June 17th 2024.
As the football world eagerly awaits the upcoming Euro 2024 in Germany, Premier League fans are also buzzing with excitement for the release of next season's fixtures. The 38-game schedule for each team will soon be unveiled, and fans can expect plenty of attention on opening-day fixtures, derby days, and the traditional Boxing Day program.
After their historic fourth consecutive title win, Manchester City will enter the season as the reigning Premier League champions under the guidance of Pep Guardiola. This season will also see the return of Leicester City and Southampton to the top-flight, while Ipswich Town will make their debut after 22 years.
For those wondering when the fixtures will be announced, the wait is almost over. The release is scheduled for Tuesday, 18th June at 9am BST. This season will consist of 33 weekends, four midweek rounds of matches, and one Bank Holiday Matchweek, with the first match on 17th August and the final day on 25th May, where all ten matches will kick off simultaneously, as per tradition.
One notable change from last season is the removal of the mid-season break, which was done in consultation with clubs who preferred a longer summer break. But how are the fixtures actually decided? Well, it's a process that involves a pairing grid and a computer.
Once the teams are confirmed, each club is placed in a pairing grid, which determines the dates they will be playing at home. The fixtures are then generated randomly by a computer, ensuring that in any five matches, there is a balance of three home and two away fixtures, or vice versa. The computer is also programmed to minimize travel on important dates like Boxing Day or New Year's Day, while also considering local derbies to avoid scheduling both club rivals to play at home at the same time.
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