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One of the most open Premier League title races begins this weekend as English football’s 2026-27 season kicks off.Arsenal, who ended their 22-year wait for a league title last season, start proceedings with an opening-day fixture against newly-promoted Coventry City – a clash between the top-flight and second-tier champions.Recommended Stories list of 4 itemslist 1 of 4Arsenal preview: Five key questions heading into new Premier League seasonlist 2 of 4Arsenal defend title against revamped challengers as Premier League returnslist 3 of 4Can Barca do a ‘three-peat’ or will Real bounce back? La Liga returnslist 4 of 4La Liga: The key talking points for Real Madrid before the 2026-27 seasonend of listAs the Premier League title holders, the Gunners are favourites in the new season’s championship race, but with one of their key players injured, the Gunners could face a rocky start.Elsewhere, Manchester City, Chelsea and Liverpool – three of the Premier League’s traditional ‘Big Five’ – all have new managers this campaign, while Manchester United will look to challenge for the title, too, playing their first full season under their boss Michael Carrick.Al Jazeera breaks down everything you need to know ahead of the new Premier League season:When does the new Premier League season start?The 2026-27 Premier League season begins on Friday night with defending champions Arsenal hosting Coventry in the opening match at Emirates Stadium.Coventry, managed by Frank Lampard, are back in the top flight for the first time in 25 years after winning the Championship last season.Matchday 1 fixtures are also scheduled on Saturday, Sunday and Monday.Will Manchester City’s Erling Haaland, the 2025-26 season top scorer with 27 goals, be just as prolific? [Chris Radburn/Reuters]Premier League first round matches and schedule Arsenal vs Coventry City – Friday, August 21 at 19:00 GMT Hull City vs Manchester United – Saturday, August 22 at 11:30 GMT Everton vs Crystal Palace – Saturday, August 22 at 14:00 GMT Ipswich Town vs Sunderland – Saturday, August 22 at 14:00 GMT Nottingham Forest vs Leeds United – Saturday, August 22 at 14:00 GMT Brentford vs Tottenham Hotspur – Saturday, August 22 at 16:30 GMT Brighton & Hove Albion vs Aston Villa – Sunday, August 23 at 13:00 GMT Manchester City vs Bournemouth – Sunday, August 23 at 13:00 GMT Newcastle United vs Liverpool – Sunday, August 23 at 15:30 GMT Fulham vs Chelsea – Monday, August 24 at 19:00 GMT Premier League 2026-27 predictionsThe title favouritesThe Opta supercomputer predicts Arsenal as the team to beat this season, handing them a 38 percent probability of retaining the title.Successfully defending the trophy is, however, a far from easy job – only three clubs, under three managers, have ever accomplished that feat.That honour is shared by Manchester United under Alex Ferguson (four such streaks, including two instances of three in a row), Chelsea under Jose Mourinho, and Manchester City under Pep Guardiola (two streaks, including four in a row from 2020-21 to 2023-24).The Gunners’ last successful defence of the top-flight crown dates back to the 1934-35 season.Manager Mikel Arteta and Arsenal’s success last time was heavily based on defensive play and reliance on set-piece goals. With key defender William Saliba sidelined with a back injury, the North London club’s winning mantra could take a hit.The second favourites for the title are last season’s runner-up Man City, with a 20.5 percent probability. The Sky Blues will be under the new management of Enzo Maresca, the ex-Chelsea boss, as the Italian looks to establish himself again in the Premier League, this time working with the goal machine that is Erling Haaland.Liverpool, to be managed by ex-Bournemouth manager Andoni Iraola this campaign, are third favourites for the title with a 9.2 percent probability, while Man United, who haven’t won the league in 13 years, are fourth on the list with a 6.2 percent chance, bolstered by their impressive
Figure caption, Watch: Strong winds and downpours in Maui and Honolulu as storm Lala approachesByBrandon Drenon and Ben RichLead Weather PresenterUpdated 3 minutes agoHawaii is bracing for what could be its first direct hit from a hurricane since 1992, as category one storm Lala churns off its coast.Packing 75mph (120km/h) winds, Lala gained hurricane strength on Saturday. In a worst-case scenario, it could dump up to 25in (63cm) of rain on Big Island and produce a 3ft storm surge. A hurricane warning is in effect for Big Island, while Maui County, Oahu, Kauai and Niihau are under a tropical storm warnings. Officials have told residents to prepare for "life-threatening" conditions, including floods and mudslides. The storm is expected to either make landfall or pass close to the southern tip of Big Island on Saturday, before continuing west.The last time a hurricane made landfall on Hawaii's Big Island was 155 years ago, according to the Associated Press news agency.Over the weekend, Lala will continue moving westwards, and may weaken into a tropical storm, with the centre passing just below Hawaii's other islands.Image source, Getty ImagesHawaii Governor Josh Green warned residents to brace for "an incredible amount of water".He said on X: "Damaging winds, heavy rain, flash flooding and dangerous surf are possible across the state through the weekend."Dozens of flights have been cancelled.At Ellison Onizuka Kona International - Big Island's largest airport - 40% of flights were grounded, according to flightaware.com. Some 80% of flights were called off at its other main airport, Hilo International.The more dire forecasts from the National Weather Service (NWS) have been issued for areas within Big Island's south-east. "Major rainfall flooding may prompt many evacuations and rescues," the NWS said, adding that rivers and tributaries "may rapidly overflow their banks in multiple places".Residents were repeatedly urged by officials to prepare for the storm early. Local message boards on Facebook show residents filling bags with sand to protect their homes and inquiring whether stores remained open in the early hours on Saturday.Hawaii County's Civil Defense Agency said public shelters were available in every county on Big Island. "At this time, you should have completed your storm-ready preparations and focusing on your Sheltering Plan," the agency said on X. Iniki, a powerful category four storm, was the last hurricane to strike Hawaii back in 1992. It caused six deaths and $3bn in damage after making landfall on the southern coast of Kauai.Image source, Getty ImagesHurricane season in the US has been relatively quiet the last few years - the last major storm was category three Hurricane Milton, which hit Florida in October 2024. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration has said that 2026 might be another low-frequency year for hurricanes in the US, predicting , externala 55% chance of a below-normal season. Last month, the world's oceans hit their hottest ever recorded temperatures for July, according to the EU's climate monitoring service.The record temperatures were partly fuelled by developing El Niño conditions in the Pacific.It was also the joint second-warmest July globally on record, with temperatures 1.47C above the estimated pre-industrial average, according to the Copernicus Climate Change Service.
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