After the release of the 2025/26 Premier League fixtures, football writer Alex Keble looks at the standout matches throughout the season.
The 2025/26 fixture list has been released and it’s a testament to the strength of the modern Premier League that there are so many big games to bookmark on your calendar.
Games involving the traditional "Big Six" are always intriguing, and we can now add Aston Villa and Newcastle United's fixtures to that list, while Sunderland’s promotion means the Premier League has another major derby.
Here are the games to look out for – starting with a superb and fully stacked opening weekend:
Friday 15 August - Liverpool v AFC Bournemouth
This is a tame opener for the champions' title defence, at least on paper, considering the history of this fixture. Liverpool have won 12 of their last 13 games against Bournemouth in all competitions, including their record Premier League victory, 9-0 at Anfield in August 2022.
Saturday 16 August - Aston Villa v Newcastle United
These two sides also met on the first weekend of 2023/24, when Newcastle beat Villa 5-1 at St James' Park. This time, the clubs - who were rivals in last season's race for UEFA Champions League places - will face each other at Villa Park. It’s Villa’s first opener on home soil since 2020/21.
Saturday 16 August - Sunderland v West Ham United
The Stadium of Light’s first Premier League game in eight years is a huge moment for Sunderland. They will be optimistic about making a winning start against West Ham.
Saturday 16 August - Tottenham Hotspur v Burnley
Thomas Frank’s first competitive game as Spurs boss appears to be a comfortable one, although it’s worth noting Burnley had a magnificent defensive record last season, conceding just 16 league goals in the EFL Championship. They could frustrate a team still getting used to a new tactical direction.
Sunday 17 August - Manchester United v Arsenal
After Chelsea v Manchester City last season, and Chelsea v Liverpool the year before, we have another Matchweek 1 (MW1) clash between two "Big Six" teams. This season, it’s a tough opener for Ruben Amorim and Mikel Arteta, who are both hoping for a reset in 2025/26. A losing start is unthinkable for both managers.
Monday 18 August - Leeds United v Everton
Leeds' first game back in the Premier League after a two-year absence will be earmarked as a winnable one. Certainly fans will be happy to begin at Elland Road.
Saturday 23 August - Burnley v Sunderland
The first six-pointer between newly-promoted sides is in MW2, providing both clubs with a great chance to get early points on the board.
Saturday 23 August - Everton v Brighton
The Hill Dickinson Stadium opens in MW2 as Everton welcome Brighton & Hove Albion – who beat David Moyes’s side 3-0 at Goodison Park last season.
Saturday 23 August - Man City v Spurs
After Wolverhampton Wanderers away on the opening weekend, a thorny start for Pep Guardiola continues with the visit of Frank’s Spurs.
Saturday 23 August - Newcastle v Liverpool
Newcastle, too, have it tough. A trip to Villa Park is immediately followed by hosting the champions.
Saturday 30 August - Chelsea v Fulham
The first major derby of the season is in west London in MW3. Fulham won at Stamford Bridge last season.
Saturday 30 August - Liverpool v Arsenal
A huge game and, quite possibly, the first six-pointer in the title race arrives very early this year.
Saturday 13 September - Man City v Man Utd
We get the first Manchester derby in MW4, which is a lot earlier than usual but late enough for trends to have emerged and for judgements to be made about both clubs’ respective rebuilds.
Saturday 20 September - Arsenal v Man City
It’s a rather relentless start for both clubs. By the end of MW5, both will have played three of the traditional "Big Six".
Saturday 20 September - Liverpool v Everton
Only time will tell if it’s good for Everton that the first Merseyside derby of the season is not at the new stadium.
Saturday 20 September - Man Utd v Chelsea
It’s a bumper weekend of big games in September, and bad news for Man Utd who, like City, play three of their fellow "Big Six" teams in the first five rounds.
Saturday 27 September - Newcastle v Arsenal
Eddie Howe’s side also have a really tough start, although they beat Arsenal three times in all competitions last season.
Saturday 4 October - Chelsea v Liverpool
The standout fixture before we stop for the second international break is a major test of the title ambitions of both Chelsea and Liverpool.
Saturday 18 October - Liverpool v Man Utd
Despite their contrasting fortunes, Liverpool have won just one of their last five matches against rivals Man Utd in all competitions.
Saturday 18 October - Spurs v Aston Villa
Frank will be hoping to directly challenge Villa for European places this season, making this game particularly significant as an early litmus test.
Saturday 25 October - Aston Villa v Man City
City haven’t won any of their last three games at Villa Park, so this could be a big moment in their title tilt.
Saturday 1 November - Spurs v Chelsea
One of the fiercest London derbies will no doubt be rich with narrative meaning by early November.
Saturday 8 November - Man City v Liverpool
In all likelihood this will be billed as the second title-contender clash of the Premier League season to date.
Saturday 8 November - Spurs v Man Utd
A gruelling month for Spurs continues here: that’s four games in a row against "Big Six" opponents plus Aston Villa.
