The summer pre‑season fixtures have now come to an end for every club in England's top flight, and the stage is set for the Premier League to kick off on August 21. Below is a comprehensive recap of how each of the twenty teams fared during their preparatory matches, along with a brief look at the broader context of the upcoming season and the broadcasting arrangements that will bring the action to fans worldwide.
Arsenal concluded their warm‑up schedule with a 3‑0 victory over Manchester City in the Community Shield at Cardiff, a match that capped a series of friendlies across Europe. Their itinerary included a 3‑0 win against MK Dons at their own training ground, a 4‑1 loss to Girona in Spain, a 3‑1 defeat by Real Betis in Dublin, a narrow 3‑2 loss to Borussia Dortmund at the Emirates, and a 1‑1 draw with Como that went to penalties (Arsenal winning 4‑3). The Community Shield triumph not only gave them silverware but also offered a glimpse of the tactical tweaks manager Mikel Arteta is likely to employ once the league begins. Aston Villa travelled extensively, featuring in matches from Portugal to Indonesia and Hong Kong.
Their summer highlights included a 5‑0 thrashing of Walsall at the Bescot Stadium, a 2‑1 win over Porto at the Estadio do Dragão, a 4‑2 loss to Real Sociedad, and a 3‑1 victory over an Indonesia All‑Stars side in Jakarta. They also faced Bayern Munich in Hong Kong (a 2‑1 defeat) and were part of the UEFA Super Cup, where they fell 2‑1 to Paris Saint‑Germain in Salzburg. The Villa squad finished the pre‑season with a narrow 2‑1 loss to Borussia Mönchengladbach in Germany, suggesting a mixed bag of form heading into the campaign. Bournemouth enjoyed a high‑scoring run, most notably a 10‑1 win over Genoa at their training ground in a closed‑door 120‑minute session.
Other results were a 4‑1 victory over St Pauli, a 5‑2 win against Augsburg, a 2‑2 draw with Real Betis in Seville, and a 2‑1 defeat to Mainz at the Mewa Arena. The English side demonstrated attacking flair but also showed defensive vulnerabilities that will need addressing before they face the rigours of the Premier League. Brentford’s pre‑season featured a series of matches in the United Kingdom and France.
After a 3‑2 win over AFC Wimbledon behind closed doors, they travelled to France where they beat Rennes 4‑2 at Stade Rennais and then produced a dominant 7‑0 display against Eintracht Frankfurt at the Gtech Community Stadium. These results underline the club’s growing confidence under Thomas Frank and hint at a possible challenge for a top‑half finish. Brighton & Hove Albion’s itinerary took them from a 4‑1 win over Wycombe at their training ground to a series of continental fixtures. They beat Annecy in France, edged out Strasbourg 4‑3 in Austria, secured a 3‑0 victory over Roma at the Amex, and concluded with a 1‑0 win over Bologna at the same venue.
The Seagulls appear to have built a solid defensive foundation while maintaining an attractive attacking style. Chelsea’s summer was marked by globe‑trotting, with matches in Australia, Hong Kong, Jakarta and Malaysia. Highlights include a 6‑4 win over Western Sydney Wanderers, a 2‑1 loss to Tottenham in Sydney, a 1‑0 defeat by Juventus in Hong Kong, a 3‑0 victory over AC Milan in Jakarta, a 3‑3 draw with Johor Darul Ta'zim, and a 3‑1 win against Real Sociedad at Stamford Bridge. The Blues have mixed results but will look to fine‑tune their squad ahead of the title defence.
Coventry City played a handful of fixtures, starting with a 3‑2 win over AFC Wimbledon behind closed doors, a goalless draw with Northampton, a 3‑1 win over Espanyol in Coventry, and a 2‑0 victory against Monaco at their home ground. These games suggest a side eager to re‑establish itself in the Championship with ambitions of promotion. Crystal Palace’s pre‑season featured a 5‑1 win over Swindon at their training ground, a 3‑0 loss to Bromley, a 3‑0 defeat by Lens, a 0‑0 draw with Famalicão, a 3‑1 win over Al Ula, a 2‑1 loss to Fulham, and a 3‑0 defeat by Freiburg in Germany. The varied results indicate a need for consistency as they prepare for another season fighting for survival.
Everton’s schedule took them from a 4‑0 win over Dundee to matches in Germany and Sweden. They drew 0‑0 with Bolton, lost 1‑0 to Stoke, fell 2‑1 to Hamburg, won 3‑1 against Stuttgart, beat Newcastle 3‑1 at Murrayfield, and drew 1‑1 with Lille.
The Toffees have shown resilience but will need to tighten up at the back. Fulham’s summer included a 1‑1 draw with Al Ahli in Portugal, a 2‑1 loss to Crystal Palace at their training ground, and a 1‑0 win over Stuttgart at Craven Cottage.
