Arsenal’s Premier League fixtures 2026-27 are out, and the Gunners kick off their title defence on Friday 21st August when they host Coventry City at the Emirates — an 8pm curtain-raiser that follows the traditional honour of champions opening the new season. It’s a moment 22 years in the making, and Mikel Arteta will not want to let that feeling slip.
Arsenal Premier League Fixtures 2026-27: A Brutal Opening Run
Don’t be fooled by the Coventry opener. The schedule turns savage almost immediately. Mikel Arteta’s side travel to Unai Emery’s Aston Villa on 29th August before Chelsea roll into north London on 5th September. It’s a gauntlet that echoes last season’s nightmarish early run — trips to Old Trafford, Anfield, and St James’ Park all before the end of September, plus an early Manchester City showdown. Arsenal navigated that. Now they must do it all over again.
Fortunately, the fixture list eases after those September storms. The next genuine blockbuster doesn’t arrive until 31st October, when Arsenal face Andoni Iraola’s Liverpool at Anfield. Furthermore, their run-in looks genuinely kind — none of last season’s top-four sides appear in Arsenal’s final five fixtures.
The Title Triumph That Makes This Season So Special
To understand what’s at stake, you need to remember what Arteta’s side actually achieved last season. After three successive runners-up finishes, Arsenal finally ended a 22-year wait to claim their third Premier League title, finishing on 85 points — seven clear of Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City in what proved to be Guardiola’s final match in charge. They led at Christmas, wobbled briefly, then sealed glory on the final day at Selhurst Park. Fittingly then, Arsenal return to Crystal Palace on Boxing Day, 26th December, for what should be an emotional occasion.
The one shadow hanging over that remarkable campaign remains the Champions League final defeat to Paris Saint-Germain, settled on penalties when centre-back Gabriel Magalhães sent his decisive spot-kick over the bar. That wound hasn’t healed. Expect it to fuel everything this summer.
On that note, Arsenal are reportedly tracking Christos Tzolis and Bradley Barcola as summer targets, while ESPN sources indicate interest in Aston Villa’s Morgan Rogers and Atlético Madrid’s Julián Álvarez. Uncertainty over the futures of Gabriel Martinelli and Leandro Trossard means left-sided attacking reinforcements are also a priority. Meanwhile, the north London derby arrives twice — away at Tottenham Hotspur on 5th December, then back at the Emirates on 1st May. Buckle up.
