Arsenal were the defending champions entering the 2026–27 Premier League opening weekend.
The club began the new season as the previous campaign’s Premier League winner. Arsenal’s title made their opening fixture particularly prominent: they hosted promoted Coventry City in the season’s first match.
The 2026–27 season marked Arsenal’s return to the top of the Premier League after a title victory that ended a 22-year wait for the club’s first Premier League championship. Their opening-weekend status was therefore both that of defending champions and returning title holders.
Arsenal played at Emirates Stadium, where the club began its defence on Friday 21 August 2026. The opening fixture was separated from the rest of the round by its standalone Friday placement.