Premier League 2020/21 dates confirmed for 12 September until 23 May

New season will begin three weeks after the Champions League final

The Premier League has announced that the 2020/21 season will begin on 12 September and conclude on 23 May.

The new season will get under way just three weeks after the Champions League final, meaning Manchester City could face a pre-season of fewer than 21 days if they reach the European showpiece next month.

Pep Guardiola’s side take a 2-1 advantage into their round-of-16 second leg against Real Madrid on 7 August, with the one-legged quarter-finals and semi-finals taking place on 12/13/14/15 and 18/19 August respectively, before the final is staged on 23 August.

Chelsea also remain in the Champions League, although are facing likely elimination unless they can overturn a 3-0 deficit to Bayern Munich in their second leg on 8 August.

The coronavirus pandemic has forced football authorities to quickly reschedule both the 2019/20 and 2020/21 campaigns, with the Premier League set to be completed this Sunday in what has been the longest season in English history thanks to the three-month hiatus.

The FA Cup final will bring the curtain down on the English domestic season when Arsenal face Chelsea on 1 August, allowing European competitions to resume in August with both the Champions League and Europa League needing to complete their knockout rounds.

Manchester United and Wolverhampton Wanderers could also face an alarmingly short turnaround in the off-season, with United set to go through to the Europa League quarter-finals thanks to a 5-0 advantage over LASK and Wolves set to face Olympiakos with the scores locked at 1-1 after the first leg.

Should either side make it through to the rearranged final in Cologne on Friday 21 August, they will also face a return to action in three weeks when the new season begins.

However, players then face the return of international football, with friendlies and the Uefa Nations League due to resume in the first two weeks of September, before the Premier League gets underway on 12 September.

A Premier League statement issued on Friday read: “Premier League Shareholders today agreed to start the 2020/21 Premier League season on 12 September.

“The final match round of the campaign will take place on 23 May.

“The Premier League will continue to consult The FA and EFL regarding the scheduling of all domestic competitions.”

Important dates

• 26 July - Premier League ends
• 5 August - Europa League resumes
• 7 August - Champions League resumes
• 21 August - Europa League final
• 23 August - Champions League final
• 4-9 September - Uefa Nations League
• 12 September - 2020/21 Premier League starts