Why do Premier League teams play 38 matches a season?

By Arasi Rex · Updated 15 August 2026 · 6 min read

Premier League teams play 38 matches a season because the league has 20 clubs, and every club plays every other club twice, once at home and once away. That double round-robin gives each side 19 home games and 19 away games, a total of 380 matches per season. The number is not arbitrary; it falls straight out of the league's structure, and it is the same for every club from Everton to Newcastle United.

Why Premier League teams play 38 matches

The arithmetic behind a 38-match season is straightforward. With 20 clubs, every club has 19 opponents. Playing each opponent home and away means 19 home fixtures and 19 away fixtures, which adds up to 38 league matches per club. Because each match involves two clubs, the full campaign runs to 380 games.

That balance is the point of the format. Every club faces the same 19 opponents twice, so the schedule is identical in structure for all 20 sides. A club such as Everton plays 19 home league games and 19 away league games, and those 38 games are the basis for every other decision the club makes. A team cannot talk about a title challenge, a European push, or a relegation fight without first talking about the 38 fixtures it must survive.

The points system is what gives those 38 games their shape. A win is worth three points, a draw one, and a defeat zero. Across a full season, small differences in results become large differences in the table. A side that wins 19 and loses 19 finishes on 57 points. A side that draws all 38 finishes on 38 points. That gap is why the schedule is long enough to be fair but short enough to make dropped points expensive.

The end of the 38 rounds is where the format proves itself. The bottom three clubs are relegated to the Championship, and three clubs come up in their place: two automatic promotion places and one play-off winner. That exchange is what keeps the league at 20 clubs and the 38-match season intact. Promotion and relegation are not side effects of the format; they are the mechanism that refreshes the league every year.

History: from 22 clubs to 20

The 38-match season was not part of the original design. The Premier League was founded on 20 February 1992 as the FA Premier League, when First Division clubs broke away from the existing structure to negotiate their own broadcast deals. The first season, 1992/93, had 22 clubs. With 22 clubs playing each other home and away, each club would have played 42 matches, a heavier fixture load than the one that eventually took hold.

In 1995/96 the league reduced to 20 clubs. That changed the arithmetic: 20 clubs playing each other home and away produce 38 matches per club and 380 matches per season. The Premier League has kept that format ever since. Reducing by two clubs made every game matter more, because a shorter season leaves less room to recover from a bad run and a tighter table punishes inconsistency faster.

The 1995/96 change also locked in the league's identity. When people talk about a 38-game season, they are describing a competition deliberately built around a balanced schedule. The breakaway in 1992 was about broadcast money and commercial control, but the format that emerged after 1995/96 is what made the product work: every club plays the same number of games against the same set of opponents, so the final table is a genuine test.

Edge cases: when the 38-match table needs help

Even a balanced 38-game schedule can finish with two clubs level on points. The Premier League tiebreakers run in a fixed order: points, then goal difference, then goals scored, then head-to-head record. If the clubs are still level and the position decides the title, relegation, or European qualification, a play-off at a neutral venue may be used. This is rare, but it exists because 38 games do not always split two clubs with identical records.

Squad rules create another layer of edge cases. Each club must name a 25-player squad list for players over 21, and at least 8 of those players must be homegrown, meaning trained in England or Wales for three years before turning 21. Under-21 players do not count against the 25. So a club such as Arsenal has to balance its homegrown quota when building a squad, while under-21 players give the manager extra depth without taking up a squad place. This is where the 38-match season meets squad planning: a long campaign rewards clubs that can name a full 25 and still have young players available.

Matchday rules shape how the 38 games are played. Five substitutions are allowed per match, but they must be made in a maximum of three windows plus half-time. That limit protects the flow of the game while still letting managers use a deep squad across a long season. A manager who burns all three windows early cannot react to a late injury, even with substitutes left unused.

European qualification is where the 38-match table meets the wider calendar. The standard routes are set out below.

Cup winners who have already qualified through league position pass their place down the table. This is why a club such as Chelsea that finishes in the top four enters the Champions League league phase, and why the places below the top five remain meaningful on cup final day: cup results redistribute European slots, but the 38-match table is the default route into Europe.

Key takeaways

Premier League teams play 38 matches because 20 clubs play each other home and away: 19 home games and 19 away games.
The full season adds up to 380 matches, with three points for a win and one for a draw.
The 20-club format has been in place since 1995/96; the first Premier League season in 1992/93 had 22 clubs and 42 matches per club.
The bottom three are relegated to the Championship and replaced by two automatic promotions and one play-off winner.
Tiebreakers run in order: points, goal difference, goals scored, head-to-head, with a possible neutral-venue play-off for a deciding position.

FAQ

Why do Premier League teams play 38 games?

Because the league has 20 clubs, and every club plays every other club twice. That gives each club 19 home games and 19 away games, so 38 matches in total before the final table is set.

When did the Premier League become a 38-match league?

In 1995/96. The first season in 1992/93 had 22 clubs; cutting to 20 created the 38-match home-and-away format that has been used ever since.

What happens if Premier League teams finish level on points?

The tie is decided by goal difference, then goals scored, then head-to-head record. If the tie decides the title, relegation, or European qualification and the clubs are still level, a play-off at a neutral venue may be used.

How many clubs are relegated from the Premier League?

Three clubs. The bottom three go down to the Championship, replaced by two automatic promotion places and one play-off winner, which keeps the league at 20 clubs and 38 matches every season.