History of Premier League in Timeline
The Premier League is the top-tier professional football league in England, featuring 20 clubs competing in a promotion and relegation system with the English Football League. A season spans from August to May, during which each team plays 38 matches, facing every other team twice (home and away). Games predominantly occur on weekend afternoons, with some weekday evening matches.
1948: Over 70-year-old record set
The 2022–23 season also set a competition record for total attendance with more than 15 million spectators, with average attendance also reaching record levels, surpassing the previous record of 39,989 set in the 2021–22 season, which in turn broke an over 70-year-old record set in the 1948–49 season.
1983: Liverpool wins the European Cup
Manchester United's 1998-99 Champions League win was the first English club to win the European Cup since Liverpool in the 1983–84 season.
1985: Heysel Stadium Disaster
In 1985, the Heysel Stadium disaster led to a 5-year ban for all English clubs from European competition, with Liverpool facing an extra year.
November 1986: Alex Ferguson Joins Manchester United
In November 1986, Alex Ferguson became the manager of Manchester United.
1986: Increased Revenue and Influence for First Division Clubs
In 1986, First Division clubs secured increased voting power and a 50% share of all television and sponsorship income. The Football League secured £6.3 million for a two-year deal.
1988: Negotiations for a "Super League"
In 1988, negotiations took place under the threat of ten clubs forming a "super league", with leading clubs securing the bulk of the deal.
1988: Increased Television Revenue for Clubs
In 1988, television rights revenue for clubs rose to £600,000, with the Football League securing a £44 million deal over four years with ITV.
April 1989: Hillsborough Disaster
On 15 April 1989, the Hillsborough disaster occurred at Hillsborough Stadium in Sheffield, Yorkshire, between the fans of Liverpool and Nottingham Forest.
1989: Hillsborough Disaster
In 1989, the Hillsborough disaster and the subsequent Taylor Report recommended the abolishment of standing terraces.
January 1990: Publication of the Taylor Report
In January 1990, the Taylor Report on stadium safety standards was published, proposing expensive upgrades to create all-seater stadiums.
1990: Proposal for a New League
At the close of the 1990–91 season, a proposal was tabled for the establishment of a new league that would bring more money into the game overall.
1990: Meeting to Pave Way for Breakaway
In 1990, Greg Dyke of London Weekend Television (LWT) met with representatives of the "Big Five" football clubs to discuss a breakaway from the Football League, seeking a larger share of television rights money.
June 1991: FA Report Supporting the Premier League
In June 1991, the Football Association (FA) released a report called "Blueprint for the Future of Football," supporting the plan for the Premier League, with the FA overseeing the breakaway league.
July 1991: Founder Members Agreement
On 17 July 1991, the Founder Members Agreement was signed by top-flight clubs, establishing the basic principles for setting up the FA Premier League.
1991: Teams Relegated and Promoted
At the end of the 1991–92 season, Luton Town, Notts County, and West Ham United were the three teams relegated from the old First Division, while Ipswich Town, Middlesbrough, and Blackburn Rovers were promoted from the old Second Division.
1991: Manchester United wins the Cup Winners' Cup
In 1991, UEFA lifted the five-year ban on English clubs playing in European competitions, and Manchester United won the Cup Winners' Cup.
1991: Expansion to 22 teams
In 1991–92 season, the top flight had been expanded to 22 teams, the year prior to the formation of the Premier League.
February 1992: FA Premier League Founded
In February 1992, the FA Premier League was founded, following a decision by First Division clubs to break away from the English Football League.
May 1992: Formation of the FA Premier League
On 27 May 1992, the 22 First Division clubs resigned en masse from the Football League, and the FA Premier League was formed as a limited company.
1992: Foreign Player Influx
At the inception of the Premier League in 1992–93, just 11 players named in the starting line-ups for the first round of matches hailed from outside of the United Kingdom or Ireland.
1992: Clubs that have played in the Premier League since its inception
From the Premier League's inception in 1992, up to and including the 2025-26 season, fifty-one clubs have played in it.
1992: Broadcasting rights assigned to Sky
In 1992, the Premier League made the decision to assign broadcasting rights to Sky which was a radical decision, but it proved successful.
