The English Premier League has unveiled the official dates for the 2025/26 season in a statement released late Friday.

The new campaign will kick off on Saturday, August 16, 2025, with the final match round slated for Sunday, May 24, 2026, ensuring a thrilling season from start to finish.

In a move designed to prioritise player welfare, the league has made significant changes to the festive period schedule.

The announcement, obtained from the EPL website, titled “Dates for 2025/26 Premier League season confirmed,” emphasises a renewed commitment to player welfare, particularly during the congested festive period.

For the first time, no two match rounds will take place within 60 hours of each other, addressing long-standing concerns about the congested holiday fixture list.

Furthermore, no matches will be held on Christmas Eve in 2025, a decision likely to be welcomed by players and fans alike.

The release read, “The schedule continues to allow more rest time for players over the festive match-round period, with no two rounds taking place within 60 hours of each other.

“This is in keeping with commitments made to clubs to address the congested Christmas and New Year schedule.”

Key Highlights:
The season spans 33 weekends and five-midweek match rounds, providing an evenly distributed calendar.
The 16 August start date guarantees 83 days of rest for players following the conclusion of the 2024/25 campaign.
The May 24 end date ensures the league concludes ahead of the FIFA 2026 World Cup call-up period, offering players ample preparation time for the global tournament.
This strategic scheduling, according to the statement, underscores the Premier League’s commitment to maintaining a competitive edge while protecting the well-being of its players.

Fans can now mark their calendars as the countdown to another unmissable season begins!

“The 2025/26 season will consist of 33 weekends and five midweek match rounds.

“The start date of August 16 allows for the maximum player rest time available—83 clear days—from the end of the 2024/25 season.

“The season end date of May 24 2026 ensures the Premier League season finishes ahead of the FIFA 2026 World Cup call-up period.

“There will be no fixture on December 24, 2025,” it concluded.

NBA superstar, LeBron James, said on Wednesday he was taking an indefinite hiatus from social media after sharing a post which railed against “negative” coverage in US media.

James, who has some 212 million combined followers on his Instagram and X accounts, announced his break from social media after sharing a post by Rich Kleiman, the long-time agent of NBA star Kevin Durant.

“With so much hate and negativity in the world today, it confuses me why some of the national sports media still think that the best way to cover sports is through negative takes,” Kleiman wrote on X, formerly Twitter.

“I for one find it all a waste of breath.”
Los Angeles Lakers ace James shared the post to his followers with a one word comment: “AMEN!!”

The 39-year-old then followed up that post to confirm he was leaving social media — for now.
“And with that said, I’ll holla at y’all! Getting off social media for the time being. Y’all take care,” James wrote on X.

It is not the first time James has stepped away from social media. The all-time record points scorer has taken breaks before, but usually to concentrate on his basketball.

James had hinted at disaffection with online criticism following the Lakers’ win over Utah on Tuesday, when Los Angeles rookie Dalton Knecht erupted for 37 points.

Talking about Knecht’s performance, James said he had been aware of the rookie’s talent from watching his collegiate career at Tennessee.

“Everybody on the internet calls me a liar all the time,” James said.

“They say I lie about everything. So what am I now? I’ve been said it. I watched him. I watched Tennessee a lot.”

Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola has reportedly agreed to a new one-year contract extension, with an option for a further year until 2027.

The deal, expected to be announced in the coming days, would secure Guardiola’s tenure at the club beyond his current contract, which expires at the end of this season.

The 53-year-old Spaniard, who joined City in 2016, has already cemented his legacy at the club.

Under his leadership, City has secured 18 trophies, including six Premier League titles and their first-ever Champions League triumph.

If finalized, the new deal would see Guardiola surpass a decade in charge, making him one of the longest-serving managers in the club’s history.

The announcement comes amidst a period of uncertainty and challenges for Manchester City.

Speculation about Guardiola’s future had intensified following the announcement that director of football Txiki Begiristain, a close associate of Guardiola, would leave at the end of the season.

On the pitch, the reigning champions are navigating a difficult stretch, having suffered four consecutive defeats in all competitions—the worst run of Guardiola’s managerial career.

Injuries and off-field issues, including 115 charges related to alleged breaches of Premier League financial rules, have added to the turbulence.

Securing Guardiola’s extension is expected to provide stability during a critical period.

It would prevent potential disruption in the summer, especially with the Club World Cup on the horizon. Guardiola’s decision also comes at a pivotal juncture in City’s season as they aim to bounce back from recent setbacks.

Guardiola, who succeeded Manuel Pellegrini at City, has previously enjoyed successful stints at Barcelona and Bayern Munich.