Here's what our news editors have circled in their calendars this weekend:
Saturday, January 10th
Last AFCON quarter-finals - from 17:00 CET
In Morocco on Saturday, four of Africa's biggest footballing nations will battle it out for the last two semi-final spots in the continent's biggest tournament.
First up, the best attack of this year's AFCON will meet its best defence, with a rampant Nigeria side going up against a rock-solid Algeria one in a clash between the only two nations at the tournament with a 100% record.
Victor Osimhen and Ademola Lookman have both been excellent for the Super Eagles, who got 12 goals in their first four matches. However, Riyad Mahrez's Algeria have only let one in, making this a case of an unstoppable force meeting an immovable object.
That match will be followed by one between reigning AFCON champions Ivory Coast and Mo Salah's Egypt, the tournament's most successful nation ever.
Salah has stepped up to the plate for the Egyptians, getting three goals in the first four games, and he's backed up by a strong defence. That being said, the Ivory Coast will be their toughest test yet, with wingers Amad Diallo and Yan Diomande in dazzling form.
Morocco and Senegal await in the final four, and both battles to join them look set to be thrillers.
Finley Crebolder
Galatasaray vs Fenerbahce - 16:45 CET
The Turkish Super Cup champions are set to be crowned this weekend, and it is a dream matchup, as fierce Istanbul rivals Galatasaray and Fenerbahce go head-to-head on Saturday afternoon.
Galatasaray dismantled Trabzonspor 4-1 in the first semi-final, while Fenerbahce also cruised to a 2-0 victory over Samsunspor to book their spot in the showpiece.
While it is not the biggest trophy either team will play for this season, any game that pits these two sides against each other instantly takes on greater significance, and could also inflict a psychological blow in the Super Lig title race.
Galatasaray currently sit at the summit of the table, three points ahead of Fenerbahce as they eye a fourth successive title. A win for Fener in the final will give them confidence and momentum to reel in the favourites.
Galatasaray will be without Osimhen, who is away at the Africa Cup of Nations, while Fenerbahce could give a start to record signing Matteo Guendouzi, who cost the club a reported €30 million.
The first trophy of the season is on the line, and in typical Turkish football style, it is likely to bring loads of drama - and probably controversy.
Tolga Akdeniz
Sunday, January 11th
Chicago Bears vs Green Bay Packers - 02:00 CET
It'll be the first time since 2010 and only the third time ever in the history of the NFL's most prestigious rivalry that the Bears and Packers will square off in the playoffs against each other.
Chicago won the NFC North title this year for the first time since 2018 and just the second time since 2010 - both years in which they lost in the playoffs.
The teams split the regular season series 1-1 - both games decided by seven points or less - with the Bears grabbing the most recent win with an overtime comeback thriller in their home stadium. Chicago owns the second-best home record (6-2) in the NFC, tied with the No. 1 seeded Seattle Seahawks.
It will be the only divisional matchup of the Wild Card round, one where the No. 9 scoring offence (Chicago) will square off against the No. 11 scoring defence (Green Bay).
The Bears will be entering the matchup on a two-game losing streak, falling to the San Francisco 49ers and the Detroit Lions, the latter of which was at home.
Meanwhile, the Packers will enter the game on a two-game win streak, following a five-game losing streak that began when star defensive end Micah Parsons went down for the season.
Eric Himmelheber
Barcelona vs Real Madrid - 20:00 CET
Anytime El Clasico pops up, it’s a massive event, and not just in Spain, but worldwide. Typifying that point, Sunday’s Super Cup final clash between Real Madrid and Barcelona will be held in Jeddah.
It’s already been six years since the Super Cup both expanded to a four-team mini-tournament and moved to Saudi Arabia, and, in a way, the controversy surrounding that has now well and truly worn off. This is the new norm.
Real and Barca have split the last four editions of the competition, with Athletic Club winning in 2021. Of the last nine editions, Barca and Real have won four apiece. It couldn’t be closer in terms of that recent history.
To reach this final, Barca thrashed Athletic Club 5-0, while Real edged their city rivals Atleti 2-1.
Regarding El Clasicos more broadly, Real had the edge in LaLiga earlier this season, pipping their rivals 2-1 in Madrid, and really impressing in that win. However, since then, the league has largely belonged to the Catalans, who have their tails up, boasting a four-point lead at the top and a nine-match winning streak.
What’s more, Los Blancos will be without the services of talisman Kylian Mbappe this weekend, emboldening the Blaugrana even more.
Last season, the clashes between these two giants of the game were anything but quiet. They met four times (twice in the league and twice in cup finals), and in those matches there were 23 goals, with Barca crushing Real 16-7 on aggregate and winning all four.
If the last handful of editions of this epic rivalry are anything to go by, Sunday’s Spanish Super Cup final could be another classic, so don’t miss it!
Pat Dempsey
Inter vs Napoli - 20:45 CET
Sunday sees the match of the round in the Serie A, as Inter Milan look to create distance between themselves and the chasing pack - including Napoli. This is another direct duel for the Scudetto, leaving little room for error.
While results in other competitions have not been great of late for the Nerazzurri, they can take comfort in their excellent run in the league. Six wins from six following their Derby della Madonnina reverse helped them go back on top at the midway point.
This will already be their third game of 2026, with three more league matches plus two UEFA Champions League ties to come before the month's end.
Victories over AC Milan and Bologna helped Napoli prevail in the Supercoppa Italiana last month. With that said, the Partenopei have some work to do if they are to defend the Scudetto. Sitting four points behind their opponents, they can seldom afford another reverse. Three points at the Giuseppe Meazza would go a long way for Antonio Conte’s men to go one point off too spot.
Inter have not enjoyed much joy in this head-to-head of late. They are winless in their last five versus Napoli, though four of those were draws. However, the Nerazzurri fell to a 3-1 defeat in the reverse fixture back in October. Inter’s last home win in the Serie A over Napoli came in the 2022/23 season, with the subsequent two ending 1-1.
Sunday night's contest will be one to keep an eye on as there is little room for error from either team. Three points for either club at San Siro could go a long way to collecting the trophy at season's end. It is a matter of who will seize the opportunity.
David Parkes