The English Premier League (EPL) has announced the official dates for the 2025/26 season, with the campaign set to kick off on Saturday, August 16, 2025, and conclude on Sunday, May 24, 2026.

The schedule, released in a statement titled “Dates for 2025/26 Premier League season confirmed,” also includes significant changes aimed at improving player welfare, particularly during the festive period.

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For the first time, the Premier League has ensured that no two match rounds will take place within 60 hours of each other during the busy Christmas and New Year period.

Additionally, the league confirmed there will be no fixtures on Christmas Eve, addressing long-standing concerns from players and clubs over the demanding festive schedule.

The statement highlighted: “The schedule continues to allow more rest time for players over the festive match-round period, with no two rounds taking place within 60 hours of each other.

“This is in keeping with commitments made to clubs to address the congested Christmas and New Year schedule.”

The 2025/26 campaign will feature 33 weekends and five midweek match rounds, providing a balanced and evenly distributed calendar for players and fans.

The season’s start date of August 16 ensures players have 83 days of rest following the conclusion of the 2024/25 campaign—the longest break possible within the calendar constraints.

The season’s end date, May 24, 2026, ensures all fixtures are completed ahead of the FIFA 2026 World Cup, giving players adequate preparation time for the global tournament.

The Premier League emphasized its commitment to prioritizing player welfare while maintaining the competition’s intensity and appeal.

“The start date of August 16 allows for the maximum player rest time available—83 clear days—from the end of the 2024/25 season. The season end date of May 24, 2026, ensures the Premier League season finishes ahead of the FIFA 2026 World Cup call-up period. There will be no fixture on December 24, 2025.”

The Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC Ltd.) has pledged to work closely with stakeholders in the sports sector to develop and commercialise the game of football in Nigeria.

The Group Chief Executive Officer (GCEO) of NNPC Ltd., Mele Kyari, made the commitment while receiving a delegation from the National Sports Commission, the International Management Group (IMG) and AfroSport Network at the NNPC Towers on Thursday.

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Addressing the delegation which was led by the Chairman of the National Sports Commission and Minister of Sports, Alhaji Shehu Dikko, the GCEO said NNPC Ltd. was ready to be part of the initiative to revamp the nation’s football.

“NNPC will be a prime partner in the journey to bring back value to our football, to reshape it, re-engineer it and bring happiness to our people”, Kyari stated.

He expressed delight that the company was identified as a critical partner in the journey of making Nigerian Football work again, stressing that football was a tool of immense value that could bring untold benefits to the Nigerian economy and to the NNPC Ltd. as a company.

Speaking earlier, the Chairman of the National Sports Commission and Minister of Sports, Alhaji Shehu Dikko, said football was fundamental to the economies of the best footballing countries in the world, adding that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has called for immediate action to revamp the game.

He said the multiplier effects of football were enormous and could facilitate the revamp of related industries across the value chain.

The Minister noted that IMG which promotes the English Premier League was invited as a technical partner to leverage their experience in the sport.

It could be recalled that NNPC Ltd. once had a football club, the NNPC FC, Warri, which played in the Division One of the then Nigeria National League before it was disbanded in 1989.

Chelsea are set to receive a welcome boost with Omari Kellyman nearing a return to action after a frustrating start to his Stamford Bridge career.

The 19-year-old midfielder, who joined the Blues from Aston Villa in a £19 million summer transfer, has been sidelined with a serious hamstring injury since September.

Kellyman initially made an impression with Chelsea’s Under-21s, scoring twice in three appearances, including during a 4-2 defeat to Leipzig in the Premier League International Cup. However, his progress was halted by the injury, which has kept him out of action for months.

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According to reports from the Daily Mail, Kellyman is now on track to return within the next four weeks, offering Chelsea a much-needed boost as the team looks to navigate a congested festive fixture schedule. The teenager is expected to be fit before Christmas and could soon make his senior debut for the club.

Reflecting on his move to Chelsea earlier this year, Kellyman expressed his excitement about joining the West London outfit. “It is fantastic to be standing here as a Chelsea player. It’s a massive club with an amazing history, so it is great to join. It is a dream come true for sure. I’m buzzing to have put on the shirt and can’t wait to get started,” he said.

Kellyman’s footballing journey began at Derby County, where he progressed through the youth ranks and was promoted to the first-team squad by Wayne Rooney at just 16 years old.

After leaving Derby for Aston Villa in 2022, he signed his first professional contract and made his Premier League debut last season against Manchester City.

Despite his brief stint at Villa, which included a Europa Conference League appearance, Kellyman made the high-profile move to Chelsea in June, signing a six-year contract.

Now, as he edges closer to full fitness, both the player and the club will hope his long-awaited debut signals the start of a successful tenure at Stamford Bridge.