A detailed view of the Premier League Trophy as it is displayed inside the stadium prior to the Premier League match between Chelsea FC and Manchester City FC at Stamford Bridge on August 18, 2024 in London, England.A detailed view of the Premier League Trophy as it is displayed inside the stadium prior to the Premier League match between Chelsea FC and Manchester City FC at Stamford Bridge on August 18, 2024 in London, England.
A detailed view of the Premier League Trophy as it is displayed inside the stadium prior to the Premier League match between Chelsea FC and Manchester City FC at Stamford Bridge on August 18, 2024 in London, England. | Getty Images
The 2025-26 Premier League season gets underway in August - with Manchester United and Manchester City aiming for improvement
It has been a strange season in the Premier League in 2024/25. Nottingham Forest are in with a shout of Champions League football, Brentford and Bournemouth have been fighting for Europe, and then there’s Manchester United and Manchester City.
If you had told even the most pessimistic Manchester local - or most avid detractor of either club - last summer that United would be deep in the bottom half of the table come the end of the season, while City would be barely clinging onto a Champions League spot, they wouldn’t have thought it possible. In fact, you wouldn’t even have suggested it.
Manchester has arguably been the most significant city in the Premier League era and certainly the home of the vast majority of its title winners since the competition’s inception in 1992, but this season couldn’t have been more different.
City travel to West London to face Fulham on the final day, seeking a much-needed victory and Champions League qualification for the 15th successive year. While United face Aston Villa with their own role to play in the fight for Europe, as Unai Emery’s men hope to secure a top-five place and Champions League football once again.
When does the 2025-26 season start - and when are fixtures out for United and City?
The Premier League have announced the details for the 2025/26 season, which will be great news for fans of both Manchester clubs as they look to make a fresh start next time around.
It has also been announced that the new season will commence with its opening match round starting on Saturday 16 August 2025, with the final matchday of the season taking place on Sunday 24 May 2026. All matches on the final day will kick off simultaneously as is custom, and the 2025/26 season will consist of 33 weekends and five midweek rounds of matches.
The Premier League’s announcement also states that the league continues to allow more rest time for players over the festive period, with no two rounds of matches taking place within 60 hours of each other. Players will have the maximum rest time of 83 days ahead of the new season, and the 2025/26 season will end ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup call-up period.
What City and United’s aims will be next season
Both Manchester clubs will be aiming for more than mere improvement next campaign, as both will feel that they were far off where they should be throughout most of this season.
For City, a return to challenging for the Premier League title will be the target - unless a verdict on the club’s 115 charges puts an end to that as a possibility - while for United a challenge for European qualification through the more traditional route of league position will be demanded. Both clubs will hope to make significant changes to their squad in the transfer window if they are to achieve their goals next campaign.
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