FPL 2026/27: Early Season Fixture Analysis, Soft & Hard Starts

The release of the 2026/27 Premier League fixtures has highlighted a clear divergence in the initial six Gameweeks: some clubs face a relatively easy start, while others are immediately challenged by top-tier opposition. This disparity, as noted by Premier Fantasy Tools, is a significant factor to consider for both Fantasy Premier League (FPL) managers and sports bettors Source.

Teams with Soft Early Season Schedules

Several prominent teams, including both Manchester clubs, Arsenal, and Nottingham Forest, are set to enjoy softer opening schedules. This can present early opportunities for FPL points and strong betting angles.

Manchester United & Manchester City

Manchester United and Manchester City both have favorable fixtures through the first six Gameweeks. Neither team is scheduled to face a top-six opponent until late September. This makes players like Bruno Fernandes and Erling Haaland prime contenders for early FPL captaincy. The betting market reflects this, with City priced around 1.45 to win at home against Bournemouth, and Arsenal even shorter at 1.16 to beat Coventry. These odds suggest high confidence in these teams to perform well in their opening fixtures Source.

Arsenal & Nottingham Forest

Arsenal faces only one of last season’s top six sides in their first eight matches, an away game at Aston Villa in Gameweek 2. This suggests strong potential for their defensive assets. Doubling up on defenders like Gabriel, who scored 209 points last season with three goals, five assists, and 18 clean sheets, and goalkeeper David Raya, could be a shrewd move. Nottingham Forest also has an encouraging start, with midfielder Morgan Gibbs-White being a key player. He recorded 188 points last season with 15 goals and four assists, and home fixtures against Leeds, Tottenham, and Coventry within the first five rounds could allow him to build on that form Source.

Liverpool's Gentle Introduction

New Liverpool manager Andoni Iraola begins his tenure with a genuinely favorable schedule. Liverpool avoids all of last season’s top 10 sides in their first four matches, playing Newcastle, Nottingham Forest, Ipswich, and Fulham. Virgil van Dijk remains a solid defensive option, but the attacking setup under Iraola merits close attention. Dominik Szoboszlai, having a full preseason due to missing the 2026 World Cup, could benefit from Iraola’s pressing style, potentially shifting into a more advanced central role. New winger Victor Munoz, with seven goals and five assists for Osasuna last season, adds another attacking dimension Source.

However, despite the easy fixtures, Liverpool’s price of around 2.19 to win away at Newcastle in Gameweek 1 indicates a closer contest than a formality, partly due to Newcastle's home crowd factor Source. For bettors, checking current prices on sites like Gambling.com (for UK fans) can provide valuable insight.

Teams with Hard Early Season Schedules

Conversely, some teams face a daunting start to their Premier League campaigns, making their assets less appealing for early FPL investment.

Bournemouth, Coventry & Hull

Bournemouth, under new manager Marco Rose, faces a significantly tougher opening slate. Their first six matches include away trips to Manchester City, and home games against Liverpool and Chelsea, all rated 'four' or higher on the Fixture Difficulty Ratings (FDR) scale. Betting odds reflect this, placing Bournemouth at approximately 5.40 to win against Manchester City at the Etihad Source.

Newly promoted Coventry and Hull also face formidable challenges. Frank Lampard's Coventry opens against Arsenal and Manchester City in Gameweeks 1 and 3. Hull plays Manchester United, Aston Villa, Chelsea, and Newcastle within their first five matches, priced at 5-1 to beat United at home. Leeds rounds out this group with a difficult early run. While differentials might emerge later, it will be challenging to justify heavy investment in players from these squads in August Source.

FPL managers can utilize fixture difficulty tools like the one provided by Premier Fantasy Tools to analyze the full 38-game schedule and plan their squad accordingly. While six Gameweeks is a small sample, the significant gap between the easiest and hardest early runs provides a solid foundation for initial squad construction.