The 2026/27 Premier League campaign is set to begin with Arsenal welcoming newly promoted Coventry City to the Emirates Stadium on Friday, 21 August, followed by Hull City’s clash with Manchester United the next afternoon.
As always, all 20 sides will face each other twice throughout the season, but for Mikel Arteta’s Arsenal, a strong start will be essential as they attempt to defend their title. The newly promoted clubs will also be eager to gather early points to avoid being drawn into a long relegation struggle, with Sunderland’s past success offering potential inspiration.
Arsenal’s opening run looks demanding on paper, beginning against Frank Lampard’s team before travelling to Aston Villa and then hosting Xabi Alonso’s Chelsea. They will then face away trips to Sunderland and Brighton and Hove Albion.
Coventry City, meanwhile, have an equally challenging beginning. Following their opener at home to Hull, they must travel to Manchester City in their third game, with fixtures against Brighton and Nottingham Forest also lined up early on.
Nottingham Forest start their season at home against Leeds United, but things get tougher quickly as they travel to Liverpool, host Tottenham Hotspur at the City Ground, and visit Aston Villa, before closing the first month with a trip to Coventry.
Hull City’s initial fixtures include meetings with Aston Villa, Chelsea, and Newcastle United, while Fulham—now entering a new chapter after Marco Silva’s departure—face Chelsea, Liverpool, and Manchester United in their first five matches.
Liverpool, on the other hand, have a relatively balanced start. They open away to Newcastle United before taking on Nottingham Forest, Ipswich Town, Fulham, and Andoni Iraola’s former club Bournemouth. The Cherries, led by new manager Marco Rose, will face a stern challenge early on, with trips to Manchester City and Newcastle plus home matches against Everton and Sunderland.
Although a Manchester derby is scheduled for the weekend of 12 September, both City and United have manageable starts to their campaigns.
All fixture dates and times after the opening weekend are subject to adjustments pending broadcast schedule confirmations.
Arsenal
21 August, 8pm (BST) - Coventry City (h)
29 August, 3pm - Aston Villa (a)
5 September, 3pm - Chelsea (h)
12 September, 3pm - Sunderland (a)
19 September, 3pm - Brighton and Hove Albion (a)
Aston Villa
23 August, 2pm - Brighton and Hove Albion (a)
29 August, 3pm - Arsenal (h)
5 September, 3pm - Hull City (a)
12 September, 3pm - Nottingham Forest (h)
19 September, 3pm - Tottenham Hotspur (a)
Bournemouth
23 August, 12pm - Manchester City (a)
29 August, 3pm - Everton (h)
5 September, 3pm - Newcastle United (a)
12 September, 3pm - Brentford (h)
19 September, 3pm - Liverpool (h)
Brentford
22 August, 5:30pm - Tottenham Hotspur (h)
29 August, 3pm - Leeds United (a)
5 September, 3pm - Sunderland (h)
12 September, 3pm - Bournemouth (a)
19 September, 3pm - Chelsea (h)
Brighton and Hove Albion
23 August, 2pm - Aston Villa (h)
29 August, 3pm - Chelsea (a)
5 September, 3pm - Leeds United (h)
12 September, 3pm - Coventry City (a)
19 September, 3pm - Arsenal (h)
Chelsea
24 August, 8pm - Fulham (a)
29 August, 3pm - Brighton and Hove Albion (h)
5 September, 3pm - Arsenal (a)
12 September, 3pm - Hull City (h)
19 September, 3pm - Brentford (a)
Coventry City
21 August, 8pm - Arsenal (a)
29 August, 3pm - Hull City (h)
5 September, 3pm - Manchester City (a)
12 September, 3pm - Brighton and Hove Albion (h)
19 September, 3pm - Nottingham Forest (a)
Crystal Palace
22 August, 3pm - Everton (a)
29 August, 3pm - Manchester City (h)
5 September, 3pm - Fulham (a)
12 September, 3pm - Ipswich Town (h)
19 September, 3pm - Leeds United (a)
Everton
22 August, 3pm - Crystal Palace (h)
29 August, 3pm - Bournemouth (a)
5 September, 3pm - Manchester United (h)
12 September, 3pm - Tottenham Hotspur (a)
19 September, 3pm - Ipswich Town (h)
Fulham
24 August, 8pm - Chelsea (h)
29 August, 3pm - Sunderland (a)
5 September, 3pm - Crystal Palace (h)
12 September, 3pm - Liverpool (a)
19 September, 3pm - Manchester United (h)
Hull City
22 August, 12:30pm - Manchester United (h)
29 August, 3pm - Coventry City (a)
5 September, 3pm - Aston Villa (h)
12 September, 3pm - Chelsea (a)
19 September, 3pm - Newcastle United (a)
Ipswich Town
22 August, 3pm - Sunderland (h)
29 August, 3pm - Manchester United (a)
5 September, 3pm - Liverpool (h)
12 September, 3pm - Crystal Palace (a)
19 September, 3pm - Everton (a)
Leeds United
22 August, 3pm - Nottingham Forest (a)
29 August, 3pm - Brentford (h)
5 September, 3pm - Brighton and Hove Albion (a)
12 September, 3pm - Newcastle United (h)
19 September, 3pm - Crystal Palace (h)
Liverpool
23 August, 4:30pm - Newcastle United (a)
29 August, 3pm - Nottingham Forest (h)
5 September, 3pm - Ipswich Town (a)
12 September, 3pm - Fulham (h)
19 September, 3pm - Bournemouth (a)
Manchester City
23 August, 2pm - Bournemouth (h)
29 August, 3pm - Crystal Palace (a)
5 September, 3pm - Coventry City (h)
12 September, 3pm - Manchester United (a)
19 September, 3pm - Sunderland (h)
Manchester United
22 August, 12:30pm - Hull City (a)
29 August, 3pm - Ipswich Town (h)
5 September, 3pm - Everton (a)
12 September, 3pm - Manchester City (h)
19 September, 3pm - Fulham (a)
Newcastle United
23 August, 4:30pm - Liverpool (h)
29 August, 3pm - Tottenham Hotspur (a)
5 September, 3pm - Bournemouth (a)
12 September, 3pm - Leeds United (a)
19 September, 3pm - Hull City (h)
Nottingham Forest
22 August, 3pm - Leeds United (h)
29 August, 3pm - Liverpool (a)
5 September, 3pm - Tottenham Hotspur (h)
12 September, 3pm - Aston Villa (a)
19 September, 3pm - Coventry City (h)
Sunderland
22 August, 3pm - Ipswich Town (a)
29 August, 3pm - Fulham (h)
5 September, 3pm - Brentford (a)
12 September, 3pm - Arsenal (h)
19 September, 3pm - Manchester City (a)
Tottenham Hotspur
22 August, 5:30pm - Brentford (a)
29 August, 3pm - Newcastle United (h)
5 September, 3pm - Nottingham Forest (a)
12 September, 3pm - Everton (h)
