What are the key dates for the 2026-27 football season?

The 2026-27 football season is under way, with the qualifying rounds of the Champions League, Europa League and Conference League all starting this week.

Both the Premier League and all three divisions in the English Football League will start in August, as will the EFL Cup.

The full league phases of the Champions League and Europa League start in September, with the Conference League beginning in October.

The full rounds of the FA Cup start in November.

There will be four international breaks this season instead of five. There are also major continental tournaments in Asia, Africa and North and Central America.

What are the Premier League and EFL key dates?

Friday, 21 August, 2026 – First match of the season

Sunday, 30 May, 2027 – Final day of the season

Friday, 14 August, 2026 – First match of the season

Saturday, 1 May, 2027 – Final match of the season

Saturday, 29 May, 2027 – Play-off final

Saturday, 15 August, 2026 – First match of the season

Saturday, 8 May, 2027 – Final match of the season

Saturday, 7 November, 2026 – First round

Saturday, 5 December, 2026 – Second round

Saturday, 9 January, 2027 – Third round

Saturday, 13 February, 2027 - Fourth round

Saturday, 3 April, 2027 – Quarter-finals

Saturday, 24 April, 2027 – Semi-finals

Friday, 7 August – Monday, 10 August, 2026 – First round

Week commencing Monday, 24 August 2026 – Second round

Week commencing Monday, 7 September and week commencing Monday, 14 September, 2026 – Third round

Week commencing Monday, 26 October, 2026 – Fourth round

Week commencing Monday, 14 December, 2026 – Quarter-finals

Week commencing Monday, 11 January, 2027 – Semi-final first legs

Week commencing Monday, 1 February, 2027 – Semi-final second legs

When is the Champions League, Europa League and Conference League?

Tuesday, 14 July & Wednesday, 15 July, 2026 – First qualifying round second legs

Monday, 20 July, 2026 – Third qualifying round draw

Tuesday, 21 July & Wednesday, 22 July, 2026 – Second qualifying round first legs

Tuesday, 28 July & Wednesday, 29 July, 2026 – Second qualifying round second legs

Monday, 3 August, 2026 – Play-off qualifying round draw

Tuesday, 4 August & Wednesday, 5 August, 2026 – Third qualifying round first legs

Tuesday, 11 August, 2026 – Third qualifying round second legs

Tuesday, 18 August & Wednesday, 19 August, 2026 – Play-off qualifying round first legs

Tuesday, 25 August & Wednesday, 26 August, 2026 – Play-off qualifying round second legs

Thursday, 27 August, 2026 – League phase round draw

Tuesday, 8 September – Thursday, 10 September, 2026 – League phase matchday one

Tuesday, 13 October & Wednesday, 14 October, 2026 - League phase matchday two

Tuesday, 20 October & Wednesday, 21 October, 2026 - League phase matchday three

Tuesday, 3 November & Wednesday, 4 November, 2026 - League phase matchday four

Tuesday, 24 October & Wednesday, 25 November, 2026 - League phase matchday five

Tuesday, 8 December & Wednesday, 9 December, 2026 - League phase matchday six

Tuesday, 19 January & Wednesday, 20 January, 2027 - League phase matchday seven

Wednesday, 20 January, 2027 - League phase matchday eight

Tuesday, 16 February & Wednesday, 17 February, 2027 – Play-off knockout round first legs

Tuesday, 23 February & Wednesday, 24 February, 2027 – Play-off knockout round second legs

Tuesday, 9 March & Wednesday, 10 March, 2027 – Last 16 first legs

Tuesday, 16 March & Wednesday, 17 March, 2027 – Last 16 second legs

Tuesday, 6 April & Wednesday, 7 April, 2027 – Quarter-final first legs

Tuesday, 13 April & Wednesday, 14 April, 2027 – Quarter-final second legs

Tuesday, 27 April & Wednesday, 28 April, 2027 – Semi-final first legs

Tuesday, 4 May & Wednesday, 5 May, 2027 – Semi-final second legs

Thursday, 9 July, 2026 – First qualifying round first legs

Thursday, 16 July, 2026 – First qualifying round second legs

Thursday, 23 July, 2026 – Second qualifying round first legs

Thursday, 30 July, 2026 – Second qualifying round second legs

Thursday, 6 August, 2026 – Third qualifying round first legs

Thursday, 13 August, 2026 – Third qualifying round second legs

Thursday, 20 August, 2026 – Play-off qualifying round first legs

Thursday, 27 August, 2026 – Play-off qualifying round second legs

Friday, 28 August, 2026 – League phase round draw

Wednesday, 16 September & Thursday, 17 September, 2026 – League phase matchday one

Thursday, 15 October, 2026 - League phase matchday two

Thursday, 22 October, 2026 - League phase matchday three

Thursday, 5 November, 2026 - League phase matchday four

Thursday, 26 November, 2026 - League phase matchday five

Thursday, 10 December, 2026 - League phase matchday six

Thursday, 21 January, 2027 - League phase matchday seven

Thursday, 28 January, 2027 - League phase matchday eight

Thursday, 18 February, 2027 – Play-off knockout round first legs

Thursday, 25 February, 2027 – Play-off knockout round second legs

Thursday, 11 March, 2027 – Last 16 first legs

Thursday, 18 March, 2027 – Last 16 second legs

Thursday, 8 April, 2027 – Quarter-final first legs

Thursday, 15 April, 2027 – Quarter-final second legs

Thursday, 29 April, 2027 – Semi-final first legs

Thursday, 6 May, 2027 – Semi-final second legs

Thursday, 15 October, 2026 - League phase matchday one

Thursday, 22 October, 2026 - League phase matchday two

Thursday, 5 November, 2026 - League phase matchday three

Thursday, 26 November, 2026 - League phase matchday four

Thursday, 10 December, 2026 - League phase matchday five

Thursday, 17 December, 2026 - League phase matchday six

When are international breaks and tournaments?

World Cup: Thursday, 11 June, 2026 to Sunday, 19 July, 2026

International break: Monday, 21 September, 2026 to Tuesday, 6 October, 2026

International break: Monday, 9 November to Tuesday, 17 November, 2026

Asian Cup: Thursday, 7 January, 2027 to Friday, 5 February, 2027

International break: Monday, 22 March to Tuesday, 30 March, 2027

International break: Monday, 7 June to Tuesday, 15 June, 2027

Concacaf Gold Cup: Friday, 18 June to Sunday, 11 July, 2027

Africa Cup of Nations: Saturday, 19 June to Saturday, 17 July, 2027

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