So the end is near at the 2018 FIFA World Cup. This time next week either France, Belgium, England or Croatia will celebrate becoming world champions. The feeling of nothingness will hit most football fans, who’ll get even more depressed when they realize that the next World Cup won’t take place in four years. With FIFA awarding the competition to Qatar, we’ll have to wait nearly four and a half years before the next World Cup, as the action is set to start in late-November 2022 in the competition.
However, Sunday’s final doesn’t mean that we’ll have to wait for the next Euros to see top-level international football. 2019 will actually be a great year for international football, with a number of exciting tournaments taking place in the same year.
CONCACAF Gold Cup
Played on June 18 – July 18, the 15th edition of the CONCACAF Gold Cup will decide the North, Central American, and Caribbean region champion. The USA will host the tournament and they’ll also be looking to defend the title after beating Jamaica 2-1 in the 2017 final. USMNT and Mexico have dominated the tournament, winning all but one title thus far, but the gap in quality is diminishing in the region, evident by the fact that the US missed Russia 2018 and there hasn’t been a USA – Mexico final at the Gold Cup since 2011 when the Mexicans won in a classic 4-2 affair. Jamaica has been in two straight finals, while World Cup debutants in 2018 Panama made it into the final in 2013.
AFC Asian Cup
Asian teams impressed at the 2018 FIFA World Cup and that should make the local championships really interesting to watch. 20 years ago, there weren’t many superstars from Asia, but the quality of football in the region has gone through a rapid rise, which has brought us players like Son Heung-min and Shinji Kagawa. The addition of Australia has also helped Asian football grow.
African Cup of Nations
The 32nd edition of the African Cup of Nations will be a very different experience compared to previous tournaments. It will be the first one that will feature 24 teams and unlike previous years, it will be played in the summer. Cameroon are the hosts with play starting on June 7 and ending on June 30.
UEFA Nations League
We have to wait two years for the next Euros, but we’ll actually get to see top European international football a lot sooner. The new UEFA Nations League starts to play this Autumn. 55 UEFA nations are divided into four divisions with double matchdays taking place in September, October and November. Teams in the top division – League A – will decide the winner of the competition next June.
Copa America
A while back it seemed like the Copa America is played pretty much every year, so it might come as a surprise for some that the last edition took place in 2016. Chile won the centennial Copa America to take their second consecutive crown. The FIFA World Cup might be the most prestigious international football competition, but Copa America is the oldest. 2019, which will be played in Brazil, will be the 46th edition.