The team appears to be building momentum under new management. Hull City played several fixtures across Slovenia and Turkey, including a 3‑0 win over Konyaspor, a 2‑1 win over Çaykur Rizespor, a 1‑1 draw with Kasımpaşa in Istanbul, a 2‑0 loss to Eintracht Frankfurt, and a 0‑0 draw with Nice at the MKM Stadium.
Their performances suggest a solid defensive base with room for attacking improvement. Ipswich Town’s pre‑season was busy, featuring a 2‑1 loss to Osasuna, a 2‑0 win over Oxford, a 2‑1 loss to Wycombe, a 1‑0 win over Le Havre, a 3‑0 win over Rayo Vallecano, and a 4‑2 victory against Union Berlin. The club is clearly intent on returning to the Championship with a competitive squad.
Leeds United embarked on a transatlantic tour, playing a 3‑2 loss to Wrexham, a 1‑0 win over Sunderland in New Jersey, a 4‑2 win over Liverpool in Chicago, a 2‑0 win over RB Leipzig at Elland Road (a 120‑minute game), a 1‑1 draw with Manchester United that went to penalties (United winning 5‑4), and a 4‑0 win over Augsburg. Their impressive results against top opposition suggest a team ready to challenge for a European place.
Liverpool’s summer featured a 4‑2 win over Sunderland in Nashville, a 1‑0 win over Wrexham in New York, a 4‑2 loss to Leeds in Chicago, a 3‑2 defeat to Monaco at Anfield, and a 2‑0 win over Como. The Reds have mixed form but remain favourites to contend for the league title. Manchester City’s pre‑season included a 1‑1 draw with Inter Milan in Hong Kong (losing 3‑1 on penalties), a 3‑1 win over K‑League All‑Stars in Seoul, a 3‑1 victory over Atletico Madrid in Seoul, and a 3‑0 loss to Arsenal in the Community Shield.
Their squad depth is evident, though the Shield defeat will serve as motivation. Manchester United travelled extensively, recording a 1‑0 loss to Wrexham in Helsinki, a 5‑0 win over Rosenborg in Trondheim, a 2‑1 win over Atletico Madrid in Stockholm, a 1‑1 draw with PSG in Gothenburg, a 1‑5 penalty shoot‑out loss to Leeds in Dublin, and a 4‑2 defeat to AC Milan in Wroclaw. United’s pre‑season shows a blend of attacking flair and defensive lapses that will need addressing.
Newcastle United’s schedule saw them beat Darlington 3‑0, draw 1‑1 with Gateshead, thrash Bristol City 4‑1, lose 2‑1 to Valencia, beat Everton 3‑1 at Murrayfield, lose 2‑1 to Bayer Leverkusen, and draw 1‑1 with Strasbourg. The Magpies appear to be building a solid foundation for a competitive season.
Nottingham Forest’s summer included a 2‑0 win over Notts County, a 3‑0 victory against Blackburn in Portugal, a 1‑1 draw with Vitoria, a 2‑1 win over Portimonense, a 4‑1 win over Sporting, a 1‑0 win over Udinese, a 1‑0 loss to Barcelona, a 2‑1 win over Bayer Leverkusen, and a 2‑0 win over Brest. Their results suggest a team capable of challenging higher up the table. Sunderland’s pre‑season featured a 5‑1 loss to York City, a 4‑2 win over Liverpool in Nashville, a 1‑0 loss to Leeds in New Jersey, a 1‑0 win over Wrexham in Philadelphia, a 4‑1 loss to Lens in a training‑ground match, a 2‑0 win over Lens at Stade Bollaert‑Delelis, and a 2‑1 victory over Rennes.
The club is looking to bounce back after relegation. Tottenham Hotspur’s itinerary included a 1‑0 win over MK Dons at their training ground, a 2‑0 win over Auckland FC, a 1‑1 draw with Sydney FC (winning 4‑2 on penalties), a 2‑1 win over Chelsea in Sydney, a 1‑1 draw with Getafe at the Spurs training ground, a 3‑0 win over Hoffenheim at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, and a 2‑2 draw with Hoffenheim in a closed‑door match. Spurs appear to be in good shape ahead of their title defence. Sky Sports will broadcast more than 1,500 live matches across the Premier League, Women’s Super League, EFL and Scottish Premiership in the 2026/27 season, with a minimum of 215 Premier League games guaranteed.
Subscribers can watch via the Sky Sports app, while non‑subscribers are encouraged to upgrade or consider NOW TV for flexible, contract‑free options. Key dates to remember: the Premier League season opens on August 21, the Champions League group‑stage draw follows on August 27, the group stage runs from September 8‑10, the FA Cup third round begins on January 9, the Champions League group stage concludes on January 27, the knockout phase starts on February 16, the Carabao Cup final is slated for March 21, the Premier League season ends on May 30, and the Champions League final takes place on June 5 at the Wanda Metropolitano in Madrid. Fans can also enter the Super 6 competition for a chance to win £1 million, with free entry available.