1992: Inception of the Premier League
In 1992, the Premier League was established, and since its inception, fifty-one clubs have participated in the league.
1992: Attendance in the Premier League's first season
In the Premier League's first season (1992–93), the average attendance was 21,126.
1992: Inaugural Premier League Season
Since the first Premier League season in 1992–93, 23 players from 11 clubs have won or shared the top scorer title.
1992: Teams in the Premier League championships
There are 51 teams that have taken part in 34 Premier League championships that were played from the 1992–93 season until the 2025–26 season.
1993: United's Dominance Challenged
Between 1993 and 1997, Blackburn Rovers and Newcastle United came closest to challenging Manchester United's early dominance.
1993: Carling becomes Premier League sponsor
From 1993, the Premier League was sponsored by Carling until 2001, during which time it was known as the FA Carling Premiership.
1994: Changes in Relegation and Promotion
At the end of the 1994–95 season, four clubs were relegated instead of three, while only two were promoted from the Football League First Division.
1994: Topps gets license to produce collectables
In 1994, Topps obtained the license to create Premier League collectables, including stickers for sticker albums and trading cards.
1994: Leicester City Wins League
In 2015–16, Leicester City became the first non-"Big Six" champion since Blackburn in 1994–95.
1994: Blackburn Rovers won the League
In the 1994–95 FA Premier League, Blackburn, led by Alan Shearer, won the title.
1994: Taylor Report Deadline
The capacities of most stadiums were reduced as clubs replaced terraces with seats in order to meet the Taylor Report's 1994–95 deadline for all-seater stadiums.
1995: Blackburn Won Premier League
In 1994-95, Blackburn, led by Alan Shearer, won the FA Premier League.
1995: Reduction in Premier League Size
In 1995, the Premier League reduced its size from 22 to 20 clubs for the start of the 1995–96 season, reducing the number of matches per team.
1996: Arsène Wenger Joins Arsenal
In 1996, Arsène Wenger became the manager of Arsenal in the Premier League.
1996: Newcastle Signs Alan Shearer
In the summer of 1996, Newcastle signed Alan Shearer for a then world-record fee of £15 million.
1997: All promoted clubs relegated
During the 1997-98 Premier League season, all three promoted clubs were relegated by the season's end.
1997: Arsenal's Emergence
In 1997–98, Arsenal emerged as serious contenders by winning the League and FA Cup double.
1997: Increased Sky television rights contract
Starting from the 1997–98 season, the Sky television rights contract increased to £670 million over four seasons.
1998: Wimbledon's attempted relocation to Dublin
In 1998, Wimbledon received Premier League approval to relocate to Dublin, Ireland, but the move was blocked by the Football Association of Ireland.
1998: Manchester United's Historic Treble
In the 1998–99 season, Manchester United completed a historic treble by winning the Premier League, FA Cup, and UEFA Champions League.
July 1999: Restrictive Practices Court investigation
In July 1999, the UK Restrictive Practices Court investigated the Premier League's method of selling rights collectively but concluded that the agreement was not against the public interest.
December 1999: Chelsea fields all-foreign starting lineup
On 26 December 1999, Chelsea became the first Premier League side to field an entirely foreign starting line-up.
1999: Home Office Tightens Work Permit Rules
In 1999, in response to concerns that clubs were increasingly passing over young English players in favour of foreign players, the Home Office tightened its rules for granting work permits to players from countries outside of the European Union.
2000: Arsenal Runner-up UEFA Cup/Europa League
Between 2000 and 2010, four Premier League teams reached the final of the UEFA Cup/Europa League, with Arsenal finishing as runner-up in 2000.
2000: Foreign Players in Premier League
By 2000–01, the number of foreign players participating in the Premier League was 36% of the total.
2000: Manchester United Wins League
In the 1999–2000 season, Manchester United won the league title.
2000: Leeds United Reach Semi-Finals
In the 2000–01 season, Leeds United reached the semi-finals of the Champions League.
2001: Billion-pound deal with BSkyB
From 2001 to 2004, the Premier League had a £1.024 billion deal with BSkyB for three seasons.
