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Man City 2025-26 PL fixtures: Key dates for your diary

Here, Football Talk rounds up everything you need to know about Man City’s 2025-26 fixtures and some key dates for your diary.

by
Max Akpan
July 8, 2025

Liverpool brought Manchester City’s Premier League reign to a halt in 2024–26, ending their ambition of securing a fifth straight domestic crown and forcing Pep Guardiola’s men to finish the campaign in third place.

The damage could have been significantly worse for the reigning champions, who flirted with dropping out of the top four altogether following a dreadful run that saw them clinch just a single victory across 13 matches in all competitions between November and January. However, mid-season arrivals in January steadied the ship, and a strong 10-game unbeaten finish to their league calendar helped City claim a spot in next term’s Champions League.

Looking ahead to the new campaign, Manchester City are already making moves in the market to reclaim domestic dominance. Now that the fixture list has been announced, Guardiola will no doubt be highlighting marquee games that could become pivotal moments in the race for silverware.

A rare trophyless season by the Catalans’ standards saw City shift their focus away from the 2024–25 term after their loss in the FA Cup final. With preseason on the horizon, the attention now turns to reasserting themselves at the summit.

There is optimism growing within fans with Man City tickets that this summer’s transfer activity will revitalise the squad and enable them to go toe-to-toe again across all competitions once the new term begins in August.

With rival clubs growing more competitive, Guardiola understands there’s little room to manoeuvre if his team want to lift silverware once more.

If there’s any consolation to take from last season’s heavy schedule, it’s that the City players will now be afforded a brief respite to recharge. The team’s 61 competitive fixtures between August and May match their heaviest load under Guardiola since he assumed managerial duties in 2016.

Only three sides across Europe’s top leagues featured more often during those 11 months. That said, Chelsea are poised to surpass City’s tally by the weekend’s close.

After concluding club duties, players will take a month-long break before regrouping for the pre-season phase.

Whether they remain in Manchester for low-key exhibition matches against local teams at the City Football Academy or organise a quick tour somewhere in Europe remains uncertain. Previously, the squad spent three weeks training and playing in the United States.

One detail already confirmed is that Manchester City will kick off their 2025–26 Premier League campaign with an evening away fixture at Wolves on Saturday, August 16, scheduled for 17:30 BST.

Here, Football Talk rounds up everything you need to know about Man City’s 2025-26 fixtures and some key dates for your diary.

Fixtures overview

A disappointing third-place finish saw Manchester City end last season 13 points adrift of league winners Liverpool, far from their usual dominant standards.

Missing key contributors—including Ballon d’Or recipient Rodri and prolific goalscorer Erling Haaland—for large chunks of the campaign, and now without midfield general Kevin De Bruyne, who has exited the club, City are attempting to reclaim the crown they surrendered to Arne Slot’s men. Their intent is clear, having already splashed substantial funds during the summer window in a bid to wrestle back domestic control.

City will launch their 2025–26 Premier League campaign away from home against Wolverhampton Wanderers, with the opening clash at Molineux scheduled for Saturday, August 16, at 5:30 pm, a slot chosen for live coverage by Sky Sports.

The West Midlands venue has generally proven to be favourable terrain for Guardiola’s men, who have emerged victorious on four of their last five visits, including last season’s dramatic 2-1 triumph—a contest decided in stoppage time by John Stones.

Yet, the opening stages of the campaign won’t be a stroll. Manchester City will encounter three fellow members of the so-called ‘Big Six’ across their first five fixtures, presenting a stern early test of their title credentials.

Tottenham Hotspur, now under the stewardship of Thomas Frank, will be City’s first opponents at the Etihad Stadium, marking Frank’s inaugural competitive away outing in charge of Spurs. Following that, City journey south to tackle Brighton right before the initial international window of the season.

Once domestic action resumes, Manchester United await at the Etihad in the first Manchester Derby of the new season, set for the weekend of September 13. Seven days later, a heavyweight encounter at Arsenal looms — a back-to-back sequence that will offer an early indicator of City’s title mettle.

A blockbuster showdown with defending champions Liverpool is scheduled for November 8, with City hosting West Ham United on December 20, Nottingham Forest on December 27, and Sunderland on December 30 during the high-traffic festive fixture period. The first match of 2025 pits them against Chelsea at home on January 3.

