The 2026-27 Premier League season is set to kick off with a historic number of managerial changes, as nine clubs prepare to begin the campaign with a new permanent boss. This figure represents the highest ever for the top flight's opening weekend, reshaping the managerial landscape across nearly half the league.
Among the significant appointments, Liverpool has brought in Andoni Iraola after Arne Slot's departure, while Manchester City turned to Enzo Maresca following Pep Guardiola's resignation. Chelsea has appointed Xabi Alonso, Bournemouth has Marco Rose, and Nottingham Forest has Oliver Glasner. Crystal Palace, Fulham, and Ipswich Town have also made new appointments, with Newcastle United expected to name Matthias Jaissle after Eddie Howe stepped down.
This wave of change surpasses the previous record of eight new managers at the start of the 2016-17 season. The upheaval means that for the first time since 1985-86, England's top flight will begin without Sir Alex Ferguson, Arsene Wenger, Jose Mourinho, Jurgen Klopp, or Guardiola in a dugout, figures who collectively won 26 of the league's 34 titles.
Arsenal's Mikel Arteta, appointed in December 2019, now holds the title of the Premier League's longest-serving manager. The upcoming season is expected to test the traditional 'new manager bounce', with Matchweek one featuring three fixtures between clubs led by new managers.