkish representatives Samsunspor are leading the table with 10 points after four rounds. Strasbourg are next with a similar result. Given the list of teams, we should see exciting playoffs ahead.
Two rounds are remaining before the group stage concludes. Here’s what we recommend you keep an eye out for:
- Fiorentina vs Dynamo Kyiv – December 11.
- Shelbourne vs Crystal Palace – December 11.
- Aberdeen vs Strasbourg – December 11.
Top European Competitions in December 2025
We shouldn’t forget about the top five European leagues. In some, the favourites are already clear, while the rest have a serious battle for the first place.
Premier League
Arsenal sit comfortably in first place and are enjoying a six-point gap with second-placed Chelsea. This could be the season where the Gunners finally claim a long-awaited trophy. Given the performance of other clubs, winning the Premier League is realistic.
Liverpool have seen a sharp decline in form, losing six out of their last seven PL encounters. The pressure mounts on Arne Slot. Man City are also inconsistent.
With the Boxing Day period approaching, it’s time to get ready for these meetings:
- Newcastle vs Tottenham – December 2.
- Tottenham vs Liverpool – December 20.
- Arsenal vs Aston Villa – December 30.
Bundesliga
Bayern are one of the best teams in Europe and undoubtedly the top in the Bundesliga. Vincent Kompany’s men have 10 wins and a single draw. Considering all this, we can’t think of anyone who could compete with Rekordmeister.
Leipzig, Leverkusen, and Dortmund are next in line as heavy favourites to qualify for the Champions League. Three rounds are left before the winter break, so gear up for the games below:
- Stuttgart vs Bayern Munich – December 6.
- Dortmund vs Monchengladbach – December 19.
- Leipzig vs Leverkusen – December 20.
Serie A
Serie A currently looks the most intriguing championship in Europe. Roma lead the table, while Milan, Napoli, Inter, and even Bologna have a chance at Scudetto.
However, the quality of gameplay has dropped significantly. To illustrate, the top scorer has only five goals. A lot is coming up, so stay on top of these events this month:
- Napoli vs Juventus – December 7.
- Roma vs Como – December 15.
- Atalanta vs Inter – December 28.
La Liga
Real Madrid started strongly, but squandered four points in their previous two encounters against Rayo and Elche, respectively. Barcelona, meanwhile, have picked up form and only a point separates Blaugrana from the leaders.
Villarreal and Atletico Madrid cannot be written off. Here are the top matches for you to place bets on in December:
- Betis vs Barcelona – December 6.
- Real Madrid vs Sevilla – December 20.
- Villareal vs Barcelona – December 21.
Ligue 1
Despite dropping some points against the underdogs, PSG sit first in the table with 30 points after 13 rounds. Lens have delivered superb results, and are tied in third with Marseille (28 points). Keep an eye on these:
- PSG vs Rennes – December 6.
- Metz vs PSG – December 13.
- Marseille vs Monaco – December 14.
Additional Sports Events to Consider
Along with football, we also cover other popular tournaments.
Afcon 2025
The Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) 2025 is set to take place in Morocco from December 21, 2025, to January 18, 2026. Twenty-four national teams will battle across six cities in nine stadiums, with hosts Morocco opening the tournament against Comoros in Rabat.
The group stage sends the top two teams from each of the six groups, plus the four best third-placed teams, into the knockout phase. You can expect drama, flair, and African football at its best. Here are the key matchups:
- Cameroon vs Gabon – December 24.
- Nigeria vs Tunisia – December 27.
- Benin vs Senegal – December 30.
2025 Next Gen ATP Finals
The 2025 Next Gen ATP Finals is set for 17–21 December 2025 at King Abdullah Sports City in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. Eight of the season’s best under-20 players will compete in a round-robin format. Two groups of four, with the top two from each group advancing to the semi-finals.
This year’s edition features a record total prize pool of about $2,101,250. Although 2024 champion João Fonseca was initially eligible, he withdrew due to injury.
UFC 323: Dvalishvili vs Yan 2
The upcoming UFC 323: Dvalishvili vs Yan 2 is scheduled for December 6, 2025, at the T‑Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. Bantamweight champion Merab Dvalishvili will defend his title against former champion Petr Yan. The rematch could make Dvalishvili the first fighter in UFC history to defend the belt four times in one calendar year.