2001: Barclaycard becomes Premier League sponsor
In 2001, a new sponsorship deal with Barclaycard saw the league rebranded the FA Barclaycard Premiership.
2001: Arsenal Claims League Title
In the 2001–02 season, Arsenal claimed the league title.
2001: No promoted team relegated
The 2001–02 Premier League season was an exception to the trend of promoted teams being relegated in their first season.
2002: Office of Fair Trading investigation
In 2002, the Office of Fair Trading investigated the TV rights agreement between the Premier League and Sky and found BSkyB dominant but found insufficient grounds to claim abuse of its position.
2002: Arsenal Claims League Title
In the 2001–02 season, Arsenal claimed the league title.
2003: Arsenal Claims League Title
In the 2002–03 season, Manchester United won the league title.
2004: International rights sale
From 2004 to 2007, the Premier League brought in £320 million from the sale of its international television rights.
2004: Special Gold Trophy for Arsenal
In 2004, a special gold version of the trophy was commissioned to commemorate Arsenal winning the title without a single defeat.
2004: Rebranding to FA Barclays Premiership
In 2004, the league was changed to the FA Barclays Premiership.
2004: Arsenal's Invincible Season
In the 2003–04 season, Arsenal completed an unbeaten season, earning them the nickname "The Invincibles".
2004: Chelsea's Record-Breaking Season
In the 2004–05 season, Chelsea achieved a record-breaking 95-point haul.
2004: Foreign Players in Premier League
In the 2004–05 season, the number of foreign players participating in the Premier League was 45% of the total.
February 2005: Arsenal Names All-Foreign Squad
On 14 February 2005, Arsenal were the first Premier League side to name a completely foreign 16-man squad for a match.
2005: Liverpool Wins Champions League
Between 2005 and 2012, an English side reached seven of eight Champions League finals, with Liverpool winning in 2005.
2005: Liverpool given special dispensation for Champions League entry
In 2005, after Liverpool won the Champions League but did not finish in a Champions League qualification place in the Premier League, UEFA gave them special dispensation to enter the Champions League, giving England five qualifiers.
2005: Chelsea Wins League Title
In the 2004–05 season, Chelsea rose to prominence under José Mourinho and won the league title.
2005: Thierry Henry wins scoring title
Thierry Henry won his fourth overall scoring title by scoring 27 goals in the 2005–06 season.
June 2006: FIFA requests reduction in league teams
On June 8, 2006, FIFA requested that all major European leagues, including the Premier League, be reduced to 18 teams by the start of the 2007–08 season.
August 2006: Setanta Sports awarded rights
In August 2006, Setanta Sports was awarded rights to show two out of six packages of Premier League matches, breaking Sky's monopoly.
2006: Middlesbrough Runner-up UEFA Cup/Europa League
Between 2000 and 2010, four Premier League teams reached the final of the UEFA Cup/Europa League, with Middlesbrough finishing as runner-up in 2006.
2006: Arsenal Runner-up Champions League
In 2006, Arsenal finished as runners-up in the Champions League.
2006: Manchester United Wins League
In the 2006–07 season, Manchester United won the league title.
2006: Manchester United's Consecutive Title Wins
Starting in 2006, Manchester United achieved three consecutive title wins (2006–07 to 2008–09).
2007: League rebranded as Barclays Premier League
For the 2007–08 season, the league was rebranded the Barclays Premier League.
2007: Sky and Setanta rights
From 2007 to 2010, Sky and Setanta paid £1.7 billion for Premier League rights, with Sky retaining a majority of the packages.
2007: Liverpool Runner-up Champions League
In 2007, Liverpool finished as runners-up in the Champions League.
2007: Premier League resists reduction
In 2007, the Premier League announced its intention to resist FIFA's request to reduce the number of teams. Ultimately, the 2007–08 season kicked off again with 20 teams.
2007: Manchester United Wins League
In the 2007–08 season, Manchester United won the league title.
2007: Topps' Match Attax launched
In the 2007–08 season, Topps launched Match Attax, the official Premier League trading card game, which became the best-selling boys' collectable in the UK and the biggest-selling sports trading card game worldwide.
