We’ve picked games in the Premier League, Serie A, La Liga and Ligue 1 where a newly-promoted side might upset the odds. Several have a chance.
| Promoted teams on opening day | Odds |
|---|---|
| Leeds United to beat Everton | 2.50 |
| Sassuolo vs Napoli - BTTS | 2.05 |
| Levante to score 1 or 2 goals vs Alaves | 1.83 |
| Paris FC to beat Angers | 2.60 |
Odds courtesy of Stake. Correct at time of publishing and subject to change.
Promoted teams on opening day
Stepping up into the top-flight is no easy feat, and we’ve seen many teams struggle in recent years. Yet, there’s often one side that defies the odds on the opening day and gets off to a decent start - even if their fortunes change before the season ends.
Today we’re looking at teams in the Premier League, Serie A, La Liga and Ligue 1 for surprise results. Last season, five of the 12 promoted teams avoided defeat in their first game, and six of them found the back of the net. None of those leagues saw all three promoted teams beaten on Matchday 1.
Leeds back with the big boys
Elland Road is a top-flight stadium once again, and it’ll be packed when Everton visit on the opening day. Leeds were fantastic in the Championship, far too good for the division, and have strengthened a little bit over the summer. They’ll definitely feel confident against the Toffees.
David Moyes’ men finished strongly last time out, but they had a difficult campaign overall. It’s not been a particularly busy transfer window for them just yet, and they are unlikely to blow Leeds away. The Whites only lost one league game at home all season in 2024/25, so Everton need to be wary.
Sassuolo’s Tough Welcome to Serie A
Sassuolo earned promotion into Serie A as champions of Serie B. They did so in style as they finished six points clear with +40 goal difference. Only one team across Italy’s top three divisions scored more than their 78 goals. After his 24 goals and assists in 2024/25, Armand Laurienté will be desperate to show he’s got what it takes at the top level.
Napoli are the favourites, of course, and with good reason, given that they’re the reigning champions. However, I Neroverdi believe they can cause problems, especially on home soil, and Gli Azzurri can’t take them for granted.
Levante sense an opportunity
After three seasons away, Levante return to La Liga as Segunda Division champions with 79 points. They had the best goal difference (+27) and have so far managed to keep hold of most of their key players. Staying up won’t be easy, but they certainly have the potential to pull it off.
The opening day sees them pitted against Alaves, who only stayed up by two points last season, so Los Azulgranas will sense an opportunity. They averaged 1.64 goals per game last season, and their opponents conceded 48 times in 38 games, so the away side have a real chance.
Paris FC’s almost perfect start
Paris FC narrowly missed out on the title last season, but they secured automatic promotion by finishing second, four points ahead of the chasing pack. Stéphane Gilli turned his side into quite a force, and they’ve been handed a relatively favourable opening game against Angers as they return to Ligue 1. It’s been 46 years since they were last a top-flight side.
Their opponents barely avoided the relegation play-offs last season, and they have done little to strengthen their squad since then. The Parisiens, meanwhile, have splashed a bit of cash and will be optimistic about their chances of avoiding the drop. They may be away from home, but - unlike their opponents - will have some momentum from their promotion campaign.