Analysis

With women's football in most countries on its winter break, it is prime time for clubs, players and agents to sit down and sort out contracts. But while there are some names entering the final six months of their current deals who many would be shocked not to see renew with their current teams, there are also plenty of others who are likely to be seriously considering other options in 2026.

The January transfer window is notoriously tricky for buying clubs to manoeuvre in. Sure, willing teams may have the money to spend and financial wiggle room to squeeze some deals in, but their rivals may be less inclined to do business midway through the season with trophies and other honours still up for grabs.

GOAL looks at the biggest storylines among Americans Abroad in the first few games of 2026

Liverpool host Leeds United on Thursday, less than a month since their last meeting at Elland Road. An awful lot has changed in the interim, though. Back on December 6, it appeared as if the wheels had well and truly come off Liverpool's season, with Mohamed Salah sensationally accusing Arne Slot of throwing him under the boss by once again benching him for a 3-3 draw that saw the Reds twice throw away the lead with more woeful defending from Ibrahima Konate & Co.

GOAL takes a look at which players should stay or go in this winter transfer window

Chris Richards, Lily Yohannes, and more headline GOAL’s 2025 USMNT and USWNT Awards, breaking down the players, moments and transfers that defined American soccer’s year.

There have been so many compelling storylines to entertain the world so far this season as we reach the Premier League's halfway point. Liverpool's inexplicable collapse after winning the title and splurging over £400 million in the summer. Sunderland's remarkable return to the top flight after nearly a decade away. Whatever the heck is going on at Manchester United. And then we have Aston Villa.

GOAL U.S. writers take a look at some of the biggest storylines in American soccer

Ahead of the winter transfer window, GOAL reevaluates its grades for the biggest summer moves involving USMNT stars.

The January transfer window is fast approaching, and clubs will once again be scrambling to strengthen for the second half of the season. In the 2025 winter market, £1.2 billion ($1.4bn) was spent across Europe's top leagues and the English Championship, the highest mark in seven years, with Manchester City accounting for £191 million ($256m) of that amount alone.

GOAL reviews the major takeaways from Americans playing in Europe, including big goals in Italy and England.

GOAL ranks the five best players across CONCACAF after a standout 2025.

GOAL looks at the biggest storylines among Americans Abroad, including some big matches in England and Italy

McKennie wants to stay at Juventus as his contract winds down - but after years of uncertainty, it’s fair to ask whether that’s the right move.

Tottenham sat 14th in the Premier League on Christmas Day. They finished 17th at the end of 2024-25 and have placed inside the top four only once in the 2020s altogether. Yet they are still regarded as one of the Premier League's 'big six' clubs alongside Arsenal, Chelsea, Liverpool, Manchester City and Manchester United.

GOAL takes a look at the big gifts the two national teams will want this holiday season

GOAL looks inside the numbers, tactics and trends for key U.S. internationals in Europe this season.

With the 2026 World Cup just months away, GOAL looks at the state of USMNT coaching and infrastructure ahead of next summer.

The young midfielder made his mark in Qatar this fall, but that is just the beginning for a player with plenty of potential.

This is Legacy, GOAL's feature and podcast series following the road to the 2026 World Cup. Every week, we dive into the stories and the legacies that shaped football’s greatest nations. This time it's a look at Italy’s long and painful fall from grace. From Berlin 2006 to the heartbreaks that followed, this is the story of a four-time world champion lost in footballing exile.

For all his quality as a defender and his overflowing trophy cabinet, John Terry's near-19-year Chelsea career was punctuated by moments of significant controversy - from his early days at Stamford Bridge right through to his peak. His legacy is a complex one as a result, with many recognising him as one of the finest defenders England has ever produced while simultaneously asking serious questions of his character.

GOAL reviews the standout performances of El Tri players in a year-end stretch marked by injuries for Mexican footballers abroad.

With the 2026 World Cup just months away, GOAL looks at the state of the strikers vying for spots next summer.

GOAL runs the rule over the British players earning a living away from their homeland, with plenty more stars deciding to leave their comfort zones in search of a better footballing life elsewhere. The Premier League is still obviously one of the world's most entertaining divisions and the Championship can prove fantastic for development, but there are more options out there.

GOAL reviews the weekend’s top Americans Abroad performances as Pepi keeps scoring and McKennie, Malik Tillman, and Brenden Aaronson impress.

Jadon Sancho might be more of a basketball man than baseball but ever since he joined Aston Villa he has been on his third strike. He flopped terribly at Manchester United even before blowing his career up over a petty dispute with Erik ten Hag. He then failed to convince on loan at Chelsea, who backed out of an agreed deal to sign him. Now he is a periphery squad member for Villa.

In Europe, much of the build-up to the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations has unfortunately - but inevitably - focused on which clubs will be most affected by the tournament's scheduling slap-bang in the middle of the season. As an incredibly prestigious tournament that rarely fails to deliver a barely-believable amount of drama, the AFCON deserves so much better.

With the 2026 World Cup just months away, GOAL looks at the state of the attacking players vying for spots next summer.

With all the data and all the video footage you could ever hope for, there really shouldn't be many secrets left in the world of youth football. Sure, progress isn't linear and some players' attributes translate better to the adult game than others, but for most teams, picking and finding the best young talent still feels like a bit of a lottery, at least from the outside looking in.