Goodbye World Cup, hello Premier League. Here are the key details to note ahead of the 26/27 EPL campaign.
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When does the Premier League start?
The wait for the new Premier League season is almost over, with the 2026/27 campaign getting underway on Friday, August 21, 2026.
The opening fixture sees Premier League champions Arsenal begin their title defence against newly-promoted Coventry City at the Emirates Stadium in a Friday night clash. The match kicks off at 8pm.
The new season will feature 380 matches as clubs compete for the Premier League title, European qualification and survival in the top flight.
Why does the Premier League start later in 2026?
The 2026/27 Premier League season starts later than usual due to the impact of the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
League chiefs have moved the opening weekend back by one week to allow players additional recovery time following the tournament, with the World Cup final taking place in July.
The schedule has also been adjusted around the busy festive period, with no two match rounds taking place within 60 hours of each other over Christmas and New Year.
Premier League 2026/27 opening fixtures
The opening round of fixtures includes several eye-catching matches, with promoted sides facing immediate tests against established Premier League clubs.
Friday, August 21
- Arsenal vs Coventry City – 8pm
Saturday, August 22
- Hull City vs Manchester United – 12.30pm
- Everton vs Crystal Palace – 3pm
- Ipswich Town vs Sunderland – 3pm
- Nottingham Forest vs Leeds United – 3pm
- Brentford vs Tottenham Hotspur – 5.30pm
Sunday, August 23
- Brighton vs Aston Villa – 2pm
- Manchester City vs Bournemouth – 2pm
- Newcastle United vs Liverpool – 4.30pm
Monday, August 24
- Fulham vs Chelsea – 8pm
When does the Premier League season finish?
The final day of the 2026/27 Premier League season takes place on Sunday, May 30, 2027.
As usual, all 10 matches will kick off simultaneously, meaning the title race, European places and relegation battle could go down to the final afternoon.
When is the Premier League opening weekend?
The first full weekend of Premier League action takes place from Friday, August 21 to Monday, August 24, 2026.
Who are the Premier League title favourites?
Last season’s champions Arsenal are our 7/5 favourites to win the 2026/27 Premier League. Manchester City, who will be under new management this season with Enzo Maresca replacing Pep Guardiola, are 11/4 to win the league.
Liverpool are another side preparing for the new season with a fresh face in the dugout. Andoni Iraola performed well in his previous job at Bournemouth, but will he be able to adapt to the greater pressure at Anfield? The Reds are 5/1 to regain the title, which they relinquished last season.
Having ended last season strongly, Michael Carrick remains in the Old Trafford hotseat. Manchester United are 21/4 for Premier League glory, while Xavi Alonso’s Chelsea are priced up at 8/1.
What player is favourite for the Golden Boot?
No prizes for guessing the answer to this question, with Erling Haaland 4/6 to win the Premier League’s golden boot.
What teams are the Premier League relegation favourites?
The three newly promoted sides are all expected to struggle, with Hull City 1/4 for the drop, followed by Coventry at 3/5 and Ipswich Town at 13/20 for relegation. Despite qualifying for Europe last season, there are fears of the dreaded “second season syndrome” for Sunderland, who are priced at 11/4 to be relegated next season.
Leeds United, Fulham, and Crystal Palace are all 11/2 for the drop to the Championship.
How to watch the 2026/27 Premier League
Fans looking to watch the majority of Premier League matches will need access to Sky Sports, with Sky holding the rights to show 215 games per season until 2029 as part of its latest broadcasting deal.
TNT Sports will broadcast 52 Premier League matches during the season, including two full rounds of fixtures where every game will be shown live.
How to bet on the Premier League
BAR 1 Betting has a wide range of outright markets available ahead of the new Premier League season, including title odds, top-four betting, relegation markets, Golden Boot prices and much more.
Fans can also now bet on the opening round of fixtures in the 2026/27 Premier League campaign, which gets underway on Friday, August 21 with Arsenal hosting Coventry City in the season opener.
Throughout the season, BAR 1 Betting customers can enjoy enhanced specials, price boosts, Bet Builders and live in-play markets across every Premier League fixture, alongside popular features such as 2Up Early Payout.
