What's special about the 2026/27 Premier League season?

The 2026/27 Premier League season is set to begin with several highlights, including the season's start date, championship contenders, top scorer predictions, as well as adjustments to playing rules, referee technology, and the way the competition is broadcast to audiences.

When does the season start and end?

The 2026/27 Premier League will officially begin on Friday, August 21, 2026, with the opening match between Arsenal and Coventry City. The season is expected to conclude on May 30, 2027, lasting over nine months.

The fixture schedule has also been designed with great attention to the Christmas period. The Premier League has adjusted the calendar to prevent teams from playing two matches within less than 60 hours, thereby reducing physical strain on players during what is traditionally the most demanding phase of the season.

Arsenal is the favorite number one, Haaland is still highly rated

Looking at the pre-season betting market, Arsenal are rated as the number one contender for the title. According to odds updated by Racing Post, Arsenal are at 6/4 (bet 4 to win 6), ahead of Manchester City at 11/4 and Liverpool at 5/1. Manchester United are priced at 7/1, Chelsea at 8/1, while Tottenham are at 20/1.

This reflects Arsenal's status after winning the title last season. Mikel Arteta's side also just defeated Manchester City 3-0 in the Community Shield, further boosting confidence before embarking on their title defense campaign.

In the race for the Golden Boot, Erling Haaland remains the most highly rated name. The Manchester City striker just won the Golden Boot last season with 26 goals and continues to top the list of contenders this season.

However, Haaland will face competition from a group of notable forwards, including names like Alexander Isak, Viktor Gyökeres, and Benjamin Šeško. Therefore, the Golden Boot race promises to not revolve solely around the Norwegian striker.

Notable changes in rules and technology

One of the most notable new features of the 2026/27 season is how the Premier League handles time-wasting situations. Teams will have to quickly take throw-ins and goal kicks, while the time players take to leave the pitch when substituted will also be more strictly controlled.

Regulations regarding injured players have also been adjusted to limit intentional disruption of the match. Players who receive medical attention on the field will have to wait longer before returning to play. Referee technology continues to be expanded. RefCam, a camera mounted on the referee's head, will appear in about 45 matches this season, a significant increase from around 20 matches previously. Notably, the Premier League will for the first time allow limited use of audio from conversations between referees and players in near-live replays. Each matchday is expected to have only 1 or 2 selected incidents, and segments involving VAR will not be broadcast.