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Premier League 2026/27: What to expect ahead of new EPL season
18th August, 2026 07:02 PM
The 2026/27 Premier League campaign begins this week, with Arsenal preparing to defend the championship they won in memorable fashion last season against Coventry on Friday, August 21, 2026.
Before the opening fixtures get underway, several major developments have reshaped England’s top division. From promoted clubs and new managers to changes in the Laws of the Game and the refereeing structure, here are the main things to know.
3 clubs return to the Premier League
Coventry City will be among the first newly promoted sides to take part in the new campaign. The Championship champions will visit Emirates Stadium on Friday, returning to the Premier League for the first time since 2001.
The Sky Blues have experienced a remarkable climb after falling as low as League Two in 2017. Their recovery culminated in promotion last season under former Chelsea midfielder Frank Lampard.
Ipswich Town secured the second automatic promotion position after finishing behind Coventry. The Tractor Boys immediately bounced back to the top flight following their relegation in 2024/25.
However, there has been a change in the dugout, with Kieran McKenna leaving after overseeing the club’s recent rise. Gary O’Neil has now taken charge of Ipswich.
Hull City completed the list of promoted teams by winning the Championship play-off final. Ollie McBurnie’s stoppage-time goal gave the Tigers a 1-0 victory over Middlesbrough.
With Sergej Jakirovic as their manager, Hull return to the Premier League for the first time since 2017. Their opening fixture will be a home encounter with Manchester United at the MKM Stadium.
New faces in the dugouts
The new season begins with nine Premier League clubs having appointed different managers.
Manchester City have a new boss following Pep Guardiola’s departure, with Enzo Maresca taking over. As a result, Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta is now the longest-serving manager across England’s top four divisions.
Chelsea have appointed former Liverpool midfielder Xabi Alonso, while Alvaro Arbeloa has taken charge of Fulham. Both coaches worked at Real Madrid last season before making their respective moves to London.
Liverpool have also changed managers, bringing in Andoni Iraola after his successful spell at Bournemouth. The Cherries responded by appointing German coach Marco Rose.
Newcastle United have replaced Eddie Howe with fellow German Matthias Jaissle, while Nottingham Forest have brought in Oliver Glasner after his departure from Crystal Palace.
Crystal Palace moved quickly to appoint Pierre Sage from Lens, while Ipswich opted for Gary O’Neil, whose previous Premier League experience made him a strong candidate for the position.
Changes to the laws of the game
One of the biggest changes concerns treatment of injured players. When a player receives treatment from a physio on the field, they must now remain off the pitch for at least one minute before returning, doubling the previous 30-second period.
There is also a new measure aimed at preventing teams from deliberately slowing the game following goalkeeper injuries. If play is halted because of an injury to a goalkeeper, an outfield player nominated by the team will have to spend one minute off the field instead.
Teams will also have only five seconds to restart play from throw-ins, with the exception of long throws, and goal-kicks when officials determine that they are wasting time. Going beyond the limit can result in possession being awarded to the opposition or a corner being given instead of a goal-kick.
Substitutions have also been targeted. A player being replaced will have 10 seconds to leave the pitch. If that period is exceeded, the incoming substitute must wait until the next stoppage after one minute has passed before entering.
VAR has received some additional responsibilities. The technology can now examine incidents that result in a player’s second yellow card. However, incorrectly awarded corners will not be subject to VAR review.
At set pieces, VAR officials can also examine whether an offence occurred before the ball was delivered if the incident subsequently results in a goal, penalty or card. If necessary, the set piece can be ordered to be retaken.
A proposed rule that would have punished players for deliberately covering their mouths with a red card has not been introduced in the Premier League.
Major changes among referees
Supporters could see a number of unfamiliar officials taking charge of Premier League matches this season following the creation of the Professional Referee Group.
The new organisation will supply referees for both the Premier League and Championship. Its 39 officials include a significant number who have never previously officiated in the top flight.
Anthony Taylor will not be part of the group after ending his 16-year career as a Premier League referee during the summer. Assistant referee Sian Massey-Ellis has also retired.
Refereeing decisions are also set to become more open to public scrutiny. For the first time, the full findings of the Key Match Incidents Panel will be made available to supporters.
The Premier League’s Match Centre will additionally publish direct quotations from referees explaining important decisions. Where RefCam footage is used, audio from officials will also accompany the video.
With new clubs, fresh managerial appointments, amended rules and a revamped refereeing system, the 2026/27 Premier League season is set to look noticeably different from the campaign that preceded it.
