The
2020/21 Premier League season will start just six weeks after the previous
one finished. Here's what we know so far...
When does the 2020/21 Premier League
season start?
The Premier League has revealed the 2020/21 season will start on Saturday
September 12.
The 29th campaign was originally due to begin on August 8 but coronavirus
has impacted the football calendar; the new season will commence just six
weeks after the 2019/20 one will have finished.
However, Manchester United, Manchester City, Chelsea and Wolves are expected
to be given extra time off by the Premier League should they go into the
latter stages of their respective European competitions.
The Premier League is likely to ring-fence a guaranteed 30 days off for
players to recover, from the day after their final European game of this
season.
When will the 2020/21 Premier League
season finish?
The season is scheduled to finish on Sunday May 23, 2021 - just 19 days
before the rescheduled Euro 2020 kicks off.
Who's up, who's down?
Leeds are back in the Premier League after a 16-year absence, while West
Brom sealed the second automatic promotion spot after a topsy-turvy final
day of the Championship season.
One of Brentford, Fulham, Cardiff or Swansea will join them via the
play-offs.
Norwich made an immediate return to the second tier, with Watford and
Bournemouth relegated on the final day.
When will fans be allowed back?
The season will begin behind closed doors but some spectators could to
return to venues on a socially-distanced basis from October 1.
Mass gatherings at sports grounds have been banned since March but the Prime
Minister said in mid-July that the government were hopeful crowds could
return after some test events in August.
Reports have suggested grounds may only initially be between 30 and 50 per
cent full and attendance at sporting events for the foreseeable future will
be subject to a number of strict conditions.
Clubs discussed bringing fans back to grounds at a Premier League meeting on
July 24.
The Premier League is prepared to offer stadia for pre-season games that
could act as test events in August or early September, with league chiefs
keen to have fans back as quickly - but as safely - as possible.
What will be new next season?
The use of five substitutes next season has been approved by football's
lawmakers, the IFAB, though each competition will be free to decide whether
or not to take up the new ruling.
Clubs discussed the idea at their final shareholders' meeting before the end
of the 2019/20 season but a vote is not expected to take place until the
next AGM - when all 20 clubs have been confirmed for the new term - on
August 6.
PGMOL chief Mike Riley presented a VAR review to clubs in their July meeting
and the Premier League is expected to hold talks with FIFA during the summer
break. FIFA's top officials, including Gianni Infantino, Pierluigi Collina
and Arsene Wenger, have been critical of VAR's inconsistent use in some
competitions.
Meanwhile, plenty of clubs have released new strips for the forthcoming
campaign and Nike has released its new 'Flight' ball - one they said
addresses "inconsistent aerodynamics".
When is the transfer window?
The window will run for 10 weeks this summer.
It opened on Monday July 27 and will close on Monday October 5 at 11pm.
An additional domestic-only window will run from October 5 to 5pm on October
16 but Premier League clubs will only be able to trade with EFL clubs - for
either loans or permanent registrations - and will not be able to do
business with other Premier League clubs or clubs abroad.
Any other dates to mark in the diary?
The European competitions for 2019/20 are still to be concluded.
Champions League knockout games will be played in a 12-day condensed
tournament in Lisbon in from August 12-23, with Manchester City and Chelsea
still in the tournament. Next season's group stage will start on October
20/21, 2020.
Wolves, Rangers and Manchester United will play their round-of-16 second
legs in the Europa League on August 5/6, with a final-eight tournament due
to take place across four venues in Germany from August 10-21. Next season's
group stage will start on October 20, 2020.
The national team football windows of October and November 2020 will now
feature triple-headers instead of double-headers, allowing the postponed
European Qualifiers play-offs to be rescheduled at the beginning of the
respective windows, on October 8 and November 12.
The 2020/21 UEFA Nations League group stage will take place on revised dates
in September, October and November.
The Premier League will continue to consult The FA and EFL regarding the
scheduling of all domestic competitions.
Euro 2020 will now take place from June 11-July 11, 2021. The 12 original
host cities have been confirmed as venues for the rescheduled tournament.
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