2026-27 Premier League Preview: New Rules, Sacked Managers (and Their Replacements), Transfers and Predictions
By: AT
Image Credit: James Kirkup
The 2026-27 Premier League (EPL) season kicked off on August 21, 2026, with defending EPL winners Arsenal FC defeating newly promoted Coventry City 3-0 at Emirates Stadium in London.
For the 2026-27 season, viewers will have the chance to see three new clubs — 2025-26 EFL Championship winners Coventry, runners-up Ipswich Town and playoff winners Hull City — perform in the world’s most prestigious league. The three clubs replace West Ham United, Burnley FC and Wolverhampton Wanderers, which were relegated to the EFL Championship after finishing 18th, 19th and 20th last season, respectively.
A Flurry of New Rules
This season also comes with new league-wide rules, particularly concerning time-wasting and video assistant referee (VAR).
Time-wasting
Referees can give players five-second countdowns if they believe that the players are delaying the game during a throw-in or —mostly in a goalkeeper’s case — during a goal-kick. If players violate this rule, the referee will have the right to reverse a throw-in to one for the opposing team and a goal-kick to a corner-kick for the opposing team.
If play is stopped due to a player injury, the injured player will have to wait one minute before re-entering the match, an increase from 30 seconds in prior seasons. However, players are exempted from this rule if an opponent received a red card for the injury-causing foul.
If a manager takes a tactical timeout during a stoppage of play due to the goalkeeper from that team picking up an injury that does not require a substitution, that manager must select a player to leave the pitch for one minute.
A substitution must be completed within 10 seconds. Should one take longer, the incoming player will have to wait one minute before entering the pitch.
Video Assistant Referee
VAR will have the ability to intervene and therefore help reverse a call if the referee erroneously gave a player a second yellow card — and consequently show a red card — to a player. That said, VAR cannot instruct a referee to issue to second yellow if one is not initially shown. (Switzerland must be lamenting this new rule as it would have kept Breel Embolo in the match during its 2026 FIFA World Cup quarterfinal match against Argentina.)
VAR can intervene when an attacking foul occurs before the fouled team takes a set piece that results in a penalty, a goal or a disciplinary action such as a red card. VAR will also be able to help referees determine whether such set pieces have to be retaken.
On a side note, unlike at the 2026 FIFA World Cup, players will not be given a red card for covering their mouths when speaking to opponents or the referees.
Sacked Managers (and Their Replacements)
The 2026-27 EPL season will feature eleven new managers, nine of whom were appointed during the offseason, an all-time league record. Managers who left the EPL during the offseason include Pep Guardiola, Eddie Howe and Arne Slot, departing Manchester City, Newcastle United and Liverpool FC, respectively.
Among the recently hired managers, some have moved from one EPL club to another, namely Oliver Glasner and Andoni Iraola. Glasner left Crystal Palace for Nottingham Forest, while Iraola departed AFC Bournemouth for Liverpool.
Other clubs, including Chelsea FC, have found a permanent manager after spending a portion of last season with an interim manager at the helm. That club hired former Bayer Leverkusen and Real Madrid manager Xabi Alonso this summer, replacing Calum McFarlane. The former interim manager replaced Liam Rosenior after a series of dreadful performances, including a humiliating elimination from UEFA Champions League (UCL) at the hands of eventual back-to-back UCL winners Paris Saint-Germain. Rosenior had replaced Enzo Maresca, who became Manchester City’s manager this summer.
Three of the 11 managers hail from newly promoted clubs. Ipswich hired Gary O’Neil from RC Strasbourg during the offseason, while Coventry and Hull kept their managers from last season. Coventry manager Frank Lampard will return to the EPL after managing Chelsea for part of the 2022-23 season, while Hull manager Sergej Jakirović will be making his EPL debut.
Out of the 11 managers, only five have EPL experience: Glasner, Iraola, Lampard, Maresca and O’Neil. These five managers combine for 453 EPL matches. Iraola is the most experienced and successful of the five managers managing 114 matches and earning 41 victories. Maresca is the most successful of the cohort in terms of points accumulated per match, with 1.74 (see figure 1).
Transfers
Since the start of the transfer window, as of August 21, 2026, the 20 EPL clubs have collectively spent £2.2 billion on player signings throughout the summer 2026 transfer window. They have also accumulated £1.4 billion in revenue during that time. Notable player signings from fellow EPL clubs and from non-EPL clubs include midfielders Elliot Anderson, Bruno Guimarães, Youri Tielemans and Sandro Tonali, and forward Morgan Rogers (see figure 2).
Top 10 Most Expensive Incoming and Intra-Premier League Player Signings During the Summer 2026 Transfer Window (£, Millions)
The Figure was last updated on August 23, 2026.
Source: The Guardian
A number of renowned players have also left the EPL for clubs elsewhere. Former EPL players involved in such blockbuster transfers include: defenders Cristian Romero and Djed Spence; midfielder Tijjani Reijnders; and forwards Anthony Gordon and Donyell Malen (see figure 3).
Top 10 Most Expensive Transfers Involving Players Leaving the Premier League During the Summer 2026 Transfer Window (£, Millions)
The figure was last updated on August 23, 2026.
Source: The Guardian
Predictions
League Winners
After analyzing the 20 EPL clubs’ current rosters, and the clubs’ transfer moves and managerial changes, we have determined that Arsenal will likely repeat as EPL title winners. Manager Mikel Arteta is the longest-serving active EPL manager, and the squad — owing to high-quality skill and extensive experience across various competitions — is best equipped to finish first. Moreover, such clubs as Liverpool and Manchester City weakened (on paper), while Aston Villa, Chelsea and Manchester United are not quite at the level to become league winners.
According to Kalshi, as of August 21 at 12:00 EDT, Arsenal are heavy favourites to win the EPL title with odds of 47.6%. Manchester City have the second-highest odds at 19.7% (see figure 4).
Odds to Win the 2025-26 Premier League Title (as of August 21, 2026)
Percentages have been rounded.
Source: Kalshi
Other Insights
That said, although we predict that Arsenal will repeat as league winners, the race for UCL, UEFA Europa League and UEFA Conference League berths — ranks two to seven, though it varies depending on the EFL Cup and FA Cup winners — will be very interesting to monitor for the following reasons (at least on paper):
Manchester City and Liverpool have weakened;
Aston Villa compete with the league’s best;
Bournemouth, Brighton & Hove Albion and Sunderland AFC remain genuine threats; and
Manchester United and Chelsea have improved.
The relegation battle will also be intriguing. Tottenham Hotspur narrowly escaping relegation last season, and Nottingham Forest and Leeds United teetering on the brink over the last couple of seasons could be competing for safety with the Coventry, Hull and Ipswich. That said, those three clubs have invested considerably into signing new players and appointing high-quality coaching staff to remain competitive for more than one EPL season. Expect a tight relegation battle this season, perhaps one for the ages!
