Circle the Calendar: A Breakdown of the 2026/27 Fixture List
Written by Dustin Gentile
One step closer... No, it's not just the name of one of the best tracks off Linkin Park's debut album, Hybrid Theory. It is the exact position that Tottenham Hotspur FC finds itself in. One step closer to the start of another season in England's top flight. One step closer to seeing if last year's optimistic end can translate into a return to success. One step closer to one club dictating the moods of countless supporters for a period of 282 days.
With the fixtures released on June 19th, I figured it would be a great time to mark your calendars for what could be some of the most intriguing games of the season. On that note, let's dive into the fixture list. Please note that these dates are subject to change, as fixture congestion is sure to become a factor as the season progresses.
Two Opening Tests
Spurs will remain in London for August as they begin the season with a road contest at Brentford, followed by a home match against Newcastle. This marks the second time in four seasons that Spurs will travel to the Gtech for their opening match, echoing how the club kicked off the Ange Postecoglou era. Roberto De Zerbi will look to come away with a better result in his season opener this time around, after Spurs were only able to leave with a share of the points following a 2-2 draw last year.
The first game at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium will see Spurs welcome Newcastle for a match that, at the time of writing, promises massive intrigue. This all hinges on whether Spurs complete a deal for Magpies midfielder Sandro Tonali. Currently, the two clubs are deep in negotiations, with Spurs potentially spending nine figures for the Italian's signature. This would obliterate the club's record transfer fee established when they brought Bournemouth forward Dominic Solanke to North London for £60M. Completing the deal would make for an easy storyline come matchday two.
A Matchup of Europa League Winners
Spurs will look to close out September on a high note when they welcome Aston Villa to North London on matchday five. This meeting will pit the last two holders of the Europa League title against one another, as Aston Villa captured the trophy last season after Spurs won it in 2025.
Don't be surprised to hear fans from both sides of the stadium sing "Champions of Europe, You'll Never Sing That" toward a certain unnamed club in North London. This matchup holds plenty of intrigue for two reasons beyond the Europa League connection.
First, these two clubs share similar aspirations yet are working from opposite ends of the spectrum. Aston Villa shocked everyone last season by finishing in the Champions League spots for just the second time since the early 1980s. While many expected a top-half finish for the Villans, few had them in the top four. They actually doubled down on qualification by winning the Europa League as well.
Despite that success, the Villa squad playing in the Champions League next season is set to look vastly different. The likes of Jadon Sancho and Harvey Elliott are returning to their parent clubs from loan spells, while Morgan Rogers and Emiliano Martinez are rumored to be plotting permanent summer departures.
On the flip side, Spurs are coming off a grueling season where they fended off West Ham just to stay stable. We all know what 2025-26 was like—no one wants a recap. The one bright side of that chaotic season was the appointment of Roberto De Zerbi. His arrival rejuvenated not only the squad but the fanbase. Since then, Spurs have made big moves in the transfer market, bringing in Marcos Senesi, Andy Robertson, and Jan Paul van Hecke to bolster the backline while aggressively pursuing multiple big-name targets.
The second reason for intrigue has less to do with the clubs themselves and more to do with a major shift in the football calendar. Starting this season, UEFA has combined the September and October international breaks into one larger window. It begins at the conclusion of matchweek five and runs through the first weekend of October, leaving fans without Premier League action for THREE WEEKS. It will be fascinating to see how clubs manage this; will the extended break cause players not on international duty to lose their match sharpness? We are truly swimming in uncharted waters.
Festive Fixtures: The First Real Turning Point
One of my favorite periods of every season occurs when the calendar changes from one year to the next: the festive fixtures. This stretch of the 2026-27 season could be Tottenham's first real chance to make a statement to the rest of the league.
Everything kicks off with back-to-back home London derbies. Spurs welcome Fulham on December 2nd before hosting their most hated rivals (and defending champions), Arsenal, on December 5th. Fans are starved to see their club get the better of their bitter rivals, and this presents a glorious opportunity.
Following the derbies, Spurs head out for consecutive road fixtures at newly promoted Hull City and longtime rivals Liverpool. Spurs' last trip to Hull closed out the 2016-17 season with a 7-1 thumping of the Tigers, featuring a Harry Kane hat trick alongside goals from Dele Alli, Victor Wanyama, Toby Alderweireld, and Ben Davies (the sole remaining player from that squad).
