ByJonty Colman
BBC Sport journalist
The 2026-27 football season is under way, with the qualifying rounds of the Champions League, Europa League and Conference League all starting this week.
Both the Premier League and all three divisions in the English Football League will start in August, as will the EFL Cup.
The full league phases of the Champions League and Europa League start in September, with the Conference League beginning in October.
The full rounds of the FA Cup start in November.
There will be four international breaks this season instead of five. There are also major continental tournaments in Asia, Africa and North and Central America.
What are the Premier League and EFL key dates?
Image source, Getty Images
Erling Haaland and his Manchester City teammates will begin their season in August
Premier League
Friday, 21 August, 2026 – First match of the season
Sunday, 30 May, 2027 – Final day of the season
Championship
Friday, 14 August, 2026 – First match of the season
Saturday, 1 May, 2027 – Final match of the season
Saturday, 29 May, 2027 – Play-off final
League One
Saturday, 15 August, 2026 – First match of the season
Saturday, 8 May, 2027 – Final match of the season
Sunday, 30 May, 2027 – Play-off final
League Two
Saturday, 15 August, 2026 – First match of the season
Saturday, 8 May, 2027 – Final match of the season
Monday, 31 May, 2027 – Play-off final
When is the FA Cup and EFL Cup?
FA Cup
Saturday, 7 November, 2026 – First round
Saturday, 5 December, 2026 – Second round
Saturday, 9 January, 2027 – Third round
Saturday, 13 February, 2027 - Fourth round
Saturday, 6 March, 2027 – Fifth round
Saturday, 3 April, 2027 – Quarter-finals
Saturday, 24 April, 2027 – Semi-finals
Saturday, 22 May, 2027 - Final
EFL Cup
Friday, 7 August – Monday, 10 August, 2026 – First round
Week commencing Monday, 24 August 2026 – Second round
Week commencing Monday, 7 September and week commencing Monday, 14 September, 2026 – Third round
Week commencing Monday, 26 October, 2026 – Fourth round
Week commencing Monday, 14 December, 2026 – Quarter-finals
Week commencing Monday, 11 January, 2027 – Semi-final first legs
Week commencing Monday, 1 February, 2027 – Semi-final second legs
Sunday, 21 March, 2027 – Final
When is the Champions League, Europa League and Conference League?
Champions League
Tuesday, 14 July & Wednesday, 15 July, 2026 – First qualifying round second legs
Monday, 20 July, 2026 – Third qualifying round draw
Tuesday, 21 July & Wednesday, 22 July, 2026 – Second qualifying round first legs
Tuesday, 28 July & Wednesday, 29 July, 2026 – Second qualifying round second legs
Monday, 3 August, 2026 – Play-off qualifying round draw
Tuesday, 4 August & Wednesday, 5 August, 2026 – Third qualifying round first legs
Tuesday, 11 August, 2026 – Third qualifying round second legs
Tuesday, 18 August & Wednesday, 19 August, 2026 – Play-off qualifying round first legs
Tuesday, 25 August & Wednesday, 26 August, 2026 – Play-off qualifying round second legs
Thursday, 27 August, 2026 – League phase round draw
Tuesday, 8 September – Thursday, 10 September, 2026 – League phase matchday one
Tuesday, 13 October & Wednesday, 14 October, 2026 - League phase matchday two
Tuesday, 20 October & Wednesday, 21 October, 2026 - League phase matchday three
Tuesday, 3 November & Wednesday, 4 November, 2026 - League phase matchday four
Tuesday, 24 October & Wednesday, 25 November, 2026 - League phase matchday five
Tuesday, 8 December & Wednesday, 9 December, 2026 - League phase matchday six
Tuesday, 19 January & Wednesday, 20 January, 2027 - League phase matchday seven
Wednesday, 20 January, 2027 - League phase matchday eight
Tuesday, 16 February & Wednesday, 17 February, 2027 – Play-off knockout round first legs
Tuesday, 23 February & Wednesday, 24 February, 2027 – Play-off knockout round second legs
Tuesday, 9 March & Wednesday, 10 March, 2027 – Last 16 first legs
Tuesday, 16 March & Wednesday, 17 March, 2027 – Last 16 second legs
