The Premier League season has barely finished, but excitement is growing for the 2025/26 campaign with the fixtures now released.
Champions Liverpool will be determined to defend their title and Arne Slot has been backed in the market with the arrival of Jeremie Frimpong and Milos Kerkez and Florian Wirtz could follow. They begin the campaign against Bournemouth on the opening night of the season.
Likewise, Manchester City have been aggressive in the market, signing Tijjani Reijnders, Rayan Cherki and Rayan Ait-Nouri to boost Pep Guardiola’s hopes of bouncing back.
Arsenal, meanwhile, have gone so close in recent seasons and will be desperate to hit the ground running to ensure Mikel Arteta can secure a legacy-defining piece of silverware. Chelsea will be keen to build under Enzo Maresca and the youngest squad in the league, while Tottenham embark under new management in Thomas Frank.
Manchester United must quickly show signs of life under Ruben Amorim after a disastrous end to last season, plus newcomers Leeds United, Burnley and Sunderland can dare to dream of a memorable first season back in the big time after promotion.
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As the Club World Cup continues, clubs are splashing the cash in the summer transfer window, including Liverpool’s seismic signing of Florian Wirtz, so the fixtures will provide a target for both players and fans - follow for every club’s schedule and reaction below:
Premier League 25/26 fixtures released
- Premier League fixtures released ahead of the new season
- Liverpool ready to defend their title after Reds cruised to title in Arne Slot's debut campaign
- Champions feature on opening night, hosting Bournemouth at Anfield
- Manchester United and Arsenal set to clash on opening weekend
- Leeds, Burnley and Sunderland join the top division after promotion from the Championship
VOTE: Who has the hardest Premier League start?
10:20 , Harry Latham-CoyleEvery Premier League club’s first five fixtures 2025/26 – and who has the hardest start
10:15 , Harry Latham-CoyleThe Premier League fixtures have been released for the new 2025/26 season and already fans will be debating who has been given a helping hand by the fixture computer and who has been given the short straw.
Yes, they all play each other twice, but when you want your club to get off to a flying start, a friendly looking fixture list certainly helps.
Who has the hardest start? Every Premier League club’s first five fixtures in 2025/26
Premier League fixtures 2025/26: The six weekends that could define the title race
10:05 , Jack RathbornThe Premier League fixtures have been released for the 2025/26 campaign and Liverpool will be able to lay down an early marker with a Friday night test against Bournemouth.
But the title race should be more captivating than last term with the Reds running away with it in the end.
This time, Manchester City, Arsenal and perhaps Chelsea, Newcastle and more will fancy their chances at keeping pace with Arne Slot’s side.
Here we take a look at five defining weekends of the season and why they matter to the outcome of the title race:
The six weekends that could define the Premier League 2025/26 title race
Manchester City's 2025/26 Premier League fixtures in full
09:55 , Harry Latham-CoyleAfter a disappointing campaign, Manchester City will hope to bounce back into a title challenge.
