Key Dates for the 2025/2026 Season

Opening Weekend

The 2025/2026 Premier League campaign kicks off on Friday August 15, 83 days after the end of the 2024/2025 season.

Defending champions Liverpool will host AFC Bournemouth under the Anfield lights in the traditional season opener (scheduled at 8 PM on Sky Sports). This marks the beginning of an extraordinary season, with newly-promoted Leeds United, Burnley, and Sunderland returning to England’s top flight.

Opening weekend runs from August 15 to 18, with several blockbuster Premier League fixtures. The first round sees two of the “Big Six” – Manchester United and Arsenal – clashing at Old Trafford on Sunday, August 17, at 4:30 PM, broadcast live on Sky Sports. What a way to start this campaign with a bang.

 

Boxing Day Fixtures

For the first time in Premier League history, no matches have been scheduled on Boxing Day (December 26) at the release of the seasons’ fixture list. The Premier League has deliberately eased the congested festive schedule.

Matchweek 18 instead falls on Saturday 27 December with a full slate of ten games including:

• Liverpool v Wolves
• Manchester United v Newcastle
• Arsenal v Brighton
• Chelsea v Aston Villa

By moving the action to the 27th, the league honours commitments to provide more rest during Christmas time. That said, the Premier League have also stated that matches in round 18 are available for movement to Boxing Day for live broadcast selection, so plans might change.

 

Mid‑Season Break

Unlike Germany’s Bundesliga, the Premier League no longer schedules a winter break. Given the late start in mid-August and a tightly packed calendar (with a FIFA Club World Cup in 2025 and a World Cup in June 2026), the league has instead focused on easing fixture congestion over Christmas.

Instead of a formal pause, the league promises a “manageable workload” over winter with more recovery time between rounds. No two rounds will be played within 60 hours of each other, to guarantee adequate rest for the players. There will be no Premier League fixtures on Christmas Eve.

Four international breaks are scheduled on:

• 1-9 September
• 6-14 October
• 10-18 November
• 23-31 March

 

Transfer Windows (Summer and Winter)

The 2025‑26 season features two summer windows.

Mini summer window (1 – 10 June 2025): an exceptional registration period allowed clubs involved in the 2025 Club World Cup to sign players early.

Main summer window (16 June – 1 September 2025): the traditional window reopened on 16 June and will close at 7 PM on Monday 1 September. 

Both windows close at 7 PM, four hours earlier than previous seasons. The winter transfer window runs from 1 January to 2 February 2026.

 

Final Matchday

All 20 clubs finish together on Sunday 24 May 2026. As is tradition, all ten matches in the last round will kick off simultaneously at 4 PM on that Sunday afternoon. The Premier League scheduled the end date to allow national teams to assemble for the 2026 World Cup.

Notable closing Premier League fixtures include:

• Manchester City v Aston Villa
• Liverpool v Brentford
• Tottenham v Everton
• Sunderland v Chelsea

 

Must‑Watch EPL Fixtures and Historic Matchups

Derbies and title‑chasing clashes often decide the mood of a season. Below are some stand‑out EPL fixtures from the 2025‑26 calendar and when they take place. Dates may change due to broadcast selections or European commitments.

Derbies	Date (2025/26 season)
Manchester Derby (Man City v Man United)	14 Sep 2025
Manchester Derby (Man United v Man City)	17 Jan 2026
North London Derby (Arsenal v Tottenham)	22 Nov 2025
North London Derby (Tottenham v Arsenal)	21 Feb 2026
Merseyside Derby (Liverpool v Everton)	20 Sep 2025 / 21 Sep 2025*
Merseyside Derby (Everton v Liverpool)	18 Apr 2026
Tyne‑Wear Derby (Sunderland v Newcastle)	13 Dec 2025
Tyne‑Wear Derby (Newcastle v Sunderland)	21 Mar 2026

*The match will move to 21 September should Liverpool play away in Champions League the preceding Wednesday.

Other Key Matches	Date (2025/26 season)
Liverpool v Arsenal	31 Aug 2025
Arsenal v Man City	21 Sep 2025
Man City v Liverpool	8 Nov 2025
Arsenal v Liverpool	7 Jan 2026
Liverpool v Man City	7 Feb 2026
Man City v Arsenal	18 Apr 2026

Throughout the season, broadcast picks will shuffle dates, so supporters should check for updates via the Premier League’s digital calendar.

 

Rescheduled & Postponed Matches

The Premier League emphasises that all fixtures are subject to change. Television broadcasters select matches for live coverage, European competitions create midweek commitments and severe weather can lead to postponements. 

Clubs also reschedule fixtures following domestic cup progress. As the league’s calendar aims to avoid matches within 60 hours, some rounds may move to accommodate rest periods.

Supporters can subscribe to the Premier League’s digital calendar to receive automatic updates when kick‑off times change.

If you’re interested in betting on football matches, our platform offers odds and options for the Premier League and other football events. You can place your bet on our Premier League betting page.

 

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