English Premier League fixtures 2023-24: All you need to know
The 2022 Premier League season may have only concluded just over a fortnight ago, but us football fans are clamouring for its return already. Fortunately, we have the first piece of news regarding the upcoming season, the Premier League fixture release.
Who will treble-winning Manchester City get on the opening day? Which will be the first set of Premier League fans to walk through the turnstiles of Kenilworth Road's infamous away end? Most importantly, will we finally have a boxing day set of fixtures that outscores 1963 - simply so we don’t have to be reminded every Christmas?
All these questions can now be answered as we have all you need to know ahead of the 2023-24 Premier League fixtures.
Premier League key dates
All good stories start at the beginning and the Premier League is no different. The palpable feeling of optimism from every single set of fans that watch their team take to the pitch for the first time for a new season. This season, it all begins on August 11th as Burnley face Manchester City to kickstart the new campaign.
Besides the opening day, fans immediately turn their attention to the festive football offerings, and rightly so with some tasty Boxing Day fixtures to accompany your Christmas dinner leftovers. Arsenal vs West Ham United is the standout fixture from the 26th of December, while ringing in the New Year with Liverpool vs Newcastle United will be a special treat for all involved.
Finally, the unmatched drama of the final day is scheduled to take place on Sunday May 19th. While we don’t know which teams will be fighting for something come May, the Premier League always promises to throw up storylines that Hollywood’s greatest script writers couldn’t match.
How many matches in a Premier League season?
Beginning on Saturday August 12th, and concluding on Sunday May 19th, the 2023/24 Premier League boasts 380 games slated to take place across 34 different weekends throughout the season.
However, due to some teams venturing into Europe, and the possibility of a few cup runs, the dates for these games are subject to change. The only kick-off times that are truly locked in are the Premier League final day fixtures - all scheduled to take place at the same time to ensure each game finishes at a similar point.
When is the Premier League winter break?
The 2023/24 version of the Premier League marks the return of an official winter break. While last season’s campaign was interrupted during the winter with the World Cup, and a number of seasons before being disjointed due to Covid, a scheduled winter gap will be a welcomed break for most sides.
Currently, the break during the middle of the season is planned to be between the 13th and 20th January, 2024.
Premier League rule changes
An established league such as England’s top flight rarely has an extensive set of rule changes before a new season - this is no different in 2023/24. Although, the league has adopted one major change ahead of the new campaign.
This new rule revolves around game scheduling across the festive period. In the 2023/24 league year, no two rounds of fixtures will take place within 48 hours of each other, contrary to other seasons.
Premier League opening day fixtures
A pair of familiar faces will begin the 2023/24 instalment of the Premier League with Manchester City paying club legend Vincent Kompany a visit at Turf Moor on Friday 11th August. These sides did meet in the FA Cup earlier this year - Manchester City coming out as 6-0 winners - will the result be different when they play on matchday one?
City’s closest competitors for last season’s title are also in the early slot to start the season as Arsenal face Nottingham Forest. Steve Cooper’s side were the team that officially quashed the Gunner’s title hopes with a 1-0 win at the City Ground late in the 2022/23 campaign, so revenge will be on the mind of Mikel Arteta when they are welcomed to the Emirates.
There’s also a heavyweight battle on the Sunday that will have fans salivating as Chelsea face Liverpool at Stamford Bridge. Despite its affinity for a 0-0 scoreline - the last four games ending by this result - the excitement of Mauricio Pochettino’s first league game in the Chelsea dugout adds to the excitement in game one.
The rest of the opening fixtures have been listed below and you’ll be able to bet on them shortly with our Premier League markets.
Friday 11th August 2023
- Burnley vs Manchester City - Turf Moor - 20:00 BST
Saturday 12th August 2023
- Arsenal vs Nottingham Forest - Emirates Stadium - 12:30 BST
- Bournemouth vs West Ham United - Vitality Stadium - 15:00 BST
- Brighton & Hove Albion and Hove Albion vs Luton Town - Amex Stadium - 15:00 BST
- Everton vs Fulham - Goodison Park - 15:00 BST
- Sheffield United vs Crystal Palace - Bramall Lane - 15:00 BST
- Newcastle United vs Aston Villa - St. James’ Park - 17:30 BST
Sunday 13th August 2023
- Brentford vs Tottenham Hotspur - Brentford Community Stadium - 14:00 BST
- Chelsea vs Liverpool - Stamford Bridge - 16:30 BST
Monday 14th August 2023
- Manchester United vs Wolverhampton Wanderers - Old Trafford - 20:00 BST
Premier League favourites
The idea of a “favourite” in English football is now synonymous with Manchester City.
After dominating for another year domestically with the FA Cup and Premier League, alongside ending their arduous wait for a European trophy by lifting the Champions League, Pep Guardiola’s Citizens completed a historic treble in 2022/23.
One year later, they can be backed to complete another piece of history by winning four, yes four, trophies in the new season at 20/1.
It’s no surprise that they start out as favourites for the Premier League trophy again this season - which would make them the first English club to achieve four-straight titles if it came to fruition. You can back them at 13/20 to hoist the title come May here.
Last year’s gallant runners up Arsenal have skyrocketed into second favourites for the title at 7/1, while Liverpool look primed for a bounceback year without Champions League football with 8/1 odds.
At the opposite end of the table, the newly-promoted sides are once again viewed as destined to drop. Luton Town’s fairytale run to the Premier League is heavily predicted to end at the first time of asking at 2/5, with Sheffield United and Burnley propping up the rest of the league at 3/5 and 6/4 odds respectively.
Other candidates for the dreaded trapdoor include Bournemouth at 7/4, Nottingham Forest with 5/2 odds, and a possible sophomore slump for Fulham being forecast at 7/2.
Have your say on the new Premier League season now you’ve seen the fixtures with BetUK’s outright markets, which you can find here.
