In the offing

If something is in the offing, it means it is likely to happen soon or is on the horizon.

It suggests that an event, change, or development is expected, but hasn’t happened yet.

Origin is nautical — “offing” refers to the part of the sea visible from shore; something in the offing is near, coming into view.

Examples:
“If a new product is in the offing, the marketing team starts planning the launch strategy early.”
“If a merger is in the offing, employees often start speculating about their roles.”
“If organizational changes are in the offing, leadership usually communicates carefully to avoid panic.”