The 2026-27 Premier League season begins this weekend, delayed slightly by the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
London: The highly anticipated 2026-27 Premier League season is set to kick off this weekend, promising another thrilling chapter of top-flight English football. Following a slight delay to accommodate the 2026 FIFA World Cup, the campaign officially begins in the early hours of Saturday morning (Aug 22, 2026) for viewers in India. Defending champions Arsenal will commence their title defence against newly promoted Coventry City.
The opening matchweek is packed with intriguing storylines. Saturday evening sees another newly promoted side, Hull City, face a baptism of fire as they host Manchester United at the MKM Stadium. Meanwhile, a post-Pep Guardiola Manchester City will begin their new era on Sunday against AFC Bournemouth. The first matchweek concludes with a tantalising London derby between Fulham and Chelsea on Tuesday.
Matchweek 1 Schedule
| Date (IST) | Match | Kick-off (IST) |
| Sat, 22 Aug | Arsenal vs Coventry City | 12:30 AM |
| Sat, 22 Aug | Hull City vs Manchester United | 5:00 PM |
| Sat, 22 Aug | Everton vs Crystal Palace | 7:30 PM |
| Sat, 22 Aug | Ipswich Town vs Sunderland | 7:30 PM |
| Sat, 22 Aug | Nottingham Forest vs Leeds United | 7:30 PM |
| Sat, 22 Aug | Brentford vs Tottenham Hotspur | 10:00 PM |
| Sun, 23 Aug | Brighton & Hove Albion vs Aston Villa | 6:30 PM |
| Sun, 23 Aug | Manchester City vs AFC Bournemouth | 6:30 PM |
| Sun, 23 Aug | Newcastle United vs Liverpool | 9:00 PM |
| Tue, 25 Aug | Fulham vs Chelsea | 12:30 AM |
The relentless pace of the English top flight continues swiftly into Matchweek 2. Highlights include a clash between heavyweights Crystal Palace and Manchester City in the early hours of Saturday, 29 August. Later that evening, Liverpool welcome Nottingham Forest to Anfield. The second round of fixtures culminates on Tuesday, 1 September, with a blockbuster encounter between Aston Villa and Arsenal at Villa Park.
Matchweek 2 Schedule
| Date (IST) | Match | Kick-off (IST) |
| Sat, 29 Aug | Crystal Palace vs Manchester City | 12:30 AM |
| Sat, 29 Aug | Liverpool vs Nottingham Forest | 5:00 PM |
| Sat, 29 Aug | AFC Bournemouth vs Everton | 7:30 PM |
| Sat, 29 Aug | Coventry City vs Hull City | 7:30 PM |
| Sat, 29 Aug | Tottenham Hotspur vs Newcastle United | 10:00 PM |
| Sun, 30 Aug | Chelsea vs Brighton & Hove Albion | 6:30 PM |
| Sun, 30 Aug | Leeds United vs Brentford | 6:30 PM |
| Sun, 30 Aug | Sunderland vs Fulham | 6:30 PM |
| Sun, 30 Aug | Manchester United vs Ipswich Town | 9:00 PM |
| Tue, 1 Sep | Aston Villa vs Arsenal | 12:30 AM |
Published: 21 Aug 2026, 10:50 am IST
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