Important Dates for the 2026/27 Football Season
The 2026/27 football season features key fixtures across top leagues including the Premier League, Championship, La Liga, Serie A, and the Champions League. Here is a comprehensive list of dates to keep in mind.
Premier League
- Season Start: August 21, 2026
- Season End: May 30, 2027
- Opening Match: Arsenal vs Coventry City on Friday Night Football
- Community Shield: August 16 at Principality Stadium, Cardiff (Arsenal vs Manchester City)
Scottish Premiership
- Season Start: July 31, 2026
- Season End: May 16, 2027
- League Split: After weekend of April 10-11 into top six and bottom six
- Defending Champions: Celtic
EFL Championship
- Season Start: August 14, 2026
- Season End: May 31, 2027
- Playoffs: Expanded from four to six teams
- Playoff Final: Weekend of May 29-31, 2027
Champions League
- League Phase Start: September 8-10, 2026
- League Phase End: January 27, 2027
- Final: June 5, 2027 at Metropolitano Stadium, Madrid
- Reigning Champions: Paris Saint-Germain
FA Cup
- First Round: November 7, 2026
- Second Round: December 5, 2026
- Third Round: January 9-10, 2027 (Entry of Premier League and Championship clubs)
- Final: May 15, 2027 at Wembley Stadium
- Defending Champions: Manchester City
Serie A
- Season Start: August 23, 2026
- Season End: May 30, 2027
- Winter Break: Scheduled before resuming in January
- Defending Champions: Inter Milan
Bundesliga
- Season Start: August 28, 2026
- Season End: May 22, 2027
- Winter Break: Begins after Matchday 14; resumes January 8
- Supercup: August 22, Bayern vs Borussia Dortmund
- Defending Champions: Bayern Munich
- New Entrants: Schalke 04 and SV Elversberg
La Liga
- Season Start: August 16, 2026
- Season End: May 30, 2027
- El Clásico Matches: October 25 at Camp Nou, May 9 at Bernabeu
Ligue 1
- Season Start: August 22-23, 2026
- Season End: May 29, 2027
- Opening Match: PSG vs Rennes
- Structure: 18 teams, 34 matchdays, no midweek fixtures
2026/27 Football Calendar Overview
- Community Shield: August 16, 2026
- Premier League: August 21, 2026 - May 30, 2027
- Champions League (league phase): September 8, 2026 - June 5, 2027 (Final)
- Serie A: August 23, 2026 - May 30, 2027
- Bundesliga: August 28, 2026 - May 22, 2027
- La Liga: August 15-16, 2026 - May 30, 2027
- Ligue 1: August 22-23, 2026 - May 29, 2027
- Europa League (league phase): September 16, 2026 - May 2027
- Conference League (league phase): October 15, 2026 - May 2027
- FA Cup (First Round): November 7, 2026 - May 15, 2027 (Final)
- Carabao Cup: August 7-9, 2026 - February 28, 2027 (Final)
- EFL Championship: August 14, 2026 - May 8, 2027
- Scottish Premiership: July 31 - August 1, 2026 - May 16, 2027
- WSL (Women's Super League): September 4-6, 2026 - May 21-23, 2027
The expanded 48-team World Cup caused scheduling shifts across Europe to allow player recovery and travel time. Some players will have different preparation periods depending on their involvement. Clubs will face varying challenges ahead of the new season.