The campaign’s second derby fixture with Manchester United will be staged at Old Trafford over the January 17 weekend. Notably, Ruben Amorim holds a positive head-to-head record over Guardiola, having recorded two victories and two stalemates in five meetings. Their latest clash ended in a goalless deadlock at Old Trafford.

Reverse fixtures against Liverpool and Arsenal are set for February and April, respectively, potentially holding significance in the latter stages of the title battle.

In a poetic repeat of their iconic 2022 title-winning finale, City will round off their league season with a home date against Aston Villa, the same opponent against whom they overturned a 2-0 deficit to seal the championship with a 3-2 comeback victory.

Key dates for the 2025-26 season

The unique pre-Club World Cup transfer period was activated on June 1 and concluded just over a week later, shutting on June 10.

Following that early window, clubs were granted access to the primary summer transfer market from June 16. Meanwhile, the critical profitability and sustainability regulation (PSR) deadline for the 2024–25 financial year falls on June 30. This transfer window will officially shut at 11 pm BST (6 pm ET) on Monday, September 1.

Clubs will again be able to conduct mid-season business when the January transfer window opens on Thursday, January 1, and closes on Monday, February 1.

The 2025–26 Premier League season kicks off during the weekend of August 15–17, exactly one week after the Community Shield showdown set for August 8, where Premier League champions Liverpool will clash with FA Cup holders Crystal Palace.

As is tradition, the final round of top-flight matches will unfold on Sunday, May 24, 2026, with all ten fixtures beginning simultaneously.

FA Cup participation for top-tier sides begins in the third round, scheduled for Saturday, January 10, while the Carabao Cup will commence in mid-August. Clubs not involved in European competitions will enter during round two, kicking off the week of August 25. The remaining seven European participants will bypass that stage, making their entrance during the third round, which will take place across the weeks beginning September 15 and September 22.

Here’s a preview of some key Premier League fixtures:

Manchester United (H)—September 14th, 2025

The second home fixture of the season will bring a familiar tension to the Etihad Stadium as Manchester United head across town for the 197th clash between the two city giants.

Bragging rights will again be on the line in one of football’s most storied and intense rivalries—a fixture that continues to bring everything else in Manchester to a halt.

Although the Red Devils no longer carry the dominance they once boasted, their ability to rise to the occasion on the big stage means City will be on high alert.

Recent history hasn’t been particularly kind to Guardiola’s side in this showdown. City have not secured a win in normal time across their last four derbies—registering two losses, a draw, and just one shootout triumph. Their away form at Old Trafford has also been patchy, with only two victories in the past six visits.

By the time this derby takes place, the title picture is likely to be taking shape, making any slip-up—especially against a direct rival—potentially costly.

Although United snatched a dramatic late turnaround in their most recent league meeting, overall, Pep Guardiola has enjoyed a respectable record in these high-pressure contests, winning 13 out of 25, while suffering nine defeats and drawing on three occasions.

Nottingham Forest (A)—December 27th, 2025

Currently, no Premier League fixtures are scheduled to take place on Boxing Day 2025.

That said, this could still change depending on which matches the broadcasters opt to televise.

In terms of festive action, City’s nearest clash to Christmas comes in the form of a challenging away encounter at Nottingham Forest—a side that turned heads during the 2024/25 campaign.

Under Nuno Espirito Santo, Forest secured an impressive seventh-place finish, and should both clubs hit their stride, this fixture has all the ingredients to deliver a real holiday spectacle.

Aston Villa (H)—May 24th, 2025

The thought of hosting Aston Villa on the season’s final day is already enough to send shivers down the spines of Manchester City’s faithful.

It harks back to the concluding weekend of the 2021/22 campaign—a day etched in memory when Ilkay Gundogan struck twice, sandwiching a Rodri goal, to overturn a two-goal deficit and clinch what remains one of the most dramatic Premier League title triumphs in history.

But this Villa side has evolved significantly since that occasion, now presenting themselves as a Europa League-calibre outfit offering a very different type of challenge.

While the matchup promises entertainment, it certainly wouldn’t be considered straightforward, particularly if vital points are still at stake heading into that clash.

Below is a detailed breakdown of Manchester City’s standout Premier League matchups for the 2025/26 season.