Liverpool host Bournemouth to open Premier League season

Champions Liverpool will host Bournemouth on the opening weekend of the 2025-26 Premier League season, with Manchester United playing Arsenal at Old Trafford.

Liverpool, who won the league in Arne Slot’s first season in charge, will begin their title defence at Anfield in the curtain-raiser on Friday, 15 August.

Newly promoted Sunderland, back in the top flight for the first time since 2016-17, start their campaign at home against West Ham the following day.

Championship winners Leeds welcome Everton to Elland Road for the Monday night game, while Burnley - promoted back to the top flight at the first time of asking - travel to Europa League holders Tottenham, who will be led by Thomas Frank in a league match for the first time.

Everton fans will have to wait until the second round of fixtures for their first league game at the Hill Dickinson Stadium, when they will face Brighton.

Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City will hope to bounce back from a rare trophyless season with a strong start against Wolverhampton Wanderers at Molineux.

The season, which consists of 380 games over 33 weekends and five midweek rounds, will conclude on Sunday, 24 May.

The Premier League has said the start date of 15 August - 82 days on from the end of the 2024-25 season - “allows for the maximum player rest time available”.

During the festive period, clubs will not be asked to play twice in less than 60 hours.

It will be the first season with the new Premier League TV deal in place, with every game outside of the Saturday 3pm blackout to be broadcast live by either Sky Sports or TNT Sports.

Man Utd have trickiest start to season

Data from Opta shows the difficulty of every team’s first five fixtures.

According to their ‘power rankings’ data, Manchester United have the hardest start as they play three of last season’s top four in their opening five games.

Arsenal, who will be looking to improve on their three consecutive second-place finishes, are perceived to have the next toughest start - with games against holders Liverpool and Manchester City, who had won the previous four titles.

Unai Emery’s Aston Villa are said to have the easiest start of the the campaign, despite facing Champions League qualifiers Newcastle in their first match.

Leeds have been judged to have been handed the toughest opening run of the three promoted sides, with games against Arsenal and Newcastle.

Source: BBC
--Agencies