THE PREMIER LEAGUE will return a week later than usual next season, following the World Cup.
The season will kick off on 22 August, 2026 – 33 days on from the World Cup final.
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The league said the 2026-27 season would conclude on Sunday, 30 May, 2027, ahead of the Champions League final which will be played on 5 June, 2027.
There will also be a much bigger St Stephen’s Day programme next season.
The top flight confirmed on 31 October that there would only be one Premier League fixture on December 26 this year, with Manchester United hosting Newcastle in an 8pm kick-off.
The Premier League cited the expansion of European competitions as the root cause of that controversial scheduling decision, and gave assurances that it would be different for the 2026-27 campaign, when St Stephen’s day falls on a Saturday.
The league announced details of the 2026-27 season on Friday, and it is understood that commitment to a greater number of St Stephen’s matches remains.
The league has pledged that no two match rounds will take place within 60 hours over the Christmas and New Year period, in keeping with commitments made to clubs to address the congested festive schedule within the expanded international calendar.
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Premier League start next season pushed back due to World Cup
THE PREMIER LEAGUE will return a week later than usual next season, following the World Cup.
The season will kick off on 22 August, 2026 – 33 days on from the World Cup final.
The league said the 2026-27 season would conclude on Sunday, 30 May, 2027, ahead of the Champions League final which will be played on 5 June, 2027.
There will also be a much bigger St Stephen’s Day programme next season.
The top flight confirmed on 31 October that there would only be one Premier League fixture on December 26 this year, with Manchester United hosting Newcastle in an 8pm kick-off.
The Premier League cited the expansion of European competitions as the root cause of that controversial scheduling decision, and gave assurances that it would be different for the 2026-27 campaign, when St Stephen’s day falls on a Saturday.
The league announced details of the 2026-27 season on Friday, and it is understood that commitment to a greater number of St Stephen’s matches remains.
The league has pledged that no two match rounds will take place within 60 hours over the Christmas and New Year period, in keeping with commitments made to clubs to address the congested festive schedule within the expanded international calendar.
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