13/07/2026
The 2026-27 Premier League fixtures are out.
The World Cup may still be underway, but the new season is right around the corner, and there are some huge fixtures to kick it off. We've got eight teams on our radar, so let's see how their openers shape up.
A fast start can define a season. Arsenal won at Old Trafford on opening weekend last year and went on to lift their first title in 22 years. In fact, just one of the last 13 title winners lost their opening game.
We've used Opta Analyst Power Rankings to rate every fixture from 1 to 5. 1 being the easiest, 5 the hardest.
The kindest run? Manchester United, who have the easiest opening five in the entire league on paper. A trip to promoted Hull, Ipswich at home, then Everton, the Manchester derby and Fulham. With the permanent job now his, Carrick couldn't have asked for a better chance to build momentum.
Liverpool aren't far behind, and they'll be desperate for a strong start after a season that fell apart badly enough to cost Arne Slot his job. Iraola's era begins at Newcastle before Forest, Ipswich, Fulham and Bournemouth.
Arsenal and Manchester City have, remarkably, identical difficulty ratings. Aston Villa and Chelsea face the toughest runs, with Xabi Alonso's Premier League tenure starting with a west London derby and a trip to Arsenal by matchday three.
The biggest early tests? The Manchester derby is the standout. Chelsea and Fulham get their derby right out of the gate, before both run into Arsenal, who face a brutal gauntlet of Villa and Chelsea back-to-back after the Coventry opener.
Plenty of games you won't want to miss. Roll on August.