How Premier League’s 2025/2026 season dates, fixtures prioritise players’ welfare

The English Premier League has unveiled the official dates for the 2025/26 season.

In a statement released late Friday on the EPL website, the new campaign will start on Saturday, August 16, 2025, with the final match round scheduled for Sunday, May 24, 2026, ensuring an exciting season from beginning to end.

Titled “Dates for 2025/26 Premier League season confirmed,” the statement highlighted the league’s renewed commitment to player welfare, especially during the congested festive period.

For the first time, no two match rounds will occur within 60 hours of each other, addressing long-standing concerns about the congested holiday fixture list. Additionally, no matches will be held on Christmas Eve in 2025, a decision likely to be welcomed by both players and fans.

The league has also implemented significant changes to the festive period schedule to prioritise player welfare.

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The statement reads, “The schedule continues to allow more rest time for players over the festive match-round period, with no two rounds taking place within 60 hours of each other. This is in keeping with commitments made to clubs to address the congested Christmas and New Year schedule.”

Key Highlights:

• The season spans 33 weekends and five-midweek match rounds, providing an evenly distributed calendar.
• The August 16 start date guarantees 83 days of rest for players following the conclusion of the 2024/25 campaign.
• The May 24 end date ensures the league concludes ahead of the FIFA 2026 World Cup call-up period, offering players ample preparation time for the global tournament.

This strategic scheduling, according to the statement, underscores the Premier League’s commitment to maintaining a competitive edge while protecting the well-being of its players.

Fans can now mark their calendars as the countdown to another unmissable season begins!

“The 2025/26 season will consist of 33 weekends and five midweek match rounds. The start date of August 16 allows for the maximum player rest time available—83 clear days—from the end of the 2024/25 season. The season end date of May 24, 2026, ensures the Premier League season finishes ahead of the FIFA 2026 World Cup call-up period. There will be no fixture on December 24, 2025,” it concluded.