The Champions League schedule looks set to raise several challenges for Arsenal following the Premier League 2026/27 fixture announcement
Arsenal have learned what their Premier League campaign looks like following the publication of the fixture list. The Gunners are embarking on a first title defence in 22 years with a season of upheaval expected with the other five clubs in the traditional ‘Big Six’ all having a different head coach or manager than who started the previous campaign.
Arsenal reached the UEFA Champions League final, losing agonisingly on penalties to Paris Saint-Germain. Mikel Arteta will again be looking to go one step further again in the elite European competition.
While the draw, set to take place on August 27, remains a mystery, UEFA have revealed when the competition’s matchweeks will take place. This means we can see which Premier League games will sandwich each European fixture.
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Champions League matchday one of the league phase takes place on the week commencing September 7, between Arsenal’s home clash with Chelsea and the trip to Sunderland. Already, two tough games for Arteta which could yet have a massive trip to the continent in between.
Matchday two and three run in back-to-back midweeks commencing October 12, and the three league games surrounding each European game for Arsenal include: Leeds (H), Nottingham Forest (A) and Everton (H). On paper, it’s a kinder period, but the City Ground has been a notorious banana skin under Arteta’s tenure.
Matchday four takes place in the week before the November international break, on the week commencing November 2. It is surrounded by a trip to Liverpool and the hosting of Hull City. Certainly, Arteta will be hoping that a pot 1 side is not scheduled to be played right after that vital Premier League trip to Merseyside.
Matchday five takes place the week commencing November 23, immediately after another tricky trip to Newcastle United. But what follows is the home clash with Manchester City at the Emirates Stadium.
Should a pot 1 or 2-team or lengthy away trip fall here, that truly will be a massive week in Arsenal’s early season, where Arteta might have to make some calls and choose his priorities and selections carefully.
It doesn’t get any easier either as matchday six commences on December 7, right after the away North London Derby with Spurs. What follows is a Bournemouth side at the Emirates who beat Arsenal in the same game last season… goodness gracious.
Then comes the Christmas break, which mercifully Arsenal will remain in London for until the New Year. January 18 is the week commencing matchday seven, when Arsenal would have returned from Hull City, and it precedes the reverse fixture with Newcastle United at the Emirates.
The final league phase match is set for January 27, the following week after Newcastle’s visit and before another huge game, the trip to Manchester City. It would be fair to say the league phase will be a real challenge for the Gunners this season.
Should Arsenal finish in the top eight for the third straight season, they will play their last 16 games on successive weeks commencing March 8. The three league games surrounding the home and away legs are: the FA Cup fifth-round weekend, Chelsea (A), and Sunderland (H).
The quarter-finals in April are between the FA Cup quarter-final weekend, Coventry City (A) and Aston Villa (H). The semi-finals in April/May sit between Bournemouth (A) / FA Cup semi-final weekend and Tottenham Hotspur (H) and Leeds United (A).
The final takes place on June 5. The final Premier League match on May 30 is at home to Brighton, while the FA Cup final takes place the week before, on May 22.