16/08/202517:30Wolverhampton v Manchester City
23/08/202515:00Manchester City v Tottenham Hotspur
30/08/202515:00Brighton v Manchester City
13/09/202515:00Manchester City v Manchester United
20/09/202515:00Arsenal v Manchester City
27/09/202515:00Manchester City v Burnley
04/10/202515:00Brentford v Manchester City
18/10/202515:00Manchester City v Everton
25/10/202515:00Aston Villa v Manchester City
01/11/202515:00Manchester City v A.F.C. Bournemouth
08/11/202515:00Manchester City v Liverpool
22/11/202515:00Newcastle United v Manchester City
29/11/202515:00Manchester City v Leeds United
03/12/202520:00Fulham v Manchester City
06/12/202515:00Manchester City v Sunderland
13/12/202515:00Crystal Palace v Manchester City
20/12/202515:00Manchester City v West Ham United
27/12/202515:00Nottingham Forest v Manchester City
30/12/202520:00Sunderland v Manchester City
03/01/202615:00Manchester City v Chelsea
07/01/202620:00Manchester City v Brighton
17/01/202615:00Manchester United v Manchester City
24/01/202615:00Manchester City v Wolverhampton
31/01/202615:00Tottenham Hotspur v Manchester City
07/02/202615:00Liverpool v Manchester City
11/02/202620:00Manchester City v Fulham
21/02/202615:00Manchester City v Newcastle United
28/02/202615:00Leeds United v Manchester City
04/03/202620:00Manchester City v Nottingham Forest
14/03/202615:00West Ham United v Manchester City
21/03/202615:00Manchester City v Crystal Palace
11/04/202615:00Chelsea v Manchester City
18/04/202615:00Manchester City v Arsenal
25/04/202615:00Burnley v Manchester City
02/05/202615:00Everton v Manchester City
09/05/202615:00Manchester City v Brentford
17/05/202615:00A.F.C. Bournemouth v Manchester City
24/05/202616:00Manchester City v Aston Villa
Arsenal's 2025/26 Premier League fixtures in full
09:44 , Harry Latham-CoyleCan Arsenal finally get over the hump and win the Premier League next season?
17/08/202516:30Manchester United v Arsenal
23/08/202515:00Arsenal v Leeds United
30/08/202515:00Liverpool v Arsenal
13/09/202515:00Arsenal v Nottingham Forest
20/09/202515:00Arsenal v Manchester City
27/09/202515:00Newcastle United v Arsenal
04/10/202515:00Arsenal v West Ham United
18/10/202515:00Fulham v Arsenal
25/10/202515:00Arsenal v Crystal Palace
01/11/202515:00Burnley v Arsenal
08/11/202515:00Sunderland v Arsenal
22/11/202515:00Arsenal v Tottenham Hotspur
29/11/202515:00Chelsea v Arsenal
03/12/202520:00Arsenal v Brentford
06/12/202515:00Aston Villa v Arsenal
13/12/202515:00Arsenal v Wolverhampton
20/12/202515:00Everton v Arsenal
27/12/202515:00Arsenal v Brighton
30/12/202520:00Arsenal v Aston Villa
03/01/202615:00A.F.C. Bournemouth v Arsenal
07/01/202620:00Arsenal v Liverpool
17/01/202615:00Nottingham Forest v Arsenal
24/01/202615:00Arsenal v Manchester United
31/01/202615:00Leeds United v Arsenal
07/02/202615:00Arsenal v Sunderland
11/02/202620:00Brentford v Arsenal
21/02/202615:00Tottenham Hotspur v Arsenal
28/02/202615:00Arsenal v Chelsea
04/03/202620:00Brighton v Arsenal
14/03/202615:00Arsenal v Everton
21/03/202615:00Wolverhampton v Arsenal
11/04/202615:00Arsenal v A.F.C. Bournemouth
18/04/202615:00Manchester City v Arsenal
25/04/202615:00Arsenal v Newcastle United
02/05/202615:00Arsenal v Fulham
09/05/202615:00West Ham United v Arsenal
17/05/202615:00Arsenal v Burnley
24/05/202616:00Crystal Palace v Arsenal
Liverpool's 2025/26 Premier League fixtures in full
09:35 , Harry Latham-CoyleHere’s every game of Liverpool’s title defence:
15/08/202520:00Liverpool v A.F.C. Bournemouth
23/08/202515:00Newcastle United v Liverpool
30/08/202515:00Liverpool v Arsenal
13/09/202515:00Burnley v Liverpool
20/09/202515:00Liverpool v Everton
27/09/202515:00Crystal Palace v Liverpool
04/10/202515:00Chelsea v Liverpool
18/10/202515:00Liverpool v Manchester United
25/10/202515:00Brentford v Liverpool
01/11/202515:00Liverpool v Aston Villa
08/11/202515:00Manchester City v Liverpool
