Yet any thoughts of the footballing calendar running out of steam in the second half of the year are wide of the mark.
Three titles coming up
Even before a ball rolls in France, England, Spain, Italy and Germany, a trio of titles will be awarded in the coming days. On Wednesday, Olimpia Asuncion (Paraguay) and Atletico Mineiro (Brazil) will battle for the Copa Libertadores crown in South America, with the Paraguayans boasting a 2-0 advantage from the first leg at home. At the weekend, the title deciders will be played both at the CONCACAF Gold Cup and the UEFA Women's EURO 2013.
From there the action leaps to Tahiti, where the FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup 2013 will be held between 18 and 28 September. The islanders' maiden turn at hosting a FIFA tournament comes hot on the heels of their encouraging performances at the Festival of Champions in Brazil.
"I’m convinced the organisation of the Beach Soccer World Cup will have a general impact on the economy, tourism and sports of our country," said Tahiti coach Eddy Etaeta. "A wide variety of activities, such as coaching and referee seminars, as well as football courses at schools will be implemented in the coming months, thus multiplying the benefits of the event.”
Final straight
Between 6 and 10 September, just a few days before Tahiti 2013 gets underway, the race to join Japan, Australia, Iran, Korea Republic and hosts Brazil at FIFA's flagship tournament next year will intensify during the 2014 FIFA World Cup Brazil™ qualifiers. The two final qualifying dates (11-15 October and 15-19 November) will determine the conclusive list of participants.
The world's elite young players will jostle for supremacy in between times, hoping to succeed Mexico as FIFA U-17 World Cup winners in the United Arab Emirates. The group draw for the competition will take place in Abu Dhabi on 26 August.
One of the most eagerly-awaited dates in any football fan's diary arrives on 6 December, when the draw for the Brazil 2014 group stages will be made in Salvador de Bahia (Brazil), allowing the 32 participating teams to begin their preparations in earnest ahead of the global showdown.
There is one final treat on offer before the majority of the football world winds down for a Christmas break. The FIFA Club World Cup Morocco 2013 will round off the year in style as seven teams vie for the honour of calling themselves the best on the planet.
2014 also promises a feast for fans everywhere. The FIFA World Cup in Brazil will be the highlight of the year, while the FIFA U-17 and U-20 Women's World Cups are sure to linger long in the memory too. With such a jam-packed schedule in the coming months, even the largest of footballing appetites will be satisfied.