Premier League 2020/21 season: When does it start, how to watch it on TV, and key dates The Premier League 2020/21 season promises to deliver much as Liverpool aim to defend their title, and we’ve got all you need to know. Covid-19 has caused unprecedented uncertainty in football, essentially rewriting the football calendar for 2020. The 2019/20 season ground to a halt back in March as the world struggled to come to grips with the challenges of containing the pandemic, meaning the new season had to be delayed. However, barring any public health emergencies, the Premier League is back with a bang again for 2020/21, and it promises to be as dramatic as ever. What are the key dates for the 2020/21 Premier League season? The season gets underway on Saturday 12 September, with the first match kicking off at 12.30pm at Craven Cottage, where newly-promoted Fulham play host to Arsenal. There will be breaks for the UEFA Nations League in the second week of October and the third week of November, although no further dates have been planned at the time of writing. The International breaks will also hold the playoffs for the Euro 2020. The late start will have a serious knock-on effect on next summer too, with the season scheduled to finish on May 23rd, just 19 days before the rescheduled Euro 2020 Finals begins. Will there be a winter break in the 2020/21 Premier League season? In a word: no. Last season was the first time that English football finally succumbed to persistent calls to follow other top leagues in Europe and schedule a winter break. The plans ensured each team had at least a little time off in February. However, with the Premier League already facing a shortened season as a result of the lengthy suspension of the 2019/20 season, the winter break has been scrapped for now. What about the Cup competitions? They are still there, although some have been altered due to the circumstances. The biggest change sees FA Cup replays scrapped for this season, which may produce a few more upsets than usual. The FA Cup final is scheduled for May 15th with the semi-finals in their traditional mid-April slot. The League Cup final takes place February 28th, but the usual two-legged semi-finals have been replaced by a one-legged shootout instead. Will every match of the 2020/21 Premier League season be streamed? When the Premier League did eventually return in June, fans were able to watch every single match live on their televisions. This season, matches will once again take place behind closed doors, at least initially, but there are no plans to once again make every match available for broadcast. There will almost certainly be special allowances made for season card holders at clubs, but at the moment it appears to be proving difficult to come up with a solution that serves everyone. In general, though, we are back to the usual system of broadcast rights holders and specific selected matches for television. How can I watch the 2020/21 Premier League season on TV? Sky Sports once again hold the majority of the TV rights this season. The broadcast giant will screen 140 live matches this season. BT Sport meanwhile have 58 games and Amazon Prime 22. Will the TV matches be free-to-air? Well, yes, some of them will, but it will depend entirely upon the generosity of Sky. They will broadcast some of their matches to screen on their Pick channel. It can be found on channel 159 on Sky and channel 144 on Freeview. How can I watch the 2020/21 Premier League games not free-to-air? You’re certainly not short of options when it comes to watching Premier League football. You can subscribe to Sky TV on any one of their many packages, making sure the sports channels are part of your bundle. Another option for those not wanting to commit to a contract is Now TV. You can purchase NOW TV individual passes for specific times that cover the matches you want to watch. BT Sport will require a subscription. Amazon Prime will too, although you may be able to get a free trial that covers at least some of the games you want to watch. The post Premier League 2020/21 season: When does it start, how to watch it on TV, and key dates appeared first on teamtalk.com.

The Premier League 2020/21 season promises to deliver much as Liverpool aim to defend their title, and we’ve got all you need to know.

Covid-19 has caused unprecedented uncertainty in football, essentially rewriting the football calendar for 2020.

The 2019/20 season ground to a halt back in March as the world struggled to come to grips with the challenges of containing the pandemic, meaning the new season had to be delayed.

However, barring any public health emergencies, the Premier League is back with a bang again for 2020/21, and it promises to be as dramatic as ever.

What are the key dates for the 2020/21 Premier League season?

The season gets underway on Saturday 12 September, with the first match kicking off at 12.30pm at Craven Cottage, where newly-promoted Fulham play host to Arsenal.

There will be breaks for the UEFA Nations League in the second week of October and the third week of November, although no further dates have been planned at the time of writing. The International breaks will also hold the playoffs for the Euro 2020.

The late start will have a serious knock-on effect on next summer too, with the season scheduled to finish on May 23rd, just 19 days before the rescheduled Euro 2020 Finals begins.

Will there be a winter break in the 2020/21 Premier League season?

In a word: no. Last season was the first time that English football finally succumbed to persistent calls to follow other top leagues in Europe and schedule a winter break.

The plans ensured each team had at least a little time off in February. However, with the Premier League already facing a shortened season as a result of the lengthy suspension of the 2019/20 season, the winter break has been scrapped for now.

What about the Cup competitions?

They are still there, although some have been altered due to the circumstances. The biggest change sees FA Cup replays scrapped for this season, which may produce a few more upsets than usual.

The FA Cup final is scheduled for May 15th with the semi-finals in their traditional mid-April slot.

The League Cup final takes place February 28th, but the usual two-legged semi-finals have been replaced by a one-legged shootout instead.

Will every match of the 2020/21 Premier League season be streamed?

When the Premier League did eventually return in June, fans were able to watch every single match live on their televisions.

This season, matches will once again take place behind closed doors, at least initially, but there are no plans to once again make every match available for broadcast.

There will almost certainly be special allowances made for season card holders at clubs, but at the moment it appears to be proving difficult to come up with a solution that serves everyone.

In general, though, we are back to the usual system of broadcast rights holders and specific selected matches for television.

How can I watch the 2020/21 Premier League season on TV?

Sky Sports once again hold the majority of the TV rights this season. The broadcast giant will screen 140 live matches this season.

BT Sport meanwhile have 58 games and Amazon Prime 22.

Will the TV matches be free-to-air?

Well, yes, some of them will, but it will depend entirely upon the generosity of Sky.

They will broadcast some of their matches to screen on their Pick channel. It can be found on channel 159 on Sky and channel 144 on Freeview.

How can I watch the 2020/21 Premier League games not free-to-air?

You’re certainly not short of options when it comes to watching Premier League football.

You can subscribe to Sky TV on any one of their many packages, making sure the sports channels are part of your bundle.

Another option for those not wanting to commit to a contract is Now TV. You can purchase NOW TV individual passes for specific times that cover the matches you want to watch.

BT Sport will require a subscription. Amazon Prime will too, although you may be able to get a free trial that covers at least some of the games you want to watch.

 

The post Premier League 2020/21 season: When does it start, how to watch it on TV, and key dates appeared first on teamtalk.com.

Jo Harrison