The wait is over. After a Community Shield that already gave us plenty to talk about, the 2026/27 Premier League season kicks off for real on Friday night, with ten fixtures across four days deciding who starts the campaign with momentum and who's already playing catch-up. Here's the full round, match by match.

Arsenal vs Coventry City

Arsenal begin their title defence at home to a Coventry side that romped to the Championship title by 11 points, scoring 97 goals along the way under Frank Lampard. But Coventry arrive without top scorer Haji Wright, ruled out for up to 12 weeks with a serious quad injury, and doubts over Jack Rudoni and Ephron Mason-Clark mean neither is likely to start even if fit enough for the squad. Arsenal have won 17 of their last 18 Premier League matches against newly promoted teams, with the sole exception a draw against Sunderland last season. With Bruno Guimarães in line to debut in midfield, this looks like a routine start for the champions — bookmakers have Arsenal as short as 1.22, reflecting how one-sided this is expected to be.

Hull City vs Manchester United

Hull's Premier League return starts with a daunting task at home to Manchester United, and they're missing a significant number of first-teamers through injury, including Jack Butland and Darko Gyabi, with Joe Gelhardt's absence another blow. United, under Michael Carrick and fresh off a productive pre-season, are short favourites at around 1.41 — fair given the gulf in fitness and squad depth for this one.

Everton vs Crystal Palace

David Moyes will look to make home advantage count at Everton's new ground, but Palace — now under new manager Pierre Sage — have enough attacking quality to end a difficult recent run against the Toffees. Goalkeeper Dean Henderson is a doubt after twisting his ankle in Palace's final pre-season friendly, though the club says everyone else, including Jean-Philippe Mateta, is available, with Mateta more likely to feature off the bench than start.

Ipswich Town vs Sunderland

Ipswich are back in the top flight after a season away and have strengthened significantly under Gary O'Neil, though new signing Abdoul Ouattara is unlikely to start after a disrupted pre-season. Sunderland, fresh off a seventh-placed finish and into European football last season, had a quieter summer by comparison and go into this one with a full squad. The market has this as a genuine three-way contest — Ipswich around 2.89, the draw at 3.38, and Sunderland the narrow favourite at 2.68 — making the draw the standout value play if you only want one bet from Saturday's card.

Nottingham Forest vs Leeds United

Both sides head into the season with plenty to prove after busy, ambitious transfer windows, and this looks like one of the more evenly matched fixtures of the opening round. Expect a tight, cagey affair between two clubs each trying to establish an early-season identity.

Brentford vs Tottenham Hotspur

A genuine style clash to close out Saturday — Brentford's direct, physical approach against a Tottenham side rebuilt at pace over the summer with Sandro Tonali and Mateus Fernandes among the arrivals. The odds reflect just how close it's expected to be, with Brentford priced around 2.47 and Spurs close behind at 2.75 — there's little separating these two on paper heading into kickoff.

Brighton & Hove Albion vs Aston Villa

Villa head into the new season having reshaped their squad considerably over the summer — losing Morgan Rogers in a big-money move to Chelsea but reinvesting in Johan Manzambi and Joao Gomes. Brighton, as ever, will be tricky opponents at home. This is one of the harder fixtures on the opening weekend to call with confidence.

Manchester City vs AFC Bournemouth

This is the fixture with the most eyes on it after Manchester City's Community Shield defeat to Arsenal. Enzo Maresca's first Premier League match in charge is a home fixture against Bournemouth, and a strong response here matters more for confidence than the three points alone. Anything other than a City win would raise real questions heading into September.

Newcastle United vs Liverpool

One of the standout fixtures of the round, and a tough opening assignment for Andoni Iraola's Liverpool after a shaky pre-season. Newcastle at home have historically been an awkward away trip for the traditional top six, and this is the first real test of how far Liverpool's rebuilt squad has come.

Fulham vs Chelsea

The round closes with a west London derby and Chelsea's first competitive outing under new manager Xabi Alonso. All eyes will be on record signing Morgan Rogers to see how quickly he settles into a new front line — an early goal or assist here would go a long way to justifying the £117 million fee.

The Bigger Picture

Ten matches, four different storylines worth tracking: Arsenal's title defence starting as expected, Manchester City's response to a chastening pre-season result, Liverpool's toughest possible opener under a new manager, and Chelsea unveiling their record signing in a derby. For live, continuously updated odds across every market this weekend and beyond, check out JSB Sports, and for the full title race picture, read our EPL 2026/27 Season Preview or head to our Premier League Winner Odds hub for outright pricing throughout the season.

FAQs

When does the 2026/27 Premier League season start?

The season opens on Friday, 21 August 2026, with Arsenal hosting Coventry City at the Emirates Stadium.

What time is Manchester City vs Bournemouth?

Manchester City host Bournemouth at 14:00 BST on Sunday, 23 August, in Enzo Maresca's first Premier League match in charge.

Is Haji Wright playing for Coventry City in Matchweek 1?

No — Coventry's top scorer from last season is ruled out for up to 12 weeks with a quad injury and will miss the trip to Arsenal.

When do Liverpool play their first match of the season?

Liverpool travel to Newcastle United on Sunday, 23 August, kicking off at 16:30 BST, in Andoni Iraola's first competitive match in charge.