Premier League Most Fouls: Who Commits the Most in 2025-26?
By Arasi Rex · Updated 15 August 2026 · 5 min read
The Premier League has always had its enforcers, its cloggers, its teams that leave a foot in. But which side actually commits the most fouls? The data from the 2025-26 season tells a clear story: the teams fighting relegation foul more, the champions foul less, and one particular club stands out as the league's persistent offender.
Key numbers
The bottom three in the table committed the most fouls. West Ham, Burnley, and Wolves all finished in the relegation zone (positions 18-20) and each averaged over 12 fouls per game. West Ham, with 39 points from 38 games and a goal difference of -19, committed 14.2 fouls per match. Burnley, who managed just 22 points, averaged 13.8. Wolves, dead last with 20 points, averaged 13.1.
At the other end, Arsenal won the league with 85 points and committed only 9.1 fouls per game, the lowest in the division. Man City, second with 78 points, averaged 9.8. The correlation is not absolute -- Spurs finished 17th with 41 points but committed only 10.3 fouls per game, fewer than several mid-table sides -- but the trend is undeniable. Teams that foul less win more.
Top performers
The Premier League's dirtiest team by total fouls committed was West Ham. David Moyes's side averaged 14.2 fouls per game over 38 matches, a total of 540 fouls for the season. That is 15 percent more than the league average of 12.1 fouls per game.
Burnley followed closely with 525 fouls, or 13.8 per game. Wolves committed 498 fouls. The pattern makes tactical sense: these teams spend more time defending, often against superior opposition, and their defensive methods involve more stoppages, more tactical fouls, and more physical contact.
Not every relegation-threatened team fouls heavily. Spurs, who finished 17th, committed only 391 fouls across the season. That is 10.3 per game, below the league average. But Spurs also conceded 57 goals, the third-worst defensive record in the division. Their low foul count did not help them avoid punishment.
| Team | Position | Points | Fouls per game | Total fouls |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| West Ham | 18th | 39 | 14.2 | 540 |
| Burnley | 19th | 22 | 13.8 | 525 |
| Wolves | 20th | 20 | 13.1 | 498 |
| Nott'm Forest | 16th | 44 | 12.4 | 471 |
| Crystal Palace | 15th | 45 | 11.9 | 452 |
| Liverpool | 5th | 60 | 10.8 | 411 |
| Spurs | 17th | 41 | 10.3 | 391 |
| Man City | 2nd | 78 | 9.8 | 372 |
| Arsenal | 1st | 85 | 9.1 | 346 |
The table shows a clear gradient. As you move up the table, fouls per game generally drop. The top three title contenders -- Arsenal, Man City, and Man United -- all averaged under 10.5 fouls per game. Man United, third with 71 points, committed exactly 10.2 fouls per game.
What it means
The relationship between fouling and finishing position is not a surprise to anyone who watches the league. Teams that control possession foul less because they are not chasing the ball. Arsenal kept 27 goals against across the season, the best defensive record in the league. They did not need to drag attackers down because they already had the ball.
But the data also reveals something about tactical identity. West Ham's 14.2 fouls per game was not just a product of being bad. It was a choice. Moyes's side finished 18th but took 46 goals and scored 43. They were not the division's worst team by a wide margin -- they had more points than Burnley and Wolves combined. Their fouling was part of a deliberate approach: disrupt, slow the game, break up rhythm. It nearly kept them up.
Burnley and Wolves, by contrast, fouled heavily and still conceded 75 and 68 goals respectively. Their high foul counts did not compensate for poor organisation. Burnley's 525 fouls and 75 goals against suggest a team that was caught out of position constantly and resorted to stopping play late.
At the top, Arsenal and Man City proved that discipline wins titles. Arsenal's 9.1 fouls per game was more than a point of pride. It reflected a team that pressed intelligently, defended without lunging, and trusted its structure. Viktor Gyokeres scored 14 goals for the champions, but the defence only needed 346 fouls all season to keep the opposition at bay.
Key takeaways
- West Ham committed the most fouls per game (14.2) and finished 18th with 39 points. Their fouling was a deliberate tactical choice that nearly kept them up.
- Arsenal committed the fewest fouls per game (9.1) and won the league with 85 points. Fewer fouls correlated strongly with better defensive results.
- Burnley averaged 13.8 fouls per game but still conceded 75 goals, suggesting their fouling was reactive rather than structural.
- The top three title contenders (Arsenal, Man City, Man United) all averaged under 10.5 fouls per game. Possession-based control reduces the need to foul.
- Spurs were an outlier: 17th place but only 10.3 fouls per game. Low fouling did not protect a defence that conceded 57 goals.
FAQ
Which Premier League team commits the most fouls? West Ham committed the most fouls in the 2025-26 Premier League season, averaging 14.2 per game for a total of 540 fouls across 38 matches.
Do teams that foul more finish lower in the table? Generally, yes. The bottom three teams (West Ham, Burnley, Wolves) all averaged over 13 fouls per game, while the top three (Arsenal, Man City, Man United) averaged under 10.5. The correlation is strong but not absolute.
Which team fouled the least in the Premier League? Arsenal committed the fewest fouls, averaging just 9.1 per game. They also had the best defensive record, conceding only 27 goals.
Does committing more fouls lead to conceding more goals? Not necessarily. West Ham averaged 14.2 fouls per game but conceded only 46 goals. Burnley averaged 13.8 and conceded 75. The difference is organisation and timing of fouls, not just volume.