Tuesday, 6 April & Wednesday, 7 April, 2027 – Quarter-final first legs
Tuesday, 13 April & Wednesday, 14 April, 2027 – Quarter-final second legs
Tuesday, 27 April & Wednesday, 28 April, 2027 – Semi-final first legs
Tuesday, 4 May & Wednesday, 5 May, 2027 – Semi-final second legs
Saturday, 5 June, 2027 – Final
Europa League
Thursday, 9 July, 2026 – First qualifying round first legs
Thursday, 16 July, 2026 – First qualifying round second legs
Monday, 20 July, 2026 – Third qualifying round draw
Thursday, 23 July, 2026 – Second qualifying round first legs
Thursday, 30 July, 2026 – Second qualifying round second legs
Monday, 3 August, 2026 – Play-off qualifying round draw
Thursday, 6 August, 2026 – Third qualifying round first legs
Thursday, 13 August, 2026 – Third qualifying round second legs
Thursday, 20 August, 2026 – Play-off qualifying round first legs
Thursday, 27 August, 2026 – Play-off qualifying round second legs
Friday, 28 August, 2026 – League phase round draw
Wednesday, 16 September & Thursday, 17 September, 2026 – League phase matchday one
Thursday, 15 October, 2026 - League phase matchday two
Thursday, 22 October, 2026 - League phase matchday three
Thursday, 5 November, 2026 - League phase matchday four
Thursday, 26 November, 2026 - League phase matchday five
Thursday, 10 December, 2026 - League phase matchday six
Thursday, 21 January, 2027 - League phase matchday seven
Thursday, 28 January, 2027 - League phase matchday eight
Thursday, 18 February, 2027 – Play-off knockout round first legs
Thursday, 25 February, 2027 – Play-off knockout round second legs
Thursday, 11 March, 2027 – Last 16 first legs
Thursday, 18 March, 2027 – Last 16 second legs
Thursday, 8 April, 2027 – Quarter-final first legs
Thursday, 15 April, 2027 – Quarter-final second legs
Thursday, 29 April, 2027 – Semi-final first legs
Thursday, 6 May, 2027 – Semi-final second legs
Wednesday, 26 May, 2027 – Final
Conference League
Thursday, 9 July, 2026 – First qualifying round first legs
Thursday, 16 July, 2026 – First qualifying round second legs
Monday, 20 July, 2026 – Third qualifying round draw
Thursday, 23 July, 2026 – Second qualifying round first legs
Thursday, 30 July, 2026 – Second qualifying round second legs
Monday, 3 August, 2026 – Play-off qualifying round draw
Thursday, 6 August, 2026 – Third qualifying round first legs
Thursday, 13 August, 2026 – Third qualifying round second legs
Thursday, 20 August, 2026 – Play-off qualifying round first legs
Thursday, 27 August, 2026 – Play-off qualifying round second legs
Friday, 28 August, 2026 – League phase round draw
Thursday, 15 October, 2026 - League phase matchday one
Thursday, 22 October, 2026 - League phase matchday two
Thursday, 5 November, 2026 - League phase matchday three
Thursday, 26 November, 2026 - League phase matchday four
Thursday, 10 December, 2026 - League phase matchday five
Thursday, 17 December, 2026 - League phase matchday six
Thursday, 18 February, 2027 – Play-off knockout round first legs
Thursday, 25 February, 2027 – Play-off knockout round second legs
Thursday, 11 March, 2027 – Last 16 first legs
Thursday, 18 March, 2027 – Last 16 second legs
Thursday, 8 April, 2027 – Quarter-final first legs
Thursday, 15 April, 2027 – Quarter-final second legs
Thursday, 29 April, 2027 – Semi-final first legs
Thursday, 6 May, 2027 – Semi-final second legs
Wednesday, 2 June, 2027 – Final
When are international breaks and tournaments?
World Cup: Thursday, 11 June, 2026 to Sunday, 19 July, 2026
International break: Monday, 21 September, 2026 to Tuesday, 6 October, 2026
International break: Monday, 9 November to Tuesday, 17 November, 2026
Asian Cup: Thursday, 7 January, 2027 to Friday, 5 February, 2027
International break: Monday, 22 March to Tuesday, 30 March, 2027
International break: Monday, 7 June to Tuesday, 15 June, 2027
Concacaf Gold Cup: Friday, 18 June to Sunday, 11 July, 2027
Africa Cup of Nations: Saturday, 19 June to Saturday, 17 July, 2027
This article is the latest from BBC Sport's Ask Me Anything team.
