2026-27 Premier League power rankings and how to watch
Arsenal lead The Ringer's 2026-27 Premier League power rankings as defending champions, while nine clubs start under new managers in an unusually volatile season. U.S. viewers can stream the campaign on Peacock, NBC, and USA Network from August 21 through May 30, 2027, with YouTube TV and Fubo among bundles that sling those channels into a single package.
The English Premier League hit a hard reset this summer. Pep Guardiola, Eddie Howe, and Marco Silva are gone. Oliver Glasner, Andoni Iraola, and Enzo Maresca begin fresh chapters. For fans weighing title favorites against relegation traps, the rankings frame the table—and for cord-cutters, knowing where matches air matters just as much.
Key Takeaways
- The Ringer ranks Arsenal first, followed by Manchester City, Chelsea, Manchester United, and Liverpool in the top five.
- BBC chief football writer Phil McNulty also picks Arsenal to retain the title after their first crown in 22 years.
- Half of Premier League clubs enter 2026-27 with a new manager, per The Ringer, making projections unusually shaky.
- U.S. rights sit with NBC, USA Network, and Peacock; the season runs August 21, 2026, to May 30, 2027.
- Promoted Hull City rank 20th in The Ringer's table, with underlying metrics suggesting a brutal top-flight fight.
Who tops the 2026-27 Premier League power rankings?
Arsenal sit first in The Ringer's preseason power rankings, published August 21. Mikel Arteta's side ended a 22-year wait last season and added Bruno Guimarães and Christos Tzolis before dismantling Manchester City in the Community Shield.
Manchester City rank second under Enzo Maresca, who replaces Guardiola after Rodri, Bernardo Silva, and John Stones departed. Chelsea (third), Manchester United (fourth), and Liverpool (fifth) round out the elite tier. Brighton, Tottenham, Brentford, Aston Villa, and Bournemouth fill spots six through ten.
At the bottom, Hull City are 20th—The Ringer asks whether they could rival Derby County's record-low 2007-08 campaign given a minus-20 expected goal difference in the Championship last season. Ipswich (19th) and Coventry (18th) lead the promoted trio.
Why is this Premier League season so hard to predict?
McNulty at the BBC calls this "arguably the toughest set of predictions" he has made, citing nine new managers. Liverpool's title defense collapsed last season, costing Arne Slot his job; Andoni Iraola now leads a post-Mohamed Salah rebuild.
Newcastle's Saudi-era project reversed course. The club sold Anthony Gordon, Sandro Tonali, and Bruno Guimarães while Eddie Howe departed. Tottenham survived a relegation scare on the final day after cycling through three managers, then spent heavily on midfielders Sandro Tonali and Mateus Fernandes.
Even Sunderland's fairy-tale seventh-place finish looks fragile. The Ringer notes their minus-15.6 expected goal difference ranked 18th—worse than relegated West Ham—raising regression fears despite Europa League qualification.
How can U.S. fans watch Premier League matches in 2026-27?
The season opened Friday, August 21, when Arsenal hosted Coventry City at 3 p.m. ET on USA Network. Yahoo Sports reports that NBC and USA Network carry marquee fixtures, while Peacock streams additional matches starting at $12.99 per month.
If you prefer a live-TV bundle over standalone Peacock, providers such as YouTube TV, Fubo, and DirecTV can sling NBC and USA into one subscription—useful for kickoff games that skip Peacock. For more cord-cutting breakdowns, see our Streaming & TV Alerts hub.
Matchweek 1 continues through Monday, August 24, with Brentford versus Tottenham on NBC Saturday and Newcastle versus Liverpool on USA Sunday. Peacock carries Ipswich-Sunderland, Nottingham Forest-Leeds, and Brighton-Aston Villa among early fixtures.