Fixtures, Draws, Transfer Windows – Key Premier League and UEFA Champions League 2025-26 Dates
Following the conclusion of the 2024-25 season, the Premier League and UEFA Champions League have announced the key dates for the 2025-26 campaign.
Manchester City finished in third place in the 2024-25 Premier League season following a strong run of form since March after an uncharacteristically poor first half of the season that ruled out entirely out of the title race.
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A Round of 16 exit to Real Madrid in the UEFA Champions League piled on the misery for Pep Guardiola, who also saw his side narrowly lose to Crystal Palace in the FA Cup final as Manchester City finished the season trophy-less – after winning the FA Community Shield in pre-season.
After bidding outgoing midfielder Kevin De Bruyne an emotional farewell after beating Fulham 2-0 to secure a third place league finish on the last day of the Premier League campaign, the focus turns to the FIFA Club World Cup for Guardiola and co.
FIFA have also allowed clubs taking part in the Club World Cup to make and register new signings in a newfound transfer window that will run between June 1-10, which is likely to see Manchester City make four to five signings after chairman Khaldoon Al Mubarak this week outlined the club’s ambitions for the summer transfer window.
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The Manchester City first-team have a few weeks off amidst overhaul in Pep Guardiola’s managerial staff following the departures of Juanma Lillo, Inigo Dominguez and Carlos Vicens at the end of their respective contracts.
Guardiola’s side will then regroup and travel to the United States to take part in the 32-club Club World Cup, which will run between mid-June to mid-July and provide the Manchester City manager a platform to assess how his new signings embed into the squad.
With a huge summer and equally crucial 2025-26 campaign ahead of Manchester City, here are all the key dates for the upcoming season!
The opening round of fixtures will be played on Saturday 16 August 2025.
The final round of games will played on Sunday 24 May 2026.
Fixture for all 38 matchdays will be released at 09:00 BST on Wednesday 18 June 2025.
The draws for the UEFA Champions League group-stage will be held on Thursday August 28 2025
Matchday 1: 16–18 September 2025
Matchday 2: 30 September – 1 October 2025
Matchday 3: 21/22 October 2025
Matchday 4: 4/5 November 2025
Matchday 5: 25/26 November 2025
Matchday 6: 9/10 December 2025
Matchday 7: 20/21 January 2026
Matchday 8: 28 January 2026
Knockout phase play-offs: 17/18 & 24/25 February 2026
Round of 16: 10/11 & 17/18 March 2026
Quarter-finals: 7/8 & 14/15 April 2026
Semi-finals: 28/29 April & 5/6 May 2026
Final: 30 May 2026 (Budapest)A new-format transfer window to allow clubs participating in the FIFA Club World Cup to register new signings will run from Sunday June 1 to Tuesday June 10 19:00 BST.
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The transfer window will then remain shut till Sunday 15 June and again run from Monday 16 June to Monday September 1 19:00 BST.
The 2026 winter transfer window will run from Thursday January 1 to Monday February 2.