22/11/202515:00Liverpool v Nottingham Forest
29/11/202515:00West Ham United v Liverpool
03/12/202520:00Liverpool v Sunderland
06/12/202515:00Leeds United v Liverpool
13/12/202515:00Liverpool v Brighton
20/12/202515:00Tottenham Hotspur v Liverpool
27/12/202515:00Liverpool v Wolverhampton
30/12/202520:00Liverpool v Leeds United
03/01/202615:00Fulham v Liverpool
07/01/202620:00Arsenal v Liverpool
17/01/202615:00Liverpool v Burnley
24/01/202615:00A.F.C. Bournemouth v Liverpool
31/01/202615:00Liverpool v Newcastle United
07/02/202615:00Liverpool v Manchester City
11/02/202620:00Sunderland v Liverpool
21/02/202615:00Nottingham Forest v Liverpool
28/02/202615:00Liverpool v West Ham United
04/03/202620:00Wolverhampton v Liverpool
14/03/202615:00Liverpool v Tottenham Hotspur
21/03/202615:00Brighton v Liverpool
11/04/202615:00Liverpool v Fulham
18/04/202615:00Everton v Liverpool
25/04/202615:00Liverpool v Crystal Palace
02/05/202615:00Manchester United v Liverpool
09/05/202615:00Liverpool v Chelsea
17/05/202615:00Aston Villa v Liverpool
24/05/202616:00Liverpool v Brentford
Premier League fixtures 2025/26: Every first round game
09:30 , Jack Rathbornwith Liverpool opening the new season as champions.
The Reds will host Bournemouth on Friday night, with the Cherries visiting Anfield on 15 August for an 8pm BST kick-off.
The first weekend of the season offers up three days of engrossing matches after an action-packed summer including the Club World Cup.
And it’ll be the first time to see a lot of new signings from the transfer window with a number of official debuts handed out across the weekend.
Here’s how the first weekend of action shapes up, including a bumper Sunday fixture as Manchester United host Arsenal in the prime 4:30pm BST slot:
Liverpool and Arsenal to meet in early-season clash
09:25 , Harry Latham-CoyleIt will not be long before the first meeting of last year’s top two - Liverpool and Arsenal are due to meet at Anfield in the third round of fixtures on the weekend of 30 August.
Thomas Frank's Tottenham to face Brentford twice in December
09:20 , Harry Latham-CoyleThere will be a bit of a wait for a reunion between Thomas Frank and Brentford - Tottenham host their fellow London club on the weekend of 6 December, and the pair will meet again before the year is out, with the reverse fixture scheduled for 30 December.
Brighton to be first visitors to Hill Dickinson Stadium
09:15 , Harry Latham-CoyleEverton fans will have to wait until the second weekend of the season to visit their new home, with a trip to Elland Road on Monday night their first engagement. Brighton will be the first visitors to the Hill Dickinson Stadium on the weekend of 23 August.
Opening weekend fixtures in full
09:08 , Harry Latham-CoyleHere are the full list of fixtures for the opening weekend, with promoted Sunderland, Burnley and Leeds taking on West Ham, Tottenham and Everton respectively (all times BST):
15/08/2025 8pmLiverpool v A.F.C. Bournemouth
16/08/2025 12.30pm Aston Villa v Newcastle United
16/08/2025 3pmBrighton v Fulham
16/08/2025 3pm Nottingham Forest v Brentford
16/08/2025 3pm Sunderland v West Ham United
16/08/2025 3pm Tottenham Hotspur v Burnley
16/08/2025 5.30pm Wolverhampton v Manchester City
17/08/2025 2pm Chelsea v Crystal Palace
17/08/2025 4.30pm Manchester United v Arsenal
18/08/2025 8pm Leeds United v Everton
Manchester United and Arsenal to clash on opening weekend
09:04 , Harry Latham-CoylePerhaps the standout encounter of the opening weekend is Manchester United vs Arsenal - once fierce title rivals, this fixture perhaps has different stakes now but their meeting on Sunday 17 August could set the tone for their seasons.
Premier League season to begin at Anfield
09:00 , Harry Latham-CoyleThe 2025/26 Premier League season will begin at Anfield, with champions Liverpool hosting Bournemouth on Friday 15 August to bring the curtain up on the new campaign.
