The revamped Premiership confirms fixtures
NEWS: For the first time ever, the new look Premiership kicks off a bold new chapter on a Thursday.
The historic opener will see Sale Sharks take on Gloucester at the Salford Community Stadium on September 25th.
Unusually, there will be no Saturday kick-offs in the opening round of the newly-named competition. This is to avoid a clash with the Women’s World Cup final at Twickenham Stadium.
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Three months after they lifted the trophy, reigning champions Bath will return to Twickenham for the first game of their defence, across the road to the Stoop, having been drawn away to Harlequins in round one.
The other Friday night game sees Newcastle Falcons take on Saracens at Kingston Park.
Beaten 2024/25 finalists Leicester travel to Ashton Gate to play Bristol Bears in one of the two Sunday fixtures, the other being Northampton v Exeter at Franklin’s Gardens.
Next season’s derby round of fixtures will be played in round three, while next season’s PREM includes three back-to-back marquee fixtures in a round 12 triple header.
RWC 2015 venue Villa Park will host The Slater Cup for the first time, with Gloucester facing Leicester Tigers at the iconic Premier League venue on Saturday, March 28th.
Bristol Bears’ Big Day Out 2026 returns to Principality Stadium, as they welcome Harlequins in a reverse of Big Game 17, while The Showdown 6 then takes centre stage at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, where Saracens meet long-time rivals Northampton Saints.
Simon Massie-Taylor, Chief Executive of PREM Rugby, said: “We are incredibly excited for the return of the PREM and fans have plenty to look forward to with a number of appetising new additions to the fixture list for 2025/26.
“Kicking off the campaign with a Thursday night opener brings a fresh twist to our traditional curtain-raiser, and we’re looking forward to seeing Sale Sharks and Gloucester Rugby set the tone in style.
“Marquee fixtures remain a key pillar of our strategy to broaden rugby’s reach. We’re thrilled to see Villa Park host The Slater Cup for the first time and to witness the continued growth of Bristol Bears’ Big Day Out in its second year.
“Last season was a landmark one: viewership rose by 28%, attendances continued their upward trend, and the league has never been more competitive as we saw a sixth different champion in six years, with Bath edging Leicester in front of a sold-out Twickenham Stadium.
“And now with the official launch of the new look PREM, the 2025/26 season marks the beginning of a groundbreaking and transformative new era for the sport.”
To see all the PREM fixtures, CLICK HERE!
