The Premier League Fixture List: A Detailed Breakdown of How 380 Matches Are Set
The 2025/26 Premier League fixture list was released at 09:00 BST on Wednesday, June 18. Behind the announcement lies a detailed process that takes nearly half a year to complete and touches every corner of the football calendar.
Each Premier League season consists of 380 matches. The 20 clubs each face the other 19 twice home and away. The season traditionally begins in August and ends in May. This timeline shifts slightly depending on international tournaments such as the FIFA World Cup and the UEFA European Championship. For the 2025/26 season, the start date is August 16, and the final matchday is May 24, giving players 83 clear days of rest after the 2024/25 campaign before competition resumes.
The timeline is aligned with the 2026 World Cup, which begins on June 11. That fixed date affects how early domestic competitions must wrap up to allow national team call-ups and pre-tournament training.
Laying the Groundwork
The Premier League begins working on the fixture list in January. The first step involves locking in all international dates. FIFA and UEFA competitions are given top priority. With UEFA club tournaments expanded this season—such as the Champions League growing from 125 to 189 matches—the number of available midweek dates for domestic fixtures has dropped.
Nine Premier League clubs are participating in UEFA competitions this year, creating additional congestion. Clubs involved in these tournaments cannot play in domestic matches during the same midweek, which limits available windows further.
After blocking out international and European dates, the League inserts rounds for the FA Cup, which includes eight stages from the first round to the final. Premier League clubs join the tournament at the third-round stage in January.
Only when these dates are secured can work begin on the 380 league fixtures.
The Computer Behind the Calendar
The scheduling software used by the League generates all combinations based on key rules. Glenn Thompson, working with the League through tech firm Atos, oversees this complex process. The goal is to fit 2,036 matches across the Premier League and three EFL divisions into the calendar.
In the Premier League alone, there are 33 available weekends and five midweek slots this season. Fan groups such as the Football Supporters’ Federation are consulted early in the process to consider travel impacts, holiday scheduling, and club-specific requests.
By April, clubs submit special date preferences—for example, to avoid clashes with other stadium events such as NFL games or rugby tournaments. Clubs undergoing stadium renovations may request to begin the season with away fixtures to buy time for construction to complete.
Geography, Policing, and Fairness
Certain local clubs cannot play home games on the same weekend or midweek due to policing demands. These include:
- Arsenal and Tottenham
- Chelsea and Fulham
- Everton and Liverpool
- Manchester City and Manchester United
- Newcastle United and Sunderland
The League also waits for the Championship playoff final in May to confirm the final promoted club before the fixture list is finalized.
Matchweek Rules and Fan Travel
Basic scheduling rules guide the fixture computer. No club should have more than two consecutive home or away games. Within any five-match stretch, there should be a balance of two home and three away games—or vice versa. Clubs will not start or end the season with two consecutive home or away fixtures.
Around the Christmas period, a club playing at home immediately after December 25 will be away on New Year’s Day or its equivalent. The League also aims to maintain a home-away Saturday pattern to help fans plan travel across the country.
Fan travel is a significant factor. The fixture system evaluates whether supporters from the same regions might be traveling at the same time on shared train routes, particularly during the holiday period.
Final Review Before Release
After the software produces a working draft, the League conducts a detailed review across multiple days. Adjustments are often needed—changing one match might require updates to 40 others. The system provides alternate combinations for every scenario to help the League finalize a balanced and fair fixture list.
The full 2025/26 Premier League schedule is now live, but every match remains subject to change based on live TV picks, cup progress, and European competition outcomes. Still, the blueprint is set. And behind every kickoff time and derby date is a detailed process that brings order to one of football’s most complex calendars.
