The five top-flight leagues featured have at least three teams within five points of each other. However, the more teams in contention, the better.
Click here to read last season's edition.
Poland
We start with what has to be the craziest top flight in Europe right now: the Polish Ekstraklasa. Similar to last season with Switzerland, it feels like no one really wants to win this league.
Just 11 points separate top from bottom in the 18-team division, where Wisla Plock head the league despite drawing half of their matches, including their last five. The league is so close, that ninth place Korona Kielce are six points behind the pacesetters, something truly remarkable
This is the fifth year that the Ekstraklasa has 18 sides competing, where they meet each other home and away. However, there are five European spots up for grabs thanks to the league's recent improvements on the continental scene. That leaves basically everyone in contention at this point, given the fact that no one has managed to dominate.
Poland has had one of the most exciting leagues to follow in recent years. Five different teams have won the Ekstraklasa in the last seven seasons, three of whom did so for the first time. Plock, should they hold on to top spot, would be the third team in the last four campaigns to be first-time champions.
Adding to the intrigue is how the teams with the most champions are not in contention. Legia Warsaw, who have the most titles with 15, sit in the relegation zone. Wisla Krakow and Ruch Chorzow are not even in the first tier, with the pair trying to make a return.
The only side with 10 or more titles that are in the running, Gornik Zabrze, are in second spot, and won their 14th title in 1987/88. Meanwhile, the two most recent first-time winners, Jagiellonia Bialystok and Rakow Czestochowa, are a point behind the top two.
Plock host Rakow when the league returns from its winter break at the beginning of February in what is easily the match of the round. Gornik will face struggling Piast Gliwice next. However this season's Ekstraklasa title gets decided, one thing is for certain: it feels destined for some final round drama.
Romania
For the second year in a row, Romania's Liga I is featured when looking at title races. There are currently four sides - including one who have never won the top flight crown - in contention. And make no mistake, this is already looking chaotic.
Just two points separate CS Universtitatea Craiova at the top and both FC Botosani and Dinamo Bucursesti. Rapid Bucuresti are between the trio, having for five straight rounds before being pipped. In fact, CSU Craiova, who were recently involved in UEFA Conference League drama, went from fourth to first by winning their final game before the league's break. Meanwhile, all three other competitors were beaten, with Rapid and Botosani without victory in their last three.
Now in the sixth campaign under the current model, after the 16 teams face each other home and away, the league splits into two. The top six battle for the title, playing each other twice more, while the bottom 10 meet once more each to determine the relegation spots. Points are halved for the both playoffs, adding even mroe intrigue. Finally, there is a European play-in involving the third or fourth place team and one of the top two finishers of the relegation playoffs.
Perhaps the surprising part is the fact that the two-time defending champions FCSB are well off the pace in ninth spot. However, they are just two points out of the top six with nine rounds left before the split. Meanwhile, CFR Cluj are also struggling. The most successful club outside of the capital are 11th, struggling to pile consecutive wins together.
Regarding the top four, it has been two decades since any of them have come out on top. Dinamo's most recent of their 18 titles came in 2006/07, with Rapid winning their third back in 2002/03. CSU Craiova have gone 35 years since they were last Romanian champions - their fourth - while Botosani have never won a major trophy in their club history. Their best-ever finish came in 2019/20, when they claimed fourth place.
While Romania has seen 24 clubs come out on top all-time, there have been just three different winners in the last decade. Astra Giurgiu, who no longer exist, were the last team outside of FCSB, CFR Cluj, or Farul Constanta to prevail back in 2015/16.
The league will start the second half of its campaign the weekend of 17 January. Dinamo will have the hardest test of the title competitors as they face title playoff hopefuls Universitatea Cluj. The other three battle it out versus relegation-threatened teams.
Luxembourg
Next we hit a microstate, where Luxembourg's BGL Ligue has also seen four sides break away from the rest of the pack. A top four which includes a promoted team are just three points apart, leaving us up for an exciting second half of the season.
