How Premier League Fixtures Are Compiled as Manchester United Face Arsenal in Opening Weekend

• The fixtures of the 2025/26 Premier League campaign have been released, and Manchester United vs Arsenal is the biggest talking point
• The Premier League begin compiling fixtures earlier in the year, and several factors, including UEFA competitions, come into play
• The season will kick off on August 15, with defending champions Liverpool facing Bournemouth

Manchester United will host Arsenal in their opening Premier League match of the 2025/26 season, sparking curiosity among fans about how fixtures are determined.

Premier League fixtures released

Barely a month after the 2024/25 Premier League season ended, fixtures for the 2025/26 campaign have been released.

The biggest story is Manchester United hosting Arsenal in the opening weekend.

The bitter rivals had contrasting seasons in 2024/25, with the Gunners finishing second, while the 13-time champions registered a 15th-place finish, their worst in Premier League history.

Defending champions Liverpool will kick off their season against AFC Bournemouth at Anfield on Friday, August 15. The Reds will be looking to defend their title they won comfortably last season.

Manchester City, winners of six Premier League crowns, will face Wolves on Saturday, August 16, while Tottenham Hotspur will clash with newcomers Burnley

On Sunday, August 17, Chelsea will play FA Cup winners Crystal Palace. Newcomers Leeds United will play Everton on August 18.

Since the 1017/18 season, Man City and Liverpool have won the Premier League. Pep Guardiola's side have won six, while the Merseyside club have won two.

When does Premier League start compiling fixtures?

According to the Premier League, all 380 fixtures take six months to compile.

At the start of the year, the league and an IT company go through the football calendar to determine when and where fixtures for the top flight and the three divisions of the EFL are to be played.

First, they consider the dates for international football, then UEFA competitions, and finally the FA Cup.

Last season, compiling league fixtures became more challenging due to UEFA's introduction of a new format in European competitions.

As a result, the total number of matches increased from 125 to 189 over the last two seasons.

Nine clubs will play European football next season, six in the Champions League.

Next season, 33 weekends and five midweeks will be available for Premier League matches to be slotted in.

They also consult fans during the process, and in April, they request clubs to provide preferred dates for home matches.

Moreover, there are situations where clubs close to one another, like Tottenham and Arsenal, are not allowed to play at home on the same weekend or midweek due to security concerns, primarily the police force.

How are Premier League fixtures compiled?

After the fixture computer identifies the home and away teams for each matchday, it will shuffle them to determine the matches.

One of the guidelines for the computer is that, in every set of five matches, teams should play three home games and two away games, or vice versa.

Furthermore, a team will not have more than two home or away matches in a row. Additionally, a team will begin the season with either two home or two away matches.

Teams beginning the festive period at home will play away on New Year's Day or an equivalent date.

Can Man United win Premier League in 2028?

Earlier, TUKO.co.ke reported that Man United CEO Omar Berrada said the club can still win the Premier League in 2028.

The Red Devils have tried and failed to win their 21st title since Sir Alex Ferguson retired in 2013.

Berrada said the club has several transfer windows to improve the team, especially after a poor season.

Proofreading by Asher Omondi, copy editor at TUKO.co.ke.

Source: TUKO.co.ke