2008: Manchester United Wins Champions League
Between 2005 and 2012, an English side reached seven of eight Champions League finals, with Manchester United winning in 2008.
2008: Sheikh Mansour Buys Manchester City
In 2008, the rise of billionaire owners, including Sheikh Mansour at Manchester City, began reshaping the league's financial landscape.
June 2009: ESPN awarded UK rights
On 22 June 2009, ESPN was awarded two packages of UK rights containing 46 matches for the 2009–10 season and a package of 23 matches per season from 2010 to 2013 after Setanta Sports failed to meet a payment deadline.
2009: Tottenham Joins Top Four
After 2009, Tottenham Hotspur regularly broke into the top four. In the 2009–10 season, Tottenham finished fourth.
2009: English players ratio
By 2009, under 40% of the players in the Premier League were English.
2009: Manchester United Runner-up Champions League
In 2009, Manchester United finished as runners-up in the Champions League.
2009: Premier League revenue
In the 2009–10 season, the Premier League had the highest revenue of any football league, with total club revenues of €2.48 billion.
2010: Introduction of Squad Registration Rules
As of the 2010–11 season, the Premier League introduced new rules mandating that each club must register a maximum 25-man squad of players aged over 21, with the squad list only allowed to be changed in transfer windows or in exceptional circumstances.
2010: Fulham Runner-up UEFA Cup/Europa League
Between 2000 and 2010, four Premier League teams reached the final of the UEFA Cup/Europa League, with Fulham finishing as runner-up in 2010.
2010: Premier League media income
From 2007 to 2010, Premier League clubs had an average media income from league games of around £40 million per year.
2010: Premier League wins Queen's Award for Enterprise
In 2010, the Premier League was awarded the Queen's Award for Enterprise in the International Trade category for its international trade contribution and its value to English football and the UK's broadcasting industry.
2010: Television rights purchased for £1.782 billion
Television rights alone for the period from 2010 to 2013 were purchased for £1.782 billion.
August 2011: First Welsh club and match in Premier League
In August 2011, Swansea City gained promotion, marking the first time a Welsh club participated in the Premier League. The first Premier League match to be played outside England was Swansea City's home match against Wigan Athletic on August 20, 2011.
2011: Manchester United Runner-up Champions League
In 2011, Manchester United finished as runners-up in the Champions League.
2011: Blackburn Rovers Relegation
In 2011–12 Blackburn Rovers were relegated. In the 2022–23 season, Leicester City were relegated, becoming only the second Premier League-winning club to go down since Blackburn Rovers in 2011–12.
2011: Manchester City Wins League
In the 2011–12 season, Manchester City's title win was the first by a club outside the "Big Four" since Blackburn Rovers in 1994–95.
2011: UEFA Champions League
In the five seasons after 2011–12, Manchester United and Liverpool missed the top four three times.
2011: No promoted team relegated
The 2011–12 Premier League season was another exception to the trend of promoted teams being relegated in their first season.
June 2012: BT awarded games per season
On 13 June 2012, the Premier League announced that BT had been awarded 38 games a season for the 2013–14, 2014–15 and 2015–16 seasons at £246 million-a-year.
December 2012: Premier League clubs agree to cost controls
In December 2012, Premier League clubs agreed in principle to radical new cost controls, including a break-even rule and a cap on the amount clubs can increase their wage bill each season, to prevent new television deals revenue going to players and agents.
2012: Alex Ferguson's Retirement
Alex Ferguson managed 810 matches with Manchester United from the Premier League's inception to his retirement at the end of the 2012–13 season.
2012: Chelsea Wins Champions League
Between 2005 and 2012, an English side reached seven of eight Champions League finals, with Chelsea winning in 2012.
2012: Chelsea qualifies for Champions League after winning it
In 2012, Chelsea, who had won the Champions League that summer but finished sixth in the league, qualified for the 2012–13 Champions League in place of Tottenham Hotspur, who went into the Europa League.
2013: All Premier League clubs in the top 40 globally
By the end of the 2013–14 season, all 20 Premier League clubs were in the top 40 richest clubs globally, due to increased broadcasting revenue.
