DATES for the new Premier League season have been decided as the current coronavirus-disrupted one draws to a close after the league on Friday announced the 2020/21 campaign will begin on September 12 and conclude on May 23.
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The scheduled start will get underway 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. This after the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) recently overturned the English club’s two-year ban from European competition following City’s appeal.
Pep Guardiola’s side take a 2-1 advantage into their last 16 second-leg encounter against Real Madrid when the European showpiece resumes on August 7, with the one-legged quarter-finals and semi-finals taking place on 12 to 15 and 18 and 19 August, respectively, before the staging of the final on August 23.
Football authorities have acted quickly and decisively to reschedule both the 2019/20 and 2020/21 campaigns, on the back of the coronavirus pandemic, with the current top-flight domestic season reaching its climax on Sunday. Elsewhere, the FA Cup final will bring the curtain down on the domestic season in England on August 1 when record competition winners Arsenal face Chelsea.
An official Premier League statement read: “Premier League Shareholders today agreed to start the 2020/21 Premier League season on September 12. The final match round of the campaign will take place on May 23. The Premier League will continue to consult The FA and EFL regarding the scheduling of all domestic competitions.”
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