Back-to-back defending champions Differdange 03 were running away with it, sitting 11 points ahead of their nearest challengers. Three draws and a defeat later, suddenly Bissen and UNA Strassen are two points back, with F91 Dudelange one point further behind. The quartet are the only ones to have hit 30 goals so far.
The format in Luxembourg is practically the same as Poland, where the 16 sides face each other home and away. This has been the format since 2020/21, when the league's size increased by two clubs.
Perhaps the most impressive thing in the five previous seasons under the current set-up is that there have been four different winners during that time. One of those four, Fola Esch, are no longer in the top division, having been relegated at the end of last term.
Although there are 17 unique winners in the country's long football history, just five of them currently play in the top flight. Eight of those teams no longer exist, which is abnormally high. Mergers have played a key role in these figures, with all eight of those teams now part of a new club.
For instance, F91 Dudelange were formed in 1991 following the merging of three clubs, including 10-time champions Stade Dudelange. CA Sporta Luxembourg, with 11 titles, fused with two other teams to become Racing Luxembourg. Holders Differdange 03 are also the result of two teams coming together in 2003, with Red Boys Differdange being national champions on six separate occasions.
Should Bissen end up as the winners, they would be the third first-time champions in the last four years. It would also complete an incredible rise to the top after the club, who have existed under their current guise since 1946, enjoyed consecutive promotions.
Action gets back underway in February, with Bissen's clash with record winners Jeunesse Esch away being the highlight of the round. They are the only one of the four title contenders facing a top half team in their return from the winter break, meaning it will be a serious test of their mettle right off the bat.
Hungary
The theme of four teams battling it out for a domestic title continues in Hungary, where perennial champions Ferencvaros find themselves in a battle to extend their streak to eight successive NB I titles.
Surprisingly, it is Gyor, who have won their last five, leading the league with 34 points after 18 matches. Fradi are right behind them on 34, while Paks (33) and Debrecen (31) are also in the chase. It leaves Hungarian football fans with another fascinating title race, similar to the one from last season.
With 12 sides competing in the NB I, which has been the case since 2015/16, Hungary's top flight sees the teams play 33 matches, three versus each opponent. There are no playoffs of any kind involved, as the bottom two clubs are relegated at season's end.
Historically, Hungarian football has been dominated by a quartet of Budapest-based sides, led by Ferencvaros' 36 titles. They are followed by MTK Budapest on 23, Ujpest with 20, and Honved's 14. However, the latter currently ply their trade in the second tier, having suffered relegation in 2023/24.
The 'big four' have been so dominant, that no club outside of the capital have captured the NB I crown since Fehervar did so back in 2016/17. Like Honved, they are also in the scond division after last term's demotion.
When looking at this season's contenders for the trophy, Gyor's last success came in 2012/13. As for Debrecen, who have the most titles outside of Budapest-based teams with seven, they have not celebrated top flight glory since 2013/14. Paks are the only ones of the four not to have won the top division before, having twice finished runners up.
Fans will be very excited for the end of January, when Gyor and Ferencvaros meet in a huge top-of-the-table clash. That could go a long way in deciding the champion at season's end. Debrecen play host to struggling Diosgyori, while Paks have Puskas Academy.
Austria
Similar to the Ekstraklasa, the Austrian Bundesliga has been utter chaos this term, making it quite an attractive watch for the neutral.
RB Salzburg may hold a three-point lead over LASK Linz and four over holders Sturm Graz, but the standings are a lot closer than it seems. After all, the top eight teams have between seven and nine wins from 17 games.
The format, which has been in effect since 2018/19, helps in making the Admiral Bundesliga very competitive, especially this season. The 12 sides face each other home and away before the league splits into a top six and a bottom six.
Within each group, the sides face off twice more - again home and away - before a European play-in occurs between the fourth or fifth place team and either the seventh or eighth place finisher. Points from the regular season are halved before the start of the playoffs, something that will no longer occur after this term.
Salzburg, who have been the country's dominant force since being taken over by the energy drink company, won 10 titles in a row between 2013/14 and 2022/23, before Sturm dethroned them. Since then, Die Schwoazn have come out on top in both seasons.
