Arsenal-Chelsea, Man derby headline Sky's PL opening slate
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- Sky Sports will show at least 215 live Premier League matches in 2026/27, with its opening-weeks slate headlined by Arsenal vs Chelsea on September 6 (Super Sunday, 4:30pm) and Manchester United vs Manchester City at Old Trafford on September 13.
- Liverpool head coach Andoni Iraola will make his first return to former club Bournemouth on September 20, while Tottenham's £100m summer signing Sandro Tonali faces Newcastle on August 29 Saturday Night Football.
- Chelsea host Brighton on August 30 in Xabi Alonso's first home Premier League game as a manager, with Pierre Sage's Conference League-winning Crystal Palace hosting Enzo Maresca's Manchester City on Friday Night Football on August 28.
- Premier League champions Arsenal launch their title defense at home to Coventry City on August 21 and face Manchester City in the Community Shield at Cardiff's Principality Stadium on August 16.
- Frank Lampard's Coventry City, Ipswich Town and Hull City are the three promoted sides entering the 2026/27 Premier League, replacing relegated West Ham, Burnley and Wolves.
- The 2026/27 season runs from August 21 to May 30, 2027, with the Premier League confirming no two match rounds will be scheduled within 60 hours over Christmas and New Year to ease congestion in the expanded international calendar.
Why it matters: Sky Sports secures marquee London and Manchester derbies in the season's first month to drive subscriptions on its minimum 215-game commitment, while new managers at Chelsea (Alonso), Crystal Palace (Sage) and Liverpool (Iraola) debut within the opening five matchdays — reshaping the Premier League's competitive landscape. The 60-hour Christmas rule directly responds to fan and club complaints about fixture pile-ups.
