--- title: "Premier League 2026/27: format, tiebreakers and how to follow | KickFlow" description: "The Premier League 2026/27 explained: 38 matchdays, the fifth Champions League place England earned through the European Performance Spot, why goal difference outranks head-to-head, and how to follow every matchday live on iPhone." canonical: https://kickflow.app.br/en/guides/premier-league-2026-27-guide language: en updated: 2026-08-07 --- [KickFlow](https://kickflow.app.br/en/) ยท [Guides](https://kickflow.app.br/en/guides/) # Premier League 2026/27: format, tiebreakers and how to follow Updated 7 August 2026 Two things about the Premier League table are worth getting right before the season turns tense: fifth place is a Champions League place this year, and head-to-head barely matters. This guide covers the format, the European places, the real order of the tiebreakers and how to follow every matchday live. ## The format Twenty clubs, 38 matchdays, home and away, 380 matches. Three points for a win, one for a draw. Most points wins the title with no play-off, and the **bottom three go down to the Championship**. There is no relegation play-off and no second chance: final position is the whole story. The Premier League also has **no real winter break**. While the Bundesliga, Serie A and Ligue 1 disappear for weeks at the end of December, England plays through Boxing Day and New Year with fixtures every few days. It is the most congested stretch of the season and the one that most often decides a title race. ## European places in 2026/27 England has **five** Champions League places this season rather than four. Four are automatic, first through fourth. The fifth came from the **European Performance Spot**, the bonus UEFA awards to the two associations whose clubs performed best across European competition the previous season. England and Spain finished as the top two for 2025/26, and each gained an extra place. **Why this changes how you read the table:** fifth stopped being a consolation. In a season where England holds the bonus, finishing fifth is worth the Champions League, and the race for the top four becomes a race for the top five. Because the bonus depends on how English clubs do in Europe, it may not be there next season. Below that sit the Europa League and Conference League places, which shift depending on who wins the FA Cup and the League Cup. A cup winner who has already qualified through the table pushes its place further down the standings. ## The tiebreakers, in the right order This is the detail that starts most arguments. In the Premier League, head-to-head is **not** the first tiebreaker. The order is: 1. **Goal difference.** 1. **Goals scored.** 1. **Head-to-head points** between the tied clubs. 1. **Away goals** in those two matches. 1. **A play-off at a neutral venue**, if the position decides the title, a European place or relegation. So beating a rival home and away counts for nothing if they finish one goal better off on difference. That is the opposite of the Spanish and Italian rule. *First tiebreaker in each of Europe's big five leagues.* | League | First tiebreaker | | --- | --- | | Premier League | Goal difference | | Bundesliga | Goal difference | | Ligue 1 | Goal difference | | La Liga | Head-to-head | | Serie A | Head-to-head | That split explains why the same points tie resolves differently in London and Madrid. The [La Liga](https://kickflow.app.br/en/guides/la-liga-2026-27-guide) and [Serie A](https://kickflow.app.br/en/guides/serie-a-2026-27-guide) guides cover the other side of the rule. ## How to follow it on iPhone A normal Saturday has several matches kicking off at once and broadcast times that move week to week. That is the case where an app beats a printed fixture list. 1. Open the competition switcher and pick the Premier League. 1. Follow the clubs you care about, so the home screen leads with their fixtures. 1. Turn on goal and kick-off alerts. Times arrive already converted to your phone's time zone. 1. Leave Live Activities on to keep the score on your Lock Screen through the afternoon. The table highlights the zones the same way it does for Brazilian football: European places at the top, relegation at the bottom. The walkthrough for alerts is in the [goal notifications guide](https://kickflow.app.br/en/guides/football-goal-notifications-iphone). Follow the Premier League live, free. [Download KickFlow on the App Store](https://apps.apple.com/app/id6778988090?pt=128388279&ct=seo&mt=8) ## Frequently asked questions ### How many teams go down? Three, from 20 clubs, after 38 matchdays. No relegation play-off. ### How many Champions League places in 2026/27? Five: four automatic, plus the European Performance Spot England earned by finishing in the top two associations last season. ### Does head-to-head break ties? Only third, after goal difference and goals scored. The reverse of La Liga and Serie A. ### Is there a winter break? Not a real one. England plays through Boxing Day and New Year. ### What happens if two clubs finish completely level? If the position decides the title, a European place or relegation, a play-off is staged at a neutral venue. Read next: [La Liga 2026/27](https://kickflow.app.br/en/guides/la-liga-2026-27-guide) and [Serie A 2026/27](https://kickflow.app.br/en/guides/serie-a-2026-27-guide).