Arsenal to open Premier League title defence at home to Coventry

LONDON: Arsenal will begin the defence of their Premier League crown with a home match against promoted Coventry on August 21 after the 2026-27 fixture list was released on Friday.

The opening round includes Coventry’s return to the top flight for the first time in 25 years after winning the Championship last season. Frank Lampard’s side will travel to the Emirates for the opener, while Hull City, promoted through the Championship play-offs, will mark their first Premier League campaign since 2017 with a home game against Manchester United on August 22. Ipswich, who came up in second place in the Championship, will host Sunderland on the same day.

Arsenal, who won the league for the first time since 2004, face an early run of demanding fixtures after the Coventry game. Mikel Arteta’s side then travel to Aston Villa for their first away league match before welcoming Chelsea to the Emirates Stadium on September 5. Further away trips to Sunderland and Brighton follow.

Liverpool’s first league match under new manager Andoni Iraola will be away to Newcastle on August 23. Iraola, the former Bournemouth manager, is due to take charge of his first league game at Anfield on the weekend of August 29 against Nottingham Forest. Manchester City, entering a new era after Pep Guardiola stepped down at the end of the season following a decade in charge, will start at home to Bournemouth on August 23.

According to the fixture announcement, City are expected to appoint former Chelsea boss Enzo Maresca as Guardiola’s successor. Chelsea, meanwhile, will start under new manager Xabi Alonso with a west London derby away to Fulham on August 24.

Elsewhere on the opening weekend, Europa League winners Aston Villa travel to Brighton, Brentford host Tottenham, Everton take on Crystal Palace, and Leeds go to Nottingham Forest.

Key dates in the season

The first Manchester derby of the post-Guardiola period is scheduled for the weekend of September 12. Liverpool will host Manchester United on November 21, while Arsenal’s first league meeting with Manchester City will come on November 28 at the Emirates Stadium.

The first Merseyside derby of the campaign between Everton and Liverpool is set for November 28 at the Hill Dickinson Stadium. Tottenham manager Roberto De Zerbi will experience his first north London derby on December 5 when Spurs host Arsenal.

One of the standout Boxing Day fixtures will see Coventry manager Lampard face his former club Chelsea on December 26. Liverpool are due to visit Manchester United on January 23, and City will host Arsenal at the Etihad Stadium a week later.

The final round of Premier League matches will be played on May 30. Arsenal will end the season at home to Brighton, City will travel to Sunderland, and Liverpool will host Bournemouth. Chelsea and Manchester United are also scheduled to finish at home, against Brentford and Fulham respectively.

Both the start and finish of the season are later than usual because of the World Cup, which ends only 34 days before the Premier League campaign begins. Before the league season starts, Arsenal will meet FA Cup winners City in the Community Shield on August 16.