FPL 2026/27 is live — and the Gameweek 1 deadline is Friday 21 August, 18:30 UK time. With the fixtures loaded into our engine, here is our own fixture analysis for the opening five Gameweeks, built on our Fixture Ticker. Method in one line: we sum the official Fixture Difficulty Rating (FDR) of each club’s first five matches — the lower the total, the kinder the start.
The kindest starts (GW1–5)
- Liverpool (13) — Newcastle (a), Forest (h), Ipswich (a), Fulham (h), Bournemouth (a)
- Leeds (14) — Forest (a), Brentford (h), Brighton (a), Newcastle (h), Palace (h)
- Man City (14) — Bournemouth (h), Palace (a), Coventry (h), Man Utd (a), Sunderland (h)
- Man Utd (14) — Hull (a), Ipswich (h), Everton (a), Man City (h), Fulham (a)
- Spurs (14) — Brentford (a), Newcastle (h), Forest (a), Everton (h), Villa (h)
The toughest starts (GW1–5)
- Bournemouth (18) — starting away at Man City and closing the run at home to Liverpool
- Fulham (18) — Chelsea, Palace, Liverpool and Man Utd all inside five weeks
- Coventry (17) — the hardest welcome of the promoted trio: away at champions Arsenal in GW1 and away at Man City in GW3
- Arsenal, Hull, Ipswich, Sunderland (16)
Liverpool: the pick of the schedules
No club avoids trouble quite like Liverpool early on. Not a single opening fixture rates above FDR 3, with Ipswich away and Fulham at home the standouts. If you want premium Liverpool assets, the run supports going in from day one — with one caveat from our swing numbers below: their schedule stiffens from Gameweek 6 onwards, so plan your first review around then.
Manchester United: promoted opposition, twice, immediately
United open at Hull and then host Ipswich — back-to-back promoted opponents, both rated FDR 2. Apart from the derby at home to City in GW4, nothing in the opening five looks frightening. That double opening makes United attackers obvious Gameweek 1 candidates.
Manchester City: a captain’s calendar
City’s list is built for armband planning: three home fixtures rated FDR 3 or easier in the first five — Bournemouth (GW1), Coventry (GW3) and Sunderland (GW5). If you like mapping your captaincy several weeks ahead, those three home windows are the spine of it.
Leeds: a strong start with a warning label
Leeds play three of their first five at Elland Road and never face a fixture above FDR 3. But our swing numbers flash amber: their difficulty jumps by +4 from GW6–10 — the biggest deterioration in the league. Leeds assets look like a deliberate short-term play: ride the start, then get out before the schedule turns.
Arsenal: champions without a red carpet
The champions open at home to promoted Coventry — but Villa away (GW2) and Chelsea at home (GW3) arrive immediately after, and their GW1–5 total of 16 sits in the bottom half. The consolation: things ease from GW6. Chelsea, for their part, visit the Emirates in GW3 — the single hardest fixture any top side faces in the opening month.
Newcastle: the buy-later club
Newcastle’s start is front-loaded: Liverpool at home in GW1 and Spurs away in GW2 are the two hardest games of their opening run. From GW3 it opens up — Bournemouth (h), Leeds (a), Hull (h). If you rate Newcastle assets, the smart entry point looks like Gameweek 3, not Gameweek 1.
The swing report: who improves, who declines after GW5
Comparing GW1–5 with GW6–10 difficulty, the biggest movers are:
- Getting easier: Fulham (−6), Coventry (−5), Bournemouth (−4), Sunderland (−3). Write off their players for the opening month, then look again.
- Getting harder: Leeds (+4), Brighton (+3), Liverpool (+3), Man Utd and Spurs (+2). Enjoy the start, but have an exit plan.
The promoted trio: patience required
Coventry’s opening month is brutal (two FDR-5 away days at Arsenal and Man City), Hull host Man Utd immediately and then face Villa, Chelsea and Newcastle, while Ipswich get a gentle GW1 at home to Sunderland before the road climbs. On fixtures alone, none of the three invite early investment — revisit Coventry after their swing kicks in from GW6.
The bottom line
Build for the first five, but plan for the swing. Liverpool, United and City assets justify day-one investment; Leeds are a calculated short-term ride; Newcastle are a GW3 purchase; Fulham, Bournemouth and the promoted clubs go on the watchlist for later. Our Fixture Ticker, AI Player Rankings and Recommended Squad are all running on live 2026/27 data now — and for what’s new in the game this season, see our guide to the 2026/27 changes.