2013: BT awarded games per season
In 2013, BT was awarded 38 games a season for the 2013–14, 2014–15 and 2015–16 seasons at £246 million-a-year.
2013: NBC Sports Acquires Premier League Rights
In 2013, NBC Sports acquired the rights to broadcast the Premier League in the United States, replacing Fox Soccer and ESPN. NBC Sports coverage has been widely praised.
2013: Swansea takes Europa League place
In 2013–14 Swansea took one of England's three available places in the Europa League by winning the League Cup in 2012–13.
2013: Premier League clubs make net profit
In the 2013–14 season, Premier League clubs collectively made a net profit exceeding £78 million due to improved television revenues and cost controls.
2013: Cardiff City gains promotion
In the 2013–14 season, the number of Welsh clubs in the Premier League increased to two as Cardiff City gained promotion.
2013: Increased parachute payments
Starting with the 2013–14 season, relegated Premier League clubs received over £60 million in parachute payments over four seasons.
2014: BT awarded games per season
In 2014, BT was awarded 38 games a season for the 2013–14, 2014–15 and 2015–16 seasons at £246 million-a-year.
June 2015: Barclays ends Premier League sponsorship
On June 4, 2015, Barclays announced that its deal with the Premier League would expire at the end of the 2015–16 season. They would not pursue any further title sponsorship deals for the Premier League.
2015: Europa League champions qualify for Champions League
From 2015–16, the Europa League champions qualify for the Champions League, increasing the maximum number of participants per country to five.
2015: NBC Extends Premier League Broadcast Deal
In 2015, NBC Sports reached a six-year extension with the Premier League to broadcast the league until the end of the 2021–22 season in a deal valued at $1 billion (£640 million).
2015: Licensing deal value rose
In 2015, the value of the licensing deal rose by 70.2%, when Sky and BT paid £5.136 billion to renew their contracts with the Premier League for another three years up to the 2018–19 season.
2015: Leicester City Wins League
In 2015–16, Leicester City defied 5000/1 odds to win the league, becoming the first non-"Big Six" champion since Blackburn in 1994–95.
August 2016: The Premier League Show announced
In August 2016, it was announced the BBC would be creating a new magazine-style show for the Premier League entitled The Premier League Show.
2016: Central payments for 2016-17 season
Central payments for the 2016–17 Premier League season amounted to £2,398,515,773 across the 20 clubs, with each team receiving a flat participation fee, TV broadcast payments, commercial rights, and a merit-based component.
2016: Europa League winners impacting Champions League
From 2015–16, the Europa League champions qualify for the Champions League, increasing the maximum number of participants per country to five. This took effect in England in 2016–17.
2016: End of BBC's highlights package
In 2016, the BBC's highlights package on Saturday and Sunday nights and other evenings came to an end.
2016: Arsenal Misses Top Four
In 2016–17, Arsenal's fifth-place finish ended their 20-year top-four streak.
2016: TV Broadcast Deals
In 2016–17, TV broadcast deals accounted for a large portion of club revenues, with the top clubs earning between £150 million and nearly £200 million.
May 2017: Burnley finished 16th
In May 2017, Burnley finished 16th in the Premier League and received a merit payment of £9,708,045 based on their league position.
2017: Arsène Wenger's Departure Announcement
Arsène Wenger, the longest-serving manager, was in charge of Arsenal in the Premier League from 1996 to his departure at the conclusion of the 2017–18 season.
2017: Milestone Awards Introduced
From the 2017–18 season, players receive a milestone award for 100 appearances and every century thereafter and also players who score 50 goals and multiples thereof.
2017: Cadbury becomes official snack partner
In 2017, Cadbury became the official snack partner of the Premier League and sponsored the Golden Boot, Golden Glove, and Playmaker of the Season awards from the 2017–18 to 2019-20 season.
2017: Cardiff promoted again
In 2017-18 Cardiff were promoted again but the number of Welsh clubs remained the same for the 2018-19 Premier League season.
2017: Manchester United gives England five Champions League entrants
In 2017-18, Manchester United finished sixth in the Premier League and won the Europa League, giving England five Champions League entrants for 2017–18.
