Coventry City had been away from the Premier League for 25 years before returning in 2026–27.
Coventry’s absence was the longest among the three promoted clubs that entered the 2026–27 Premier League. Their return followed a quarter-century outside the competition, making their opening match against defending champions Arsenal especially prominent.
Ipswich Town returned after a one-year absence, while Hull City returned after nine years. Coventry therefore had the longest gap, even though all three clubs were newcomers to the 2026–27 Premier League season.
Coventry’s first match back was difficult: Arsenal beat them 3–0 on 21 August 2026. The club’s return also represented the longest absence by a previous Premier League club in the competition’s history at that point, according to the season summary.