2025/26 Premier League: Season Preview

The much anticipated 2025/26 Premier League season is edging ever closer, and here we preview the top flight campaign to come.

As soon as the 2024/25 campaign concluded, all eyes have been on the start of the 2025/26 Premier League season.

We are now a matter of weeks away from it getting underway, with excitement building for the first game, which is set to be played on Friday 15th August 2025, when Liverpool, led by Arne Slot, face Andoni Iraola at Anfield in an 8pm kick-off.

All clubs will, of course, be aiming to fulfil their respective ambitions for the season – some will be battling for the title, whilst others will be battling for European Football.

Some clubs seek safety from relegation to the EFL Championship – it promises to be a thrilling campaign with many twists and turns.

There is also intrigue as to whether there will be any surprise packages this term, like Nottingham Forest were last season.

Here, we will be taking a look ahead at the season to come, including the race for the title, the fight for European Football, as well as the clubs who are battling to avoid the disaster that is relegation to the EFL Championship once the season concludes. We will be starting with the race for the title, which looks like it could see a number of clubs aiming for glory this term.

Title Race

Liverpool, who are currently led by their Dutch Head Coach Arne Slot, are of course the reigning Premier League Champions after winning their 20th top flight title last term with as many as 84 points to their name.

They will expect to be amongst the clubs battling for the title again, and they will feel that they have increased the quality in their squad with the signings that they have made, including the likes of Florian Wirtz, Jeremie Frimpong, and Hugo Ekitiké.

Arsenal, who after finishing ten points behind the Reds last season, will be hoping to finally get their hands on the title once again for the first time since they went the whole campaign unbeaten back in the 2003/04 season.

The Gunners have also made signings that they believe will give their title hopes a strong boost, such as Viktor Gyokeres and former Real Sociedad midfielder Martin Zubimendi.

There is, of course, Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City – they will be looking to reclaim their title this season after missing out thanks to a 3rd place finish last term.

The Cityzens will be some people’s favourites for the crown, and they have added plenty of quality to the squad with players from across Europe, including the likes of Tijjani Reijnders, Rayan Ait-Nouri, and Rayan Cherki.

Enzo Maresca and his Chelsea side will also see themselves as potential contenders to win the title after an impressive campaign in the Premier League in 2024/25, with the Blues ending up with a 4th place finish with 71 points from their 38 games in the end. They too have added to the quality of their squad with Liam Delap, Jamie Gittens, and Joao Pedro.

Race For Europe

A number of the clubs will feel that they will be able to qualify for European football of some sort, whether they be the UEFA Champions League, the UEFA Europa League, or the UEFA Conference League.

Starting with those targeting Champions League qualification aside from title contenders like Arsenal, Manchester City, Liverpool, and Chelsea, there are the likes of Aston Villa, Newcastle United, and Tottenham Hotspur who will feel that they have a chance of doing so.

Newcastle United were successful last term after they finished in 5th place with 66 points, though this was only on goal difference ahead of Aston Villa in 6th place, who narrowly missed out on qualifying for the Champions League for the second season running.

There is also Spurs, who are in the 2025/26 competition after winning the UEFA Europa League last season, and with Thomas Frank at the helm and the additions that they have since made so that they can qualify again, this time through the league.

The likes of Brighton, Bournemouth, Crystal Palace, and Fulham were all fighting for Europe last season, and they will all feel that they can indeed qualify for the UEFA Europa League, but failing that they are all strong contenders for qualification for next season’s UEFA Conference League.

Ruben Amorim’s Manchester United will be seeking to seal a return to European Football, and they will look to seal a top seven finish by the end of the campaign. Additions to the squad such as Bryan Mbeumo and Matheus Cunha will most certainly aid their cause.

There are, of course, other clubs somewhere in between, with some looking set to potentially finish mid-table this season. The likes of West Ham United, Everton, Wolves, Nottingham Forest, Bournemouth, Brentford, and Fulham, amongst others, these sides could push for the top half and potentially European Football as well, with the Premier League being so competitive each season, and this season will be no different.

Relegation battle

We now move on to the battle to avoid relegation down to the EFL Championship this season, and there are a number of clubs who will be looking to secure their survival.

The newly promoted clubs are, of course, Regis Le Bris’ Sunderland, Scott Parker’s Burnley, and Daniel Farke’s Leeds United – each of them will be looking to give themselves the best chance of staying up, but in recent years, clubs that have been promoted end up getting relegated immediately.

The last time that all three newly promoted clubs stayed in the Premier League was back in the 2022/23 season when Fulham, Bournemouth, and Nottingham Forest all avoided the drop.

They finished in 10th, 15th, and 16th place, respectively, in the end. All three clubs will feel that they have a chance of staying up with signings that they feel will give them the best chance.

For example, Sunderland are set to sign former Arsenal midfielder Granit Xhaka, whilst also completing deals for the likes of Enzo La Fee, Simon Adingra, Habib Diarra, Reinildo, Chemsdine Talbi, and Noah Sadiki.

As for Burnley, they have made a number of signings ahead of their top flight return, including Loum Tchaouna, Bashir Humphreys, Marcus Edwards, Jaidon Anthony, Quilindschy Hartman, Zian Flemming, Jacob Brunn Larsen, Max Weiss, Axel Tuanzebe, and finally Kyle Walker.

Finally, at Leeds, they have sealed the signings of Anton Stach, Jaka Bijol, Lucas Perri, Sean Longstaff, Gabriel Gudmundsson, Sebastiaan Bornauw, and Lukas Nmecha.

Excitement and anticipation are both building rapidly ahead of the 2025/26 Premier League season getting underway, and all eyes will be on the action to come with teams battling for the title, for European Football, and to avoid the disaster that is relegation to the EFL Championship.

There is no better way to watch world-class football than with an Eventmasters VIP Hospitality Package. Book now to avoid disappointment!