2017: No promoted team relegated
The 2017–18 Premier League season was another exception to the trend of promoted teams being relegated in their first season.
February 2018: BT and Sky awarded rights for 2019-20 season
In February 2018, BT was awarded the package of 32 lunchtime fixtures on Saturdays, while Sky was awarded four of the seven packages covering the majority of weekend fixtures for the 2019-20 season.
June 2018: Amazon Prime Video and BT acquire remaining packages
In June 2018, Amazon Prime Video and BT acquired the remaining two packages for the 2019-20 season, with Amazon acquiring rights to 20 matches per-season.
October 2018: Panini awarded license to produce collectables from 2019-20 season
In October 2018, Panini were awarded the licence to produce collectables from the 2019–20 season.
2018: Licensing deal renewed with Sky and BT
In 2015, the value of the licensing deal rose by 70.2%, when Sky and BT paid £5.136 billion to renew their contracts with the Premier League for another three years up to the 2018–19 season.
2018: Swansea City relegated
In 2017-18 Swansea City had been relegated from the Premier League; therefore, the number of Welsh clubs remained the same for the 2018-19 Premier League season. Following Cardiff City's relegation after the 2018–19 season, there are currently no Welsh clubs participating in the Premier League.
2018: Average Player Wage
In the 2018–19 season the average annual salary stood at £2.99 million.
2018: Total Salary Bill
The total salary bill for the 20 Premier League clubs in the 2018–19 season was £1.62 billion.
December 2019: Richard Masters appointed chief executive
In December 2019, Richard Masters was appointed as the chief executive of the Premier League.
2019: "Big Six" Clubs Ranked
By 2019, all "Big Six" clubs ranked in the world's top ten richest.
2019: Rights cycle since 2019-20 season
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, rights remained as they were since the 2019–20 Premier League season for the 2022-23 to 2024-25 cycle.
2019: Panini awarded license to produce collectables
In 2019, Panini was awarded the license to produce Premier League collectables, taking over from Topps starting with the 2019–20 season.
2019: Premier League television rights revenue
In 2019, the Premier League generated approximately £3.1 billion per year in domestic and international television rights.
2019: Introduction of Video Assistant Referees and Liverpool's Premier League Title
In 2019, video assistant referees (VAR) were introduced to the Premier League. Also during the 2019-2020 season, Liverpool secured their first Premier League title, ending a 30-year wait for a top-flight trophy.
2019: All matches to be carried on television
In 2019, with the resumption of play in the 2019–20 Premier League due to the COVID-19 pandemic in the United Kingdom, the Premier League announced that all remaining matches would be carried on British television.
2019: Introduction of VAR in the Premier League
In the 2019–20 season, Video Assistant Referee (VAR) was introduced to the Premier League. It uses technology and officials to assist the referee in making decisions on the pitch. However, its use has been met with mixed receptions from fans and pundits.
2019: Young Player of the Season Award Introduced
The Young Player of the Season award is given to the most outstanding U-23 player starting from the 2019–20 season.
2019: New rights cycle began
The new rights cycle for Premier League broadcasting began in the 2019–20 season, increasing the domestic package to 200 matches overall.
February 2020: Nationalities in Premier League
By February 2020, 117 different nationalities had played in the Premier League, and 101 nationalities had scored in the competition.
October 2020: Announcement of Project Big Picture
In October 2020, Manchester United and Liverpool announced Project Big Picture, a proposal for closer alignment between top Premier League clubs and the English Football League, which drew criticism from Premier League leadership and the UK Department for Culture, Media and Sport.
2020: Coca-Cola sponsors awards
During the 2020–21 season, The Coca-Cola Company, under its Coca-Cola Zero Sugar product line, sponsored the Golden Boot, Golden Glove, and Playmaker of the Season awards.
2020: Start of period with two English Champions League wins
From 2020 to 2024, English clubs won the UEFA Champions League twice.
2020: Continuation of broadcasting matches
In 2020, as matches continued to be played without spectators due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Premier League clubs voted to continue broadcasting all matches through at least September of the 2020-21 season.