Premier League fixtures five minutes away...
08:55 , Harry Latham-CoyleHere we are, then. As ever, each Premier League team will play the other 19 sides at home and away to constitute a 38-game season - the fixtures for the next campaign will be announced in five minutes...
New managers at the helm
08:45 , Harry Latham-CoyleFor Tottenham and Brentford, a new league campaign will see them embark under new managers, Thomas Frank having swapped West London for North, with Keith Andrews perhaps stepping up to step in as manager after the Dane’s departure.
Premier League fixtures: When will Everton first grace new ground?
08:30 , Harry Latham-CoyleEverton, meanwhile, will have a new home in the upcoming season, Goodison Park left behind by their men’s side as they move to the Hill Dickinson Stadium on Bramley-Moore Dock. When will David Moyes’ men first play there in the Premier League?
Who is in the Premier League in 2025/26?
08:15 , Harry Latham-CoyleNeed a reminder of the top-flight 20 next season? The Premier League says a hearty welcome back to Sunderland, Leeds and Burnley after their promotion out of the Championship.
Arsenal
Aston Villa
Bournemouth
Brentford
Brighton
Burnley
Chelsea
Crystal Palace
Everton
Fulham
Leeds
Liverpool
Manchester City
Manchester United
Newcastle
Nottingham Forest
Sunderland
Tottenham
West Ham
Wolves
One hour until Premier League fixtures are released for 2025/26 campaign
08:03 , Jack RathbornExcitement is building ahead of the big release at 9am BST...
Man City and Chelsea fans will be considering the turnaround from the end of their Club World Cup commitments.
Should either side reach the final, on 13 July, then it’s a quick turnaround until 16 August for their players.
A two-week mandatory break, offers a pre-season of around two weeks should they arrive at the final in New Jersey next month.
The three golden rules of the Premier League fixtures and 2025/26 schedule
07:45 , Jack RathbornThe third fixtures rule concerns the festive period.
Fans can safely know they will not see their team play home or away for both Boxing Day and New Year's Day fixtures.
This ensures a fair distribution of travel and allows fans to watch their team during the traditional festive season.
The three golden rules of the Premier League fixtures and 2025/26 schedule
07:36 , Jack RathbornThe second rule to consider is a team will not start or finish the season with two home or two away matches.
There was an exception in the 2023/24 campaign when Luton Town started away for two games because Kenilworth Road had not finished its refurbishment work to comply with Premier League regulations.
The three golden rules of the Premier League fixtures and 2025/26 schedule
07:29 , Jack RathbornTeams can be comfortable knowing that over the period of five matches, they will get an even split between home and away games.
The maximum amount of away games they can play in that span is two.
This saves an unfair advantage or disadvantage at a key moment in the season.
What is considered before the fixtures list is released?
07:22 , Jack RathbornTeams can make a special claim to play a fixture at home or away on a certain weekend.
A good example is when other sports or events take place in the same city or use the same stadium.
On 11 October, the Super League Grand Final takes place at Old Trafford, so you can expect United to be playing away that weekend.
What is considered before the fixtures list is released?
07:15 , Jack RathbornThe Premier League considers policing capacity and the geographical proximity of teams.
So you will not see, for example, Liverpool and Everton playing at home on the same weekend. The same would apply to Manchester United and Manchester City, though the rule is not as stringent for London teams, given there are so many teams in the capital.
How is the 2025/26 fixture list created?
07:05 , Jack RathbornThe Premier League maintains the creation of the fixtures list is a process that can take up to six months.
French IT company Atos, based just outside of Paris, are in charge.
Numerous factors and a great deal of information is considered before the order of matches can be put into the system.
So you can imagine international, Champions League, Europa League and Europa Conference League games are all taken into consideration.
Man City enter a new era at Club World Cup and two arrivals hold the key
06:50 , Jack RathbornWith the Premier League fixtures set to be released later this morning, the Club World Cup rumbles on, with Man City making their debut later tonight...
