Ninety minutes
A match is two 45-minute halves, plus added time. The team that scores more goals wins. A draw is a common, legal result.
Soccer · 2026–27
Premier League, explained.
Twenty clubs. Thirty-eight matches. First place is champion. Here’s the quick guide.
The Premier League is England’s top professional football division: 20 clubs, a 38-match season, and no playoff for the title. The club with the most points is champion. The bottom three go down.
League contact
Registered office published by the Premier League. For tickets or a specific club, use that club — not league headquarters.
- Registered office
- The Football Association Premier League Limited
Brunel Building
57 North Wharf Road
London W2 1HQ
United Kingdom - Phone
- +44 20 8157 9000Public information line
A short history
The Premier League broke away from the Football League First Division in 1992. The first season was 1992–93. Twenty clubs play today. The First Division title line — the one that includes pre-1992 champions — still counts those older seasons; the Premier League trophy is the one awarded since 1993.
There is no Super Bowl or World Series. The champion is whoever finishes first after 38 matches. Three clubs are relegated to the EFL Championship each spring; three come up. The 2026–27 season opened August 21 with champions Arsenal hosting promoted Coventry City.
Current teams
Twenty clubs in one table. Open a club for scores, the next match, and news.
Premier League
AFC BournemouthBOU
ArsenalARS
Aston VillaAVL
BrentfordBRE
Brighton & Hove AlbionBHA
ChelseaCHE
Coventry CityCOV
Crystal PalaceCRY
EvertonEVE
FulhamFUL
Hull CityHUL
Ipswich TownIPS
Leeds UnitedLEE
LiverpoolLIV
Manchester CityMCI
Manchester UnitedMUN
Newcastle UnitedNEW
Nottingham ForestNFO
SunderlandSUN
Tottenham HotspurTOT
2026–27 schedule
The season runs August 21, 2026 to May 30, 2027. Each club plays 38 matches — home and away against every other club — 380 matches in all. The final day kicks off simultaneously.
How the league works
One table. Three points for a win. No playoff for the title.
The table
A win is three points. A draw is one. A loss is zero. If clubs are level on points, goal difference is next, then goals scored.
Home and away
Every club plays every other club twice — once at home, once away. That is why a 20-club league is 38 games, not 19.
Scoring
A goal is one. Offside, a penalty kick, and VAR reviews decide a lot of tight matches. There is no equivalent of a field goal or a convert.
Europe
High finishes qualify clubs for UEFA competitions — the Champions League, Europa League, and Conference League. The exact number of Champions League places can change with UEFA’s coefficient ranking.
One division
There are no conferences. All 20 clubs are in the same table. Position 1 is the champion. Positions 18–20 go down.
The season
Preseason in July, 38 matches from August into May, plus domestic cups (FA Cup, Carabao Cup) and, for some clubs, midweek European ties.
How the season is decided
The Premier League itself has no playoffs. Promotion from the Championship does.
The title
First place after 38 matches is champion. There is no final. The last day is scheduled so every match starts together, so no club plays with a known result in hand.
Relegation
The bottom three clubs are relegated to the EFL Championship. The next season they play for a way back up.
Who comes up
The Championship’s top two are promoted automatically. Places 3–6 play a knockout for the third Premier League spot — that is the only “playoff” tied to this table.
2026–27: The season started one week later than usual to leave more rest after the 2026 FIFA World Cup. It ends May 30, a week before the 2027 Champions League final.
For the live table, see the Premier League standings.
Office address, phone, 2026–27 dates, and competition format checked September 24, 2026. Use the official Premier League links if an address, number, or date changes.