Arsenal will get their Premier League title defence under way when they host Coventry City in the opening game of the 2026-27 season.
As is traditional, the defending champions will kick off the new campaign on the Friday before the first weekend of the new season.
While the fixture appears kind enough on paper, Mikel Arteta’s side face the prospect of a trip to Unai Emery’s Aston Villa on the second match week of the new campaign, and then a clash with Chelsea the following weekend.
Mikel Arteta’s team ended the club’s 22-year quest to win their their third Premier League title last season as they finished on 85 points, seven clear of Manchester City in Pep Guardiola’s last game in charge.
The potentially tricky opening weeks of the 2026-27 is reminiscent of last year when Arsenal had to navigate trips to Old Trafford, Anfield and St James’ Park, as well as an early showdown with City, before the end of September.
This time around, however, the difficult early weeks of the season give way to some matches in which they would be expected to win. The next big test doesn’t arrive until the end of October when Arsenal play Andoni Iraola’s Liverpool at Anfield.
Arsenal fans won’t have to travel far on Boxing Day as they return to the site of their title celebrations when they face Palace in south London.
In a break from the norm, Arsenal travel to face Tottenham Hotspur in the first north London derby of the season at the beginning of December before hosting their arch-rivals on in May.
Arsenal look to have a favourable run-in, not facing any of the teams who finished in the Champions League places last season in their last five fixtures of next season.
Arsenal’s 2026-27 campaign will do well to live up to last season’s emotional Premier League triumph.
After three consecutive second-place finishes, Arteta’s team finally captured the title. They were top of the league at Christmas and, despite a brief wobble, held on to lift the title at Selhurst Park on the final day of the season.
The one disappointment, however, was the Champions League final defeat to Paris Saint-Germain, sealed when centre-back Gabriel Magalhães put his decisive spot-kick over the crossbar in the penalty shootout.
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Arsenal are tracking Christos Tzolis and Bradley Barcola as they look to bolster their squad from a position of strength this summer, sources have told ESPN.
ESPN has previously reported Arsenal’s interest in Aston Villa’s Morgan Rogers and Atlético Madrid’s Julián Álvarez, but they are also looking at left-sided attackers amid uncertainty over the futures of Gabriel Martinelli and Leandro Trossard.
Arsenal’s 2026-27 Premier League fixtures
All times BST
21/08/2026 8 p.m. Arsenal v Coventry City
29/08/2026 3 p.m. Aston Villa v Arsenal
05/09/2026 3 p.m. Arsenal v Chelsea
12/09/2026 3 p.m. Sunderland v Arsenal
19/09/2026 3 p.m. Brighton and Hove Albion v Arsenal
10/10/2026 3 p.m. Arsenal v Leeds United
17/10/2026 3 p.m. Nottingham Forest v Arsenal
24/10/2026 3 p.m. Arsenal v Everton
31/10/2026 3 p.m. Liverpool v Arsenal
07/11/2026 3 p.m. Arsenal v Hull City
21/11/2026 3 p.m. Newcastle United v Arsenal
28/11/2026 3 p.m. Arsenal v Manchester City
02/12/2026 8 p.m. Brentford v Arsenal
05/12/2026 3 p.m. Tottenham Hotspur v Arsenal
12/12/2026 3 p.m. Arsenal v Bournemouth
19/12/2026 3 p.m. Arsenal v Manchester United
26/12/2026 3 p.m. Crystal Palace v Arsenal
30/12/2026 8 p.m. Fulham v Arsenal
02/01/2027 3 p.m. Arsenal v Ipswich Town
06/01/2027 8 p.m. Arsenal v Brentford
16/01/2027 3 p.m. Hull City v Arsenal
23/01/2027 3 p.m. Arsenal v Newcastle United
30/01/2027 3 p.m. Manchester City v Arsenal
06/02/2027 3 p.m. Arsenal v Liverpool
10/02/2027 8 p.m. Ipswich Town v Arsenal
20/02/2027 3 p.m. Arsenal v Fulham
27/02/2027 3 p.m. Manchester United v Arsenal
03/03/2027 8 p.m. Arsenal v Crystal Palace
13/03/2027 3 p.m. Chelsea v Arsenal
20/03/2027 3 p.m. Arsenal v Sunderland
10/04/2027 3 p.m. Coventry City v Arsenal
17/04/2027 3 p.m. Arsenal v Aston Villa
24/04/2027 3 p.m. Bournemouth v Arsenal
01/05/2027 3 p.m. Arsenal v Tottenham Hotspur
08/05/2027 3 p.m. Leeds United v Arsenal
15/05/2027 3 p.m. Arsenal v Nottingham Forest
23/05/2027 3 p.m. Everton v Arsenal
30/05/2027 4 p.m. Arsenal v Brighton and Hove Albion
Information from ESPN’s James Olley contributed to this story.
