Premier League

What Is the Premier League?

The Premier League is the top division of English football and the most-watched sports league on the planet, broadcast in over 200 countries. It was founded in 1992 when the clubs of the First Division broke away from the Football League to form an independent competition. The league has grown into a global phenomenon, generating billions in revenue and attracting the world's best players, managers, and coaches.

How the Premier League works

Each of the 20 clubs plays the other 19 home and away, making 38 matches per club and 380 in total. A win is worth three points, a draw one and a defeat none. If clubs finish level on points, goal difference separates them, then goals scored. The champions lift the trophy in May, while the bottom three drop into the EFL Championship, replaced by that division's top two plus the winner of its play-off final.

League position also decides European qualification. In 2026/27, five English clubs compete in the Champions League after England earned an extra place through UEFA's performance rankings, with further spots in the Europa League and Conference League going to the sides just below them and to the winners of the FA Cup and Carabao Cup.

What changes in 2026/27

This season starts a week later than usual, on Friday 21 August, to give players extra recovery time after the 2026 World Cup, and runs until 30 May 2027. The opening fixture pits champions Arsenal against newly promoted Coventry City at the Emirates, and if you want to be there for kick-off, LOVE1TICKET offers verified tickets for Arsenal home fixtures. Frank Lampard's Coventry go up as Championship winners alongside Ipswich Town and play-off victors Hull City, replacing relegated West Ham United, Burnley and Wolverhampton Wanderers.

Two other changes stand out. Gambling firms are banned from the front of matchday shirts from this season, and the traditional Community Shield moves venue: this season, League champions Arsenal and FA Cup holders Manchester City takes place at Cardiff's Principality Stadium on 16 August rather than Wembley.

The 20 clubs competing this season

From title holders Arsenal down to the three promoted sides, the full 20-club Premier League line-up is set for 2026/27. Whichever club you follow, you can browse fixtures and verified tickets for every Premier League match on Love1Ticket, with pricing shown upfront and no membership required to buy.

Watching from home or from the stands

In the UK, live coverage is split between Sky Sports and TNT Sports, with Match of the Day highlights on the BBC. Internationally, NBC holds the rights in the United States and beIN Sports covers the Middle East and North Africa, part of a broadcast footprint reaching around 900 million homes.

Attending in person is a different challenge. Most clubs sell general-sale seats only after members and season ticket holders have taken their allocation, and the biggest matches rarely reach general sale at all. LOVE1TICKET fill that gap for supporters without a membership. Every order is covered by a buyer-protection guarantee, so you get valid tickets in time for the match or your money back, and prices include all fees upfront before you reach checkout.

2026/27 Season - Key Facts

The 2026/27 Premier League is the 35th season of the competition and the 128th season of top-flight English football overall.

Season dates: 21 August 2026 - 30 May 2027
Defending champions: Arsenal
Community Shield: Arsenal vs Manchester City, 16 August 2026, Cardiff
Total clubs: 20
Total matches: 380
Combined stadium capacity: 826,579

Promoted clubs:
Coventry City (returning after a 25-year absence, the longest in Premier League history), Ipswich Town, Hull City

Relegated from 2025/26:
West Ham United, Burnley, Wolverhampton Wanderers

Key change this season: Gambling sponsors are banned from appearing on the front of matchday shirts from 2026/27 onwards.

Premier League Title Winners - All-Time

Manchester United | 13
Manchester City | 9
Chelsea | 5
Arsenal | 3
Liverpool | 3
Blackburn Rovers | 1
Leicester City | 1

Arsenal are the reigning champions heading into 2026/27.