However, Austria's most successful sides still hail from the capital, as Rapid Wien and Austria Wien account for 56 titles combined (32-24 in Rapid's favour). Yet, the pair, who are seventh and sixth respectively, have not enjoyed top flight success since 2007/08 and 2012/13.
LASK's only top flight win came 61 years ago, while Hartberg and Ried, who are also in this race, have never won the title. The same goes for last year's OFB Steigl winners Wolfsberger, who are eight points off the pace.
Some of Austria's other successful names are out of the Bundesliga at the moment. Nine-time champions Admira Wacker are in the 2. Liga, as are First Vienna, who have won the first tier trophy on six occasions. Wacker Innsbruck were champions 10 times before going bankrupt in 2002. They do have a phoenix club, who currently ply their trade in the third division.
Salzburg will look to stretch their lead when the league is back in action at the beginning of February. They host Austria Wien, while Sturm Graz face Ried. As for Rapid, their first match under new coach Johannes Hoff Thorup will be against Hartberg.
Slovakia
The last league under the microscope for its title race is in Slovakia, where Slovan Bratislava are looking to continue their domination of the Nike Liga. They are having quite the challenge this term though, similar to the 2024/25 season.
Once more, the side from the capital are facing stiff competition from DAC Dunajska Streda, Spartak Trnava, and Zilina. There are just five points separating first and fourth place with 14 rounds left. The foursome have distanced themselves from the rest of the pack, as five points differentiate Zilina and fifth place Zlate Michalovce.
The Slovak format mirrors that of the Austrian Bundesliga, where the 12 teams are split in half after the regular season of 22 games. One major difference is that there is no halving of points, with all points kept from the first portion of the campaign. Interestingly, should the cup winner finish in the top three, a play-in tournament for the last European spot occurs between the bottom three of the title playoffs, plus the winner of the relegation playoffs.
In the 32 previous seasons since the league's creation, there have been eight different sides to be champions of Slovakia. Of those eight, just Slovan and Zilina have more than two wins to their name. The former have the most, with their 15 successes accounting for nearly half of the total seasons. They have come out on top in the last seven seasons, which is as many trophies Zilina have to their name.
Trnava's lone glory came in the 2017/18 season, the last team to capture the Slovak title before Slovan's domination. DAC have never won the league before, although they have finished second on four separate occasions.
Interestingly, half of Slovakia's champions have featured in the Champions League group phase. Slovan were the latest to do so last season, after VSS Kosice, Petrzalka (formerly Artmedia Bratislava) and Zilina did so. None of them have managed to get past that round, though Petrzalka did manage to finish third back in 2005/06.
Next round will have perhaps the biggest match of the regular season, as Slovan and DAC will square off. Trnava have Michalovce, while Zilina look to return to winning ways at home to Komarno.
Honourable mentions
Greece: To conclude this piece, we look at a few honourable mentions. First up is Greece, where once again the Super League is living up to the billing. Defending champions Olympiakos drew their last two, while PAOK fell in their penultimate game of the calendar year. This allowed AEK Athens to pass both and take a narrow lead into 2026. Keep an eye on this three-horse race throughout the second half of the campaign.
Follow the Greek Super League on Flashscore.
Kosovo: The Kosovar Superliga has also reached its midpoint, with holders Drita have recovered from a slow start to go four points back of Ballkani. Sitting between the last two winners are the most successful club Prishtina and Dukagjini. With 18 rounds left, it really feels liek a toss-up as to who will prevail come the end of May.
Follow the Kosovar Superliga on Flashscore.
Moldova: Finally, Moldova's title race is shaping up to be quite interesting. Making the most of some alterations to their rather confusing league format, Petrocub look to hold off Zimbru Chisinau, Sheriff Tiraspol, and Milsami Orhei in hopes of claiming their second title. Zimbru, meanwhile, look to make it four different champions in the last four seasons in what is a fascinating battle between the only four exhisting teams to have won the Moldovan Super Liga.
