SEASON AHEAD

Premier League 2026/27 fixtures

Everything you need before the June 19 fixtures release — FDR explained, best-start logic for your opening six gameweeks, and the pre-season checklist that puts your draft ahead of the template when the schedule drops.

Jun 19
Fixtures drop
10:00 BST
33
Weekend rounds
plus 5 midweek
380
Total fixtures
20 clubs · 38 GWs
~£100m
FPL budget
15 players
KEY DATES

2026/27 season timeline

Jun 19, 202610:00 BST · premierleague.com
Fixtures release
Early Julprice reveals + transfer setup
FPL 2026/27 launches
Aug 22GW1 deadline 11:30 BST (Sat morning)
Season kick-off
May 30, 2027simultaneous final-round kick-off
Season finale
01

When the fixtures release and where to find them

The Premier League confirms the full 2026/27 fixture list at 10:00 BST on Friday, June 19, 2026. The release goes live simultaneously on premierleague.com, the official Premier League app, and the broadcast partners. Within minutes the data is mirrored to BBC, Sky Sports, and the FPL API (once the new FPL game is opened).

For FPL planning, the canonical source is FPL's own bootstrap-static endpoint — every fixture is keyed to a gameweek with a difficulty rating (1-5) for each side. Until the new FPL game launches in early July, the official Premier League schedule is the only reliable source for fixture data.

Onside pulls fixtures directly from the FPL API and surfaces the difficulty grids the moment they appear. Bookmark this page — it auto-populates within hours of the official release.

02

What to look for in the opening six gameweeks

The first six gameweeks dictate your starting squad more than any other period. Players from teams with three or more easy fixtures in GW1-6 are the highest-EV picks for your draft, even before considering individual form or price.

Specifically: teams whose opening run averages an FDR of 2.5 or lower across the first six rounds become "target sides" — concentrate your premium-defender and budget-midfielder allocation there. Teams averaging 3.5+ become "fade sides" — even their elite attackers carry rotation risk if the opening week is a top-six clash away from home.

The structural lesson from every recent season: managers who nail their opening six fixtures rarely need a free transfer in the first month. Managers who get them wrong spend a hit by GW3 trying to course-correct. Free transfers banked early compound into wildcard timing later.

03

Understanding FDR (Fixture Difficulty Rating) for 2026/27

FDR is the 1-5 score Premier League and FPL publish for each fixture, where 1 is the easiest and 5 is the hardest. The score considers home/away venue and recent form, but does not perfectly reflect underlying numbers — most managers cross-reference FDR with xG-against, set-piece strength, and head-to-head history.

Onside's engine produces an enhanced FDR (eFDR) that overlays the official rating with our own xG, xGA, and team-strength model. The two ratings usually agree on the obvious matchups but diverge on borderline calls — especially when a newly-promoted side's underlying numbers haven't yet caught up with the official rating.

When the fixtures release, look first at the average FDR across the first six gameweeks for each team. Top-six sides typically average between 2.5 and 3.0 — that's the baseline. Teams below 2.5 are easy-run sides worth targeting. Teams above 3.5 are sides you want to fade until the schedule eases.

04

Pre-season checklist before June 19

Run the off-season review while you wait. Look at our 2025/26 leaderboards (top scorers, assist leaders, clean-sheet kings) to identify the structural patterns that carry into 2026/27 — set-piece takers, penalty takers, and reliable attacking full-backs rarely change roles year-over-year.

Track summer transfers. Players who move clubs reset their fixture profile completely — a top scorer at a relegated side becomes a target asset at their new top-six destination. Conversely, a top-six attacker who leaves for a mid-table side often drops a tier in your draft.

Build a short-list of differentials. Last season's sub-5% breakout players who established starting roles often retain that status into the new season at a low price tag — these are the highest-EV picks because everyone else has forgotten them.

05

After fixtures release — your first 24 hours

Within the first hour, identify the three teams with the kindest opening runs and the three teams with the harshest runs. These two clusters define your initial squad shape.

Within the first six hours, sketch a tentative starting XI: 1 premium GK from a top-six side with an easy GW1, 3-4 defenders from low-FDR sides, 4-5 midfielders weighted toward set-piece takers, and 2-3 forwards anchored by one true premium captaincy candidate.

Within 24 hours, run your draft against our Squad Builder and stress-test it against simulated GW1 fixtures. The first move after fixtures drop is to lock in your premium captain — by 48 hours after release, the public has caught up and prices on those players start rising.

COMING JUNE 19

Live opening-six fixture grid

Once fixtures release, this section will populate with the full opening-six FDR grid for all 20 Premier League sides — ranked by average difficulty, with our enhanced FDR overlay highlighting the gaps between official ratings and underlying numbers. Bookmark and return on June 19 for the live data.

FAQ

Frequently asked

When do the Premier League 2026/27 fixtures release?
Friday, June 19, 2026, at 10:00 BST. The release goes live on premierleague.com, the Premier League official app, and via broadcasters BBC and Sky Sports. The FPL API will mirror the data once the new FPL game opens in early July.
When does FPL 2026/27 open?
FPL 2026/27 typically opens in early July — usually within two weeks of the Premier League fixtures release. The exact date is announced by FPL closer to launch. Once the game opens, you can preview prices, set up your team, and start planning chips before the GW1 deadline (Saturday, August 22, 2026 at 11:30 BST).
What is FDR (Fixture Difficulty Rating) in FPL?
FDR is a 1-5 score the Premier League and FPL publish for each fixture, where 1 is the easiest match-up and 5 is the hardest. It considers venue (home/away) and recent form. Most managers cross-reference it with underlying stats (xG-against, set-piece strength) because the official rating sometimes lags the real difficulty — especially for newly-promoted sides.
How many gameweeks are in the 2026/27 Premier League season?
38 gameweeks across 33 weekend rounds and 5 midweek rounds. The season runs from Saturday, August 22, 2026 to Sunday, May 30, 2027. All final-round fixtures kick off simultaneously to preserve sporting integrity.
Should I make my FPL team before fixtures release?
No — wait. Without fixtures you cannot evaluate opening-week match-ups, and your draft will be biased toward the previous season's template. Use the period before June 19 to study summer transfers and 2025/26 stats; build the actual squad in the 48 hours after fixtures drop, when opening-week schedules are visible.
EXPLORE

More 2026/27 planning