Premier League 2026/27: Start Date, Opening Fixtures and How to Watch on UK TV
The Premier League returns on Friday 21 August 2026, a week later than usual because of the World Cup. Champions Arsenal host newly promoted Coventry City in the opener, and the EFL starts a week earlier. All the key dates and how to watch.
By What Sport Is On TodayThe Quick Answer
The 2026/27 Premier League season kicks off at 20:00 BST on Friday 21 August 2026, when champions Arsenal host newly promoted Coventry City at the Emirates, live on Sky Sports. The season runs to Sunday 30 May 2027, when all ten final-day games kick off at the same time. The EFL gets going a week earlier, with the Championship, League One and League Two opening round played between Friday 14 and Monday 17 August.
The reason the top flight starts a week later than usual is simple: the 2026 World Cup. The final in New Jersey was on 19 July, and the Premier League pushed its start back a week to give players who went deep in the tournament something resembling a summer break.
Why the Late Start?
A normal Premier League season starts in mid August. The 2025/26 campaign opened on 15 August; this one waits until the 21st. That single extra week matters more than it looks. A player who reached the World Cup semi-finals in mid July would have had barely three weeks off under the old calendar. The trade-off lands at the other end: the final day is 30 May 2027, the latest finish in Premier League history, just six days before the Champions League final on 5 June.
The compressed calendar also forced a rule change over Christmas: no club will play two rounds within 60 hours during the festive period. With Boxing Day falling on a Saturday in 2026, expect a full and well-spaced slate of holiday football rather than the usual scheduling scramble.
Key Dates for 2026/27
| Date | What happens |
|---|---|
| Fri 14 to Mon 17 August 2026 | EFL opening round (Championship, League One, League Two) |
| Fri 21 August 2026, 20:00 | Premier League opener: Arsenal v Coventry City |
| Tue 1 September 2026, 23:00 | Summer transfer window closes |
| Sat 26 December 2026 | Boxing Day fixtures, on a Saturday this season |
| 1 January to 1 February 2027 | Winter transfer window |
| Sun 30 May 2027 | Final day, all ten games kick off simultaneously |
Opening Weekend Fixtures
The full fixture list came out on 19 June, and the opening round confirmed so far looks like this. All times BST.
| Fixture | Kick-off | Channel |
|---|---|---|
| Arsenal v Coventry City | Fri 21 Aug, 20:00 | Sky Sports |
| Hull City v Manchester United | Sat 22 Aug, 12:30 | TNT Sports |
| Nottingham Forest v Leeds United | Sat 22 Aug, 15:00 | Not televised |
| Everton v Crystal Palace | Sat 22 Aug, 15:00 | Not televised |
| Ipswich Town v Sunderland | Sat 22 Aug, 15:00 | Not televised |
| Brentford v Tottenham Hotspur | Sat 22 Aug, 17:30 | Sky Sports |
| Manchester City v Bournemouth | Sun 23 Aug, 14:00 | Sky Sports |
| Brighton v Aston Villa | Sun 23 Aug, 14:00 | Sky Sports |
| Newcastle United v Liverpool | Sun 23 Aug, 16:30 | Sky Sports |
| Fulham v Chelsea | Mon 24 Aug, 20:00 | Sky Sports |
Two of the three promoted clubs are straight into marquee games: Coventry get the champions under the Friday lights, and Hull host Manchester United in the first Saturday lunchtime slot of the season. The pick of the weekend is probably Newcastle v Liverpool on Sunday afternoon. The full 380-game list is on the Premier League website ↗.
How to Watch in the UK
The broadcast split is unchanged from last season. Sky Sports shows a minimum of 215 live matches, including the Friday opener, the 17:30 Saturday game, Sunday afternoons and Monday nights, plus every game of the simultaneous final day. TNT Sports has 52 matches, mostly the Saturday 12:30 kick-offs. Sky Sports ↗ has its full pick list for the opening rounds.
Saturday 15:00 kick-offs remain off UK television under the blackout, so Forest v Leeds, Everton v Palace and Ipswich v Sunderland are radio and highlights only. If you want week-by-week channel details once the season starts, our football fixtures page shows every televised game each day, and the Premier League page filters it to just the top flight. Watching from abroad? Our worldwide Premier League guide covers the international broadcasters.
What's New This Season
- Coventry City are back after 25 years. Champions of the 2025/26 Championship by an 11 point margin, in the top flight for the first time since 2001.
- Ipswich Town bounced straight back, taking the second automatic spot on the final day of the Championship season.
- Hull City return after nine years, promoted via a play-off final against Middlesbrough settled by a 95th minute Oli McBurnie winner.
- West Ham, Burnley and Wolves went down, West Ham's first relegation since 2011. You can follow all three in the Championship this season.
- A Saturday Boxing Day and the new 60 hour festive spacing rule reshape the Christmas schedule.
Common Questions
When does the Premier League 2026/27 season start?
Friday 21 August 2026. Arsenal v Coventry City at the Emirates kicks the season off at 20:00 BST, live on Sky Sports.
Why does the season start later than usual?
Because of the 2026 World Cup, which finished on 19 July. The league pushed the start back a week so players had a longer break, and the season now ends on 30 May 2027 as a result.
When do the EFL leagues start?
The opening EFL round runs from Friday 14 to Monday 17 August 2026, a week before the Premier League. Relegated Wolves open the Championship season at home to Blackburn Rovers on the Friday night.
Who was promoted to the Premier League for 2026/27?
Coventry City as Championship winners, Ipswich Town in second, and Hull City through the play-offs. They replace West Ham, Burnley and Wolves.
One Long Football Summer
By the time Arsenal and Coventry walk out on 21 August, it will have been just 33 days since the World Cup final, covered in our World Cup knockout guide. The gap in between belongs to the Commonwealth Games and the EFL. Check the this week page nearer the time for exact kick-offs and channels, day by day.