How many games are in a Premier League season? EPL fixture schedule explained
As the most-watched domestic soccer league in the world, the English Premier League draws in millions of viewers each season, not to mention many thousands each week at the games themselves.
The top tier of English football comprises 20 teams all battling it out to win the title, qualify for European competition, or avoid the dreaded relegation to the EFL Championship.
There have been seven different league champions since the competition's rebranding from the old First Division back in 1992. Liverpool are the most recent league winners, the Reds romping to glory in 2024/25 as rivals failed to offer much of a challenge.
The Sporting News explains how the scheduling works, and how many games take place each season.
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How many games are in a Premier League season?
There are 20 teams in the Premier League, and each side plays home and away games against the others. That means there is a total of 380 matches in each season, with every team playing 38 games each.
Teams earn three points for a win, one point for a draw, and none for a defeat. At the end of the season, the team with the most points overall wins the title, with goal difference used as a tie-breaker in the event of two or more sides finishing level on points. Only once has the championship been decided on goal difference: in 2011/12, Manchester City beat Manchester United to the title by a goal differential of 8+, thanks to Sergio Aguero's dramatic late winner against QPR on the final day.
A typical league season runs from August until May and does not generally stop for a prolonged winter break, unlike some other major leagues in Europe.
What teams are in the Premier League?
In the competition's history, 51 different teams have played Premier League football at some point. Only six clubs — Arsenal, Chelsea, Everton, Liverpool, Manchester United and Tottenham — have played in every Premier League season since its inception.
Teams in Premier League 2025/26
| Team | Final position last season |
| Arsenal | 2nd |
| Aston Villa | 6th |
| Bournemouth | 9th |
| Brentford | 10th |
| Brighton & Hove Albion | 8th |
| Burnley | Promoted from Championship |
| Chelsea | 4th |
| Crystal Palace | 12th |
| Everton | 13th |
| Fulham | 11th |
| Leeds United | Promoted from Championship |
| Liverpool | 1st |
| Manchester City | 3rd |
| Manchester United | 15th |
| Newcastle United | 5th |
| Nottingham Forest | 7th |
| Sunderland | Promoted from Championship |
| Tottenham Hotspur | 17th |
| West Ham United | 14th |
| Wolverhampton Wanderers | 16th |
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