Meanwhile, last season's trip to Anfield was Igor Tudor's lone highlight during his brief tenure, courtesy of a last-minute Richarlison equalizer. Liverpool is also enduring change, now led by new manager Andoni Iraola. Sandwiched between these games could be a Carabao Cup quarterfinal, should Spurs make a domestic run—something that needs to be a priority in the absence of European football.
Tottenham closes the calendar year with consecutive home matches against two of the Premier League's newer European qualifiers: Bournemouth and Brighton. Both games should be high-spirited affairs, as Spurs' two newest center-backs square off against their former clubs.
Marcos Senesi gets the first crack when Bournemouth visits on December 26th, followed by Jan Paul van Hecke against Brighton four days later. The Brighton clash could become even more hostile should the Seagulls find a way to secure the signature of a particular Tottenham defender, but that narrative is best saved for another day.
The festive period technically wraps up in the first full week of January with consecutive road matches at Manchester City and Fulham. The trip to the Etihad will present Spurs with their first look at City's new manager, reported to be Enzo Maresca. Maresca returns to the Premier League after a stint as Chelsea manager and a long run as one of Pep Guardiola's assistants.
Spurs have enjoyed great form at the Etihad lately, taking three wins and a draw from their last five trips. Craven Cottage, however, has been far less welcoming; Spurs have lost their last four trips along the River Thames by a combined score of 8-2. The club's last win at Fulham came under Antonio Conte when Son Heung-min and Harry Kane linked up for a 1-0 victory.
While that ends the festive league schedule, the stretch officially closes with the FA Cup third round during the second weekend of January. As mentioned, this must be a priority for De Zerbi. Spurs haven't progressed past the fifth round since falling 2-1 to Manchester United in the 2017-18 semifinals. The even tougher pill to swallow is that the last time Spurs won the FA Cup, they held the record for the most FA Cup trophies in England. It has simply been too long since this club lifted silverware at Wembley.
Coming Down the Stretch…
The toughest stretch of the 2026-27 season for Tottenham Hotspur is undoubtedly the final month. Strap in, folks, because this is going to be a marathon.
The month begins with consecutive matches against our two most bitter rivals, Arsenal and Chelsea. Spurs will look to end a painful 16-year winless drought at the Emirates in the Premier League. The last time the club secured a league win there, a Younes Kaboul header capped off a famous second-half comeback.
That match is swiftly followed by Chelsea's trip to North London. Spurs will look to end a similar hoodoo here, having lost their last three home matches to the Blues. In fact, Tottenham has recorded just one home Premier League win against Chelsea since the new stadium opened in 2019—a 2-0 win in February 2023 punctuated by Oliver Skipp's lone goal for his boyhood club.
Following the London derbies, Spurs alternate road and home fixtures for the final three games of the season. Matchweek 36 marks Tottenham's first Premier League trip to Coventry City since October 14, 2000. Spurs have won seven of their last eight meetings with the Sky Blues. If history has taught us anything, it's that the champions of the Championship are usually locked in a heavy relegation battle by May, meaning the stakes will be incredibly high for a Coventry side desperate to prove their top-flight return isn't just a brief cup of coffee.
The final home match comes in the penultimate week of the season against Manchester United. While this article has featured plenty of historical woes, I come bearing good news: Tottenham's recent home form against the Red Devils is excellent. The North London club is unbeaten in its last five home matches against United, including four straight victories. The last time Spurs fell at home to United was the final game of the Nuno Espírito Santo era—the infamously dubbed "El Sack-ico."
The season concludes at Villa Park. Last year's trip there was massive for the club, as Conor Gallagher and Richarlison scored in the first half to pull Spurs out of the relegation zone for good. Villa Park has historically been a happy hunting ground for Tottenham, yielding 12 wins and four draws over the last 20 trips to Birmingham. Continuing that run would beautifully cap off a fruitful first full year under the tutelage of Roberto De Zerbi.
What lies ahead for the club? Time will tell. What we do know is that the squad will look much different than it does right now. We are all hoping for more fresh faces before the window slams shut in September, alongside a quick integration into De Zerbi's system. The last time Spurs entered a season without European football, they put together a strong league showing that gave way to one of the most unprecedented runs in club history... a run that ended in silverware.
Could this squad duplicate or even surpass that success? Time will tell.
Thanks for reading! If you'd like to follow me for all things Tottenham Hotspur, you can find me at @White_Hart_Live. Be sure to follow along with all of us at Spurs Daily as we bring you non-stop coverage.
COME ON YOU SPURS