All-Time Records - Players

Goals
All-time top scorer: Alan Shearer - 260 goals (the only player to score 100+ for two different Premier League clubs: 112 for Blackburn Rovers, 148 for Newcastle United)
Most goals in a single season: 36 - Erling Haaland, Manchester City, 2022/23
Most goals for a single club: 213 - Harry Kane, Tottenham Hotspur
Fastest goal in Premier League history: 7.69 seconds - Shane Long, Southampton vs Watford, April 2019
First ever Premier League goal: Brian Deane, Sheffield United vs Manchester United, 15 August 1992
Youngest goalscorer: Max Dowman, 16 years and 73 days (Arsenal)
Oldest goalscorer: Teddy Sheringham, 40 years and 268 days (West Ham United)

Assists
All-time assists leader: Ryan Giggs - 162 assists
Most assists in a single season: 21 - Bruno Fernandes, Manchester United, 2025/26
Only player with 20+ goals and 20+ assists in one season: Thierry Henry (24 goals, 20 assists, 2002/03)
Most assists by a goalkeeper: 7 Ederson, Manchester City

Appearances
Most seasons played: 24 - James Milner (2002/03 to 2025/26, every single season)
Most Premier League winner's medals: 13 - Ryan Giggs

Clean Sheets
Most clean sheets at one club: 162 - Petr Čech, Chelsea
Longest run without conceding: 14 matches (1,311 minutes) - Edwin van der Sar, Manchester United, 2008/09

All-Time Records — Clubs & Seasons

Biggest win: 9–0 (achieved by Manchester United, Leicester City, and Liverpool on separate occasions)
Smallest title-winning margin: 0 points - Manchester City beat Manchester United on goal difference in 2011/12, the only time in Premier League history the title has been decided this way
Earliest title clinched: Liverpool in 2019/20 with 7 games still to play
Most consecutive title wins: 3 - Manchester United (1999–2001 and 2007–2009)
Biggest title-winning points margin: 18 points Manchester United, 1999/2000

Premier League Hall of Fame

Launched in 2021 to honour players and managers who have made outstanding contributions to the Premier League. Inductees are selected by a combination of fan vote and votes from existing Hall of Fame members.

2021 - Inaugural Class
Alan Shearer, Thierry Henry, David Beckham, Dennis Bergkamp, Eric Cantona, Frank Lampard, Roy Keane, Steven Gerrard

2022
Sergio Agüero, Didier Drogba, Vincent Kompany, Wayne Rooney, Patrick Vieira, Peter Schmeichel, Paul Scholes

2023 - First Managers Inducted
Sir Alex Ferguson, Arsène Wenger, Rio Ferdinand, Tony Adams

2024
Ashley Cole, John Terry, Andrew Cole

2025
Gary Neville, Eden Hazard

Premier League Golden Boot - Notable Winners

Alan Shearer - 3 consecutive Golden Boots (1993/94, 1994/95, 1995/96)
Thierry Henry - 4 Golden Boots
Mohamed Salah - 4 Golden Boots (the joint record alongside Henry)
Erling Haaland - 36 goals in 2022/23, the most in a single Premier League season

By the Numbers — Premier League at a Glance

1992, the year the Premier League was founded
35 seasons completed heading into 2026/27
200+ countries the Premier League is broadcast in
260 - Alan Shearer's all-time goals record, standing since 2006
162 - Ryan Giggs' all-time assists record
13 - Sir Alex Ferguson's record number of Premier League titles as a manager
9-0 is the joint-record biggest victory margin, achieved three times
20 clubs compete each season, with three promoted and three relegated annually

FAQ

Do I need a club membership to buy Premier League tickets? 

No. Official club sales are usually restricted to members and season ticket holders first, but you can buy verified Premier League tickets on LOVE1TICKET without any membership.

How many points does a win, draw and loss earn in the Premier League? 

A win is worth three points, a draw one point, and a defeat earns nothing. Final standings are decided by total points, then goal difference, then goals scored.

How many English clubs will play in the Champions League in 2026/27? 

Five, after England earned an extra place through UEFA's performance rankings.

When does the 2026/27 Premier League season start and end? 

The season opens on Friday 21 August 2026 and runs through to 30 May 2027, a week later than usual to give players extra recovery time after the 2026 World Cup.

Where can I watch Premier League matches if I'm outside the UK? 

NBC holds the US broadcast rights and beIN Sports covers the Middle East and North Africa, as part of a global footprint reaching around 900 million homes.

Are resale ticket prices the same as face value? 

On resale platforms like LOVE1TICKET, sellers set their own prices, so listings can sit above or below face value depending on demand.

Sources: Premier League, Sky Sports, BBC Sport, TNT Sports, NBC and BeIN. LOVE1TICKET is not the official ticket agent of any club, league or federation.