Saturday 22 November - Arsenal v Spurs
Make that five in a row, albeit with an international break in between. Frank’s first North London derby comes at an awkward time.
Saturday 29 November - Chelsea v Arsenal
It’s Arsenal’s turn for a challenging period, with a trip to Stamford Bridge sandwiched between difficult games for Arteta.
Wednesday 3 December - Newcastle v Spurs
The standout match from the first midweek round of the season. Fans of these two sides will be hoping this is a six-pointer in the race for Champions League football.
Saturday 6 December - Aston Villa v Arsenal
Arsenal continue a difficult start to winter with a tough game at Villa Park.
Saturday 13 December - Sunderland v Newcastle
An otherwise quiet MW16 explodes into life with the first Tyne-Wear derby in the Premier League since March 2016.
Saturday 20 December - Aston Villa v Man Utd
It could be a hugely significant pre-Christmas weekend, including Villa's first league meeting with Man Utd since a damaging last-day defeat last season.
Saturday 20 December - Newcastle v Chelsea
This fixture will be another pre-Christmas blockbuster, at the beginning of a hectic festive period.
Saturday 20 December - Spurs v Liverpool
The third big game of MW17 is a sticky one for title hopefuls Liverpool.
Saturday 27 December - Chelsea v Aston Villa
There’s an unusually high number of big games over Christmas between clubs fighting it out towards the top end.
Saturday 27 December - Man Utd v Newcastle
This looks like the headline fixture of a stacked schedule around Boxing Day.
Tuesday 30 December - Arsenal v Aston Villa
Villa won’t be looking forward to their Christmas run, which peaks with an exhausting game at the Emirates at the midway point of the season.
Saturday 3 January - Leeds v Man Utd
The first big derby at Elland Road comes in the New Year, with Leeds looking for their first Premier League victory in this fixture since 2002.
Saturday 3 January - Man City v Chelsea
Will this be a top-of-the-table clash? Whatever the state of play, it’s a tough game for both clubs so shortly after the Christmas fixtures.
Wednesday 7 January - Arsenal v Liverpool
We might get another title battle just three days later when Arsenal host Liverpool. It’s been three years since Liverpool beat the Gunners in the league.
Saturday 17 January - Man Utd v Man City
The second Manchester derby comes early, which could be a relief for both managers when the run-in starts.
Saturday 24 January - Arsenal v Man Utd
Another tough one for Amorim’s side in January is this trip to the Emirates.
Saturday 31 January - Liverpool v Newcastle
Classic 4-3 matches in the 1990s mean we always have an eye on this fixture at Anfield.
Saturday 31 January - Spurs v Man City
After a comfortable start to 2026, Frank’s Spurs face their first big test at the end of the month.
Saturday 7 February - Liverpool v Man City
Another probable title clash in early winter should warm us all up.
Saturday 21 February - Spurs v Arsenal
Spurs play Man City, Man Utd, Newcastle, and Arsenal in the space of 22 days.
Saturday 28 February - Arsenal v Chelsea
The Gunners have two huge derby games in the space of a week.
Saturday 14 March - Liverpool v Spurs
As we approach crunch time, this is one of Liverpool’s final big tests before May.
Saturday 21 March - Newcastle v Sunderland
The first Premier League Tyne-Wear derby at St. James' Park in ten years might come at a crucial moment for both sides.
Saturday 11 April - Chelsea v Man City
MW32, also the first round in April, marks the beginning of The Run In – and there’s potentially a huge game at the top to get us started.
Saturday 18 April - Chelsea v Man Utd
In another big game at Stamford Bridge, Amorim will be hoping his side are competing in the same part of the table as Chelsea.
Saturday 18 April - Everton v Liverpool
The first-ever Merseyside derby at the Hill Dickinson Stadium comes on what is shaping up to be a defining weekend at the top.
Saturday 18 April - Man City v Arsenal
The third huge game of the weekend; the Premier League title race could take a decisive turn in MW33.
Saturday 2 May - Aston Villa v Spurs
It’s certainly plausible Villa and Spurs will be competing for European places at this point.
Saturday 2 May - Man Utd v Liverpool
Man Utd fans would love to do major damage to rivals Liverpool’s title defence in MW35.
Saturday 9 May - Liverpool v Chelsea
Liverpool have a tough run-in, although Chelsea also have a challenging game the week after the sides meet at Anfield.
Sunday 17 May - Aston Villa v Liverpool
A trip to Villa Park is never easy, and that will be especially true if Unai Emery’s side have something to play for in their final home game of the season.
Sunday 17 May - Chelsea v Spurs
The last game of 2025/26 at Stamford Bridge is a huge London derby that could easily be one of the highlights of the campaign.
Sunday 24 May - Man City v Aston Villa
All the teams likely to be involved in battles for the title or Champions League have straightforward games on the final day, except maybe Arsenal, who travel to Crystal Palace, and Man City. Villa were only beaten at the Etihad in 2024/25 by a last-minute goal.