In December, Real Madrid won the inaugural Intercontinental Cup. The implications for Manchester City were indirect but it does mean that, on a technicality, they enter the Club World Cup as defending champions. An expanded competition can seem a new one: under the old format, the last final – officially, anyway, given Real’s win over Pachuca came in a rebranded competition – was City’s 4-0 walloping of Fluminense in Saudi Arabia.
It was City’s fifth trophy of 2023. It is not the only reason it feels like a different time. One of the goals came from Phil Foden, then on fire. Julian Alvarez bookended the scoring with a brace, but he now leads the line for Atletico Madrid. The silverware was lifted by Kyle Walker, but the captain isn’t even part of the squad City are taking to the United States after spending the second half of the season on loan at AC Milan. Jack Grealish, who started against Fluminense, didn’t make the plane this summer either.
Whatever the competition is called, there was the sense that, 18 months ago, City were entitled to call themselves the world’s best. Hindsight shows it was one of the last triumphs of a team; they won that season’s Premier League but even men as perceptive as Pep Guardiola and Txiki Begiristain failed to notice the evidence of decline until it was too late.
Man City enter a new era at Club World Cup and two arrivals hold the key
Liverpool ready to defend their title after Reds cruised to title in Arne Slot's debut campaign
Tuesday 17 June 2025 17:10 , Jack RathbornGerman superstar Florian Wirtz is set to join Liverpool in a deal that could see him become the most expensive player ever signed by a Premier League club.
The 22-year-old, who has become one of the most coveted players in world football during his time at Bayer Leverkusen, was a target for Real Madrid, Manchester City and Bayern Munich, though Arne Slot’s side quickly moved to the front of the race for his signature.
Leverkusen had wanted €150m, or £126m, and previously rejected two bids from the Premier League champions. But Liverpool have agreed to sign Wirtz for an initial £100m, potentially rising to £116m, making him their club-record signing.
Wirtz, who was an integral part of Leverkusen’s undefeated run to a Bundesliga title in 2023/24, has scored 57 goals in 197 games for the club, as well as seven goals in 31 appearances for his national side.
But why has the German picked Liverpool as his next club, and when will the deal be finalised?
Beating City, PSR and the No 10: Inside Liverpool’s record transfer for Florian Wirtz
Premier League set to release fixtures on Wednesday morning
Tuesday 17 June 2025 17:09 , Jack RathbornWhen are the Premier League fixtures announced?
The fixtures for the 2025-26 Premier League season will be confirmed at 9am on Wednesday 18 June.
When does the 2025-26 season start and end?
The campaign will begin on the weekend of 16 and 17 August, 83 days after the end of the last campaign. Premier League bosses have refused to give Chelsea and Manchester City extra time off with the two clubs providing English representation at the Club World Cup.
The season will run until Sunday 24 May 2026 and consist of 33 weekends and five midweek rounds.
Premier League set to return with host of new stars
Tuesday 17 June 2025 17:08 , Jack RathbornThe Premier League will return in August with a host of new stars.
The biggest will likely be Florian Wirtz, with Liverpool set to break the English transfer record in a £116m deal with Bayer Leverkusen.
Those deals already done, with Premier League debutants, include: Man City’s Tijjani Reijnders and Rayan Cherki, Chelsea’s Dario Essugo and Estevao, Liverpool’s Jeremie Frimpong and Brighton striker Charalampos Kostoulas.
You can follow all the latest transfer news in our live blog below:
Transfer news live: Arsenal get Sesko boost as Man United target striker
Everything you need to know about new Premier League 2025/26 season
Tuesday 17 June 2025 17:21 , Jack RathbornThe new season begins on Saturday, 16 August, 2025.
That’s just 83 days after the 2024/25 campaign finished. The new season will run until Sunday, 24 May, 2026.
The 2025/26 season will is run over 33 weekends and there are five sets of midweek rounds of fixtures.
No club will be forced to play within 60 hours of another match over the festive period, and no game will be played on Christmas Eve.