January 2021: Introduction of GBE Requirements
Following the implementation of Brexit in January 2021, new regulations were introduced which require all foreign players to obtain a Governing Body Endorsement (GBE) in order to play football in the United Kingdom, regardless of EU status.
April 2021: Leicester City v Crystal Palace match paused for Ramadan fast
On April 26, 2021, play paused during a Leicester City v Crystal Palace match to allow Muslim players Wesley Fofana and Cheikhou Kouyaté to break their Ramadan fast, believed to be the first time a Premier League game was halted for this reason.
May 2021: Richard Masters opposes independent regulator
In May 2021, Premier League chief executive Richard Masters spoke out against the implementation of an independent regulator, defending the Premier League's role as regulator of its clubs.
July 2021: Tracey Crouch announces interim findings on football governance
On July 22, 2021, Tracey Crouch MP announced that the Premier League had "lost the trust and confidence" of fans. The review also recommended that a new independent regulator be created to oversee matters such as club takeovers.
July 2021: Criticism of Premier League over Newcastle United takeover
On July 6, 2021, consortium member Amanda Staveley of PCP Capital Partners criticized the Premier League for its lack of transparency and accountability after the league blocked the attempted takeover of Newcastle United by a PIF-backed consortium.
November 2021: NBC Extends Premier League Broadcast Deal
In November 2021, NBC reached a six-year extension with the Premier League through 2028 in a deal valued at $2.76 billion (£2 billion), continuing their broadcast of the league in the United States.
2021: Castrol becomes award sponsor
As of the 2021–22 season, Castrol became the sponsor of the Golden Boot, Golden Glove, and Playmaker of the Season awards.
2021: Premier League Broadcast Rights Awarded
In 2021, broadcast rights for the Premier League in China were awarded to iQiyi, Migu, and CCTV, marking the beginning of their coverage from the 2021-22 season.
2021: Chelsea wins Champions League
In the 2021 final, Chelsea defeated Manchester City in the UEFA Champions League.
2021: New Awards Introduced in 2021-22 Season
Starting with the 2021–22 season, four new awards were given: Save of the Season, Game Changer of the Season, Most Powerful Goal, and Most Improbable Comeback.
2021: Previous attendance record broken
The 2022–23 season also set a competition record for total attendance with more than 15 million spectators, with average attendance also reaching record levels, surpassing the previous record of 39,989 set in the 2021–22 season.
2022: Record Attendances in 2022-23 Season
During the 2022-23 season, average attendances across the Premier League clubs were 40,235 for Premier League matches with an aggregate attendance of 15,289,340. This season also set a competition record for total attendance with more than 15 million spectators.
2022: FuboTV acquires Canadian media rights
In 2022, FuboTV became the owner of the Canadian media rights to the Premier League, taking over from Sportsnet, TSN, and DAZN.
2022: Real Madrid defeats Liverpool
In 2022, Real Madrid defeated Liverpool in the UEFA Champions League.
2022: 2022-23 season paused for World Cup
In 2022, the 2022–23 season paused for six weeks between November and December to accommodate the first winter World Cup, returning for the traditional Boxing Day fixtures. That season players chose to take the knee at select "significant moments", reaffirming their commitment to ending racial prejudice.
2022: Rights renewed without tender
In 2022, the rights cycle between 2022–23 and 2024–25 season was renewed without tender due to compelling and exceptional circumstances in light of the COVID-19 pandemic.
2022: Record international rights earnings
In the cycle spanning from 2022 to 2025, the Premier League achieved a record £5.6 billion from international rights.
2022: No promoted team relegated
The 2022–23 Premier League season was another exception to the trend of promoted teams being relegated in their first season.
May 2023: Erling Haaland's Record
As of 15 May 2023, Erling Haaland holds the record for most goals in a Premier League season (38 matches) with 36 goals.
2023: Premier League Stadiums in 2023-24 Season
As of the 2023-24 season, Premier League football has been played in 61 stadiums since the formation of the division.
2023: Central Payments to Premier League Clubs
As of the 2023–24 season, Premier League clubs received central payments totaling £2.8 billion, with additional solidarity payments made to relegated EFL clubs.
