How to watch the Premier League in 2026/27: Sky and TNT
By Arasi Rex · Updated 8 August 2026 · 5 min read
The simplest answer to how to watch the Premier League in 2026/27 is Sky Sports or TNT Sports, because the two broadcasters hold the UK live rights and between them show a minimum of 267 matches a season: 215 on Sky and 52 on TNT. About five of the ten matches in each round are selected for live broadcast in the UK, so around half the matches, and the clubs playing in them, are not on television on a given weekend. The season runs from 21 August 2026 to 30 May 2027, and it opens with Arsenal v Coventry City on Friday 21 August at 20:00 BST.
Who broadcasts the Premier League in 2026/27
Sky Sports and TNT Sports hold the UK rights, and the league guarantees a minimum of 267 live matches a season, split 215 for Sky and 52 for TNT. That is the floor, not the ceiling. Broadcast slots run from 20:00 on the Friday through to 20:00 on the Monday, the window in which the two broadcasters place their picks. The full list of fixtures, with the times as they currently stand, is on the fixtures page.
The TV slots and the Saturday blackout
Weekend and bank-holiday matches default to 15:00 UK time and midweek matches to 20:00, and every one of them is subject to change for television. The one thing the broadcasters cannot do is show a match at 15:00 on a Saturday, because of the UK blackout between 14:45 and 17:15, a rule designed to encourage fans at all levels of the football pyramid to attend matches.
The practical consequence is worth being blunt about: if your club's Saturday match is not one of the few picked for live broadcast, it is not on UK television at all, and that is the point. The blackout exists to protect attendances, and it does its job. It is also the quiet reason the Saturday 15:00 slot keeps disappearing from so many fixture lists, which the guide to why kick-off times change covers in detail.
How many Premier League games are actually on TV
A minimum of 267 matches are shown live in the UK each season, out of the 380 that are played. The selection runs at about five matches per round, which is why the 15:00 Saturday default survives at all: ten matches start at the traditional time on paper, roughly half are moved for television, and the rest stay off the box. Moves are announced about six weeks before each round up to January and five weeks from January onwards, which is when supporters find out whether their match has been picked. The guide to how the fixture list is made explains how that calendar is built in the first place.
How to watch the Premier League 2026/27: opening weekend
The first weekend shows the slot pattern the whole season follows: a Friday night game, two Saturday games, two Sunday games and a Monday game. The opener is Arsenal v Coventry City on Friday 21 August at 20:00 BST, live on Sky Sports. Saturday 22 August has Hull City v Man Utd at 12:30 on TNT Sports and Brentford v Spurs at 17:30 on Sky. Sunday 23 August has Man City v Bournemouth at 14:00 and Newcastle v Liverpool at 16:30, both on Sky, and Monday 24 August closes the round with Fulham v Chelsea at 20:00 on Sky.
| Day | Kick-off | Fixture | UK broadcaster |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fri 21 Aug | 20:00 | Arsenal v Coventry City | Sky Sports |
| Sat 22 Aug | 12:30 | Hull City v Man Utd | TNT Sports |
| Sat 22 Aug | 17:30 | Brentford v Spurs | Sky Sports |
| Sun 23 Aug | 14:00 | Man City v Bournemouth | Sky Sports |
| Sun 23 Aug | 16:30 | Newcastle v Liverpool | Sky Sports |
| Mon 24 Aug | 20:00 | Fulham v Chelsea | Sky Sports |
International viewing
Outside the UK, the Premier League is available via international broadcasters, and the right channel and package depend on where you live. No single answer covers every country, so the practical starting point is your local broadcaster's listing for the season.
The honest summary of how to watch the Premier League in 2026/27 is short either way: Sky and TNT carry the UK package, the blackout protects the 15:00 Saturday slot, and the live page plus the season preview tell you what is on and what to expect.
FAQ
Which channel shows the Premier League in the UK? Sky Sports and TNT Sports. Sky shows a minimum of 215 live matches a season and TNT a minimum of 52, for a combined minimum of 267.
Why can't I watch 3pm Saturday games? The UK blackout runs from 14:45 to 17:15 on Saturdays, and matches in that window cannot be shown live in the UK. The rule is designed to encourage fans at all levels of the football pyramid to attend matches.
How many Premier League games are televised? At least 267 a season in the UK, a minimum of 215 on Sky and 52 on TNT out of 380 fixtures overall. About five matches per round are selected for live broadcast.
What is the first Premier League match of 2026/27? Arsenal v Coventry City on Friday 21 August 2026 at 20:00 BST, live on Sky Sports. The rest of the opening round runs from Saturday 22 August to Monday 24 August.
Key takeaways
- Sky Sports and TNT Sports hold the UK rights and show a minimum of 267 live matches a season: 215 on Sky, 52 on TNT.
- The Saturday 15:00 blackout (14:45-17:15) means matches in that window cannot be shown live in the UK, by design, to protect attendances.
- About five of the ten matches in each round are selected for live broadcast, so around half the clubs are not on UK television on a typical weekend.
- The season opens on Friday 21 August 2026 at 20:00 BST with Arsenal v Coventry City on Sky Sports, and the opening round runs to Monday 24 August.
- For how to watch the Premier League in 2026/27, the short version is: Sky and TNT carry the UK package, the blackout protects the 15:00 slot, and the fixtures page and live page show what is actually on.