2023: All promoted clubs relegated
During the 2023-24 Premier League season, all three promoted clubs were relegated by the season's end.
2023: Premier League representatives in UEFA's European Club Association
For the 2023–24 season, the Premier League has 13 representatives in UEFA's European Club Association: Arsenal, Aston Villa, Brighton & Hove Albion, Chelsea, Everton, Liverpool, Manchester City, Manchester United, Newcastle United, Nottingham Forest, Tottenham Hotspur, West Ham United, and Wolverhampton Wanderers.
2023: Manchester City wins Champions League
In 2023 Manchester City beat Inter Milan in the UEFA Champions League.
2023: Manchester City wins fourth consecutive title
In 2023-2024 season, Manchester City won the Premier League for the sixth time in seven years, becoming the first top-flight side in English football history to win four consecutive league titles.
2023: Alison Brittain becomes Premier League chair
In early 2023, Alison Brittain took over the role of chair of the Premier League.
October 2024: Government to regulate Premier League club stadium sales
In October 2024 it was reported that the government is planning to grant the independent regulator authority to stop Premier League clubs from selling their stadiums to affiliated or third-party companies.
November 2024: Premier League to end agreement with IMG
On 22 November 2024, the Premier League announced plans to end its agreement with IMG and take Premier League Productions in-house beginning in 2026–27.
2024: Premier League Attendance
As of the 2024–25 season, the Premier League has the highest average and aggregate match attendance of any association football league in the world, at 40,421 per game.
2024: All promoted clubs relegated
During the 2024-25 Premier League season, all three promoted clubs were relegated by the season's end.
2024: Real Madrid defeats Borussia Dortmund
In 2024, Real Madrid also won the competition twice, defeating Borussia Dortmund.
2024: Rights renewed without tender
In 2024, the rights cycle between 2022–23 and 2024–25 season was renewed without tender due to compelling and exceptional circumstances in light of the COVID-19 pandemic.
2024: Liverpool secures Premier League title and record UEFA Champions League qualification
In the 2024–25 season, Liverpool secured their second Premier League title. The same season saw a record six English clubs qualify for the UEFA Champions League — made possible by Tottenham Hotspur winning the Europa League and the Premier League's strong UEFA coefficient earning an extra spot.
June 2025: UEFA coefficients
As of June 1, 2025, UEFA coefficients were calculated for the top five European leagues.
2025: Clubs that have played in the Premier League since its inception
From the Premier League's inception in 1992, up to and including the 2025-26 season, fifty-one clubs have played in it.
2025: Puma becomes official ball supplier
In 2025, Puma became the official ball supplier for the Premier League, taking over the contract from Nike for the 2025–26 season.
2025: New TV rights deal
In 2025, the Premier League's domestic television rights deal is expected to rise to £6.7 billion, covering the period from 2025 to 2029.
2025: Teams competing in the 2025-26 season
In the 2025–26 season, twenty clubs are competing - the top seventeen from the previous season and three promoted from the Championship.
2025: Teams in the Premier League championships
There are 51 teams that have taken part in 34 Premier League championships that were played from the 1992–93 season until the 2025–26 season.
2025: Teams in the English top flight championships
There are 65 teams that have taken part in 127 English top flight championships that were played from the 1888-89 season until the 2025-26 season.
2025: End of broadcast deals
Until 2025, broadcasters to continental Europe include Canal+ for France, Sky Sport Germany for Germany and Austria, Match TV for Russia, Sky Sport Italy for Italy, Eleven Sports for Portugal, DAZN for Spain, beIN Sports Turkey to Turkey, Digi Sport for Romania, and NENT to Nordic countries (Sweden, Denmark and Norway), Poland and the Netherlands.
2026: Premier League takes productions in-house
The Premier League will end its agreement with IMG and take Premier League Productions in-house beginning in the 2026–27 season.
2028: End date of NBC's Broadcast Deal
In November 2021, NBC reached a six-year extension with the Premier League through 2028 in a deal valued at $2.76 billion (£2 billion). The deal ends in 2028.
2029: End of TV rights deal
In 2029, the Premier League's £6.7 billion domestic television rights deal (starting in 2025) will end.
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