Complete Guide to Manchester City Fixtures for the 2025 Season

The 2025/26 football season is going to be a tremendous one, so get ready. Fans can now start making arrangements for derby days, European nights, and games that will decide the title now that Manchester City’s calendar is established. Manchester City has a lot of challenging games coming up that will test their depth and consistency, especially while Pep Guardiola is still in charge and new players have just joined the team.

The Best Parts Of The Premier League Schedule For 2025/26

The Premier League schedule was released on June 18, 2025, and City’s first game is away from home.

The Wolves (A) game on August 16, 2025, will be a tough start for the champions at Molineux, where they have never had an easy time.
First Home Game: Tottenham Hotspur (H), 23 August 2025—an early blockbuster at the Etihad.
Brighton (A), Manchester United (H), and Arsenal (A) are all on the agenda for a tough sequence of tests in September.
Football is busiest in December, when there are games against Aston Villa, Newcastle, and Liverpool.
The games against Arsenal (H) on April 19, 2026, and Chelsea (A) in May could be the ones that decide the title.

City doesn’t have a lot of time between these games, so it’s vitally important to keep the same players on the field and build momentum.

The Manchester Derbies

One of the most crucial dates is when the city rivals meet.

Etihad, September 20, 2025: First Derby City let United in early to show they were in command.
The second Derby will take place at Old Trafford on January 17, 2026. It will be a fight in the middle of the season that could shift the trajectory of the race for the title.

The city’s recent derby record has been good, but United is rebuilding and will use these games to prove how far they’ve come. Expect a lot of enthusiasm, attention from all over the world, and crowded stadiums.

The Big Six Fights

City has other big games against their main rivals besides the derbies:

Arsenal: They play away in September and again at home in April. In recent years, these games have been essential for deciding who wins the title.
Liverpool: They will play at Anfield on December 20, 2025, and at the Etihad in April. Klopp’s team always brings tactical fireworks.
Chelsea will play at Stamford Bridge in late May. If the title race comes down to the last few weekends, this game might be very critical.
Tottenham’s first home game will be in August, while the second leg will be in North London in early 2026.

These games shift the top half of the table every season and decide if City will defend their championship or try to win it back.

The League Phase of the Champions League for 2025/26

UEFA made changes to the Champions League for the 2025/26 season. City doesn’t play in groups as most teams do. Instead, they play in a single league phase where they pick eight teams. This is who they are fighting against:

The first game for the city is Napoli (H) on September 18, 2025. Kevin De Bruyne is back in Italy after transferring there in the offseason.
Monaco (A) – 1 October 2025, a spot where City has lost before.
Villarreal (A) on October 21, 2025, against a Spanish squad that is notorious for making things hard for other teams in Europe.
Borussia Dortmund (H)—A quick match against an old enemy.
Bayer Leverkusen (H)—the Bundesliga champions have a lot of firepower in attack.
Real Madrid (A)—The magnificent encounter, which is another chapter in their growing rivalry.
Galatasaray (A)—The weather in Istanbul is scorching, which will test City’s ability to stay calm.
Bodø/Glimt (H)—A new opponent, but one that is deadly and does well in Europe.

City must finish in the top eight in the league phase standings to move on to the last 16. You have to play an extra knockout round if you finish between 9th and 24th.

Cups at Home

City plays Huddersfield Town away from home in the third round of the EFL Cup (Carabao Cup). This is a tie that can be handled and might provide players who aren’t used to playing or are on the edge of the squad some time on the field.
FA Cup: There will be draws later, but Guardiola normally rotates his team while also really going after titles.

City have often won these competitions by using their depth to outlast their opponents. Expect academy players to play a large role in the game, especially in the first few rounds.

Fixture Congestion: The Real Deal About Competing on All Fronts

The city’s season has:

38 games in the Premier League
At least 8 games of the Champions League phase
The FA Cup and the EFL Cup have games.
There is a chance that they will play in the FIFA Club World Cup in the summer of 2025.

That requires at least 50 competitive matches, which are often played in a short amount of time. In the past, December and March have been the hardest months because there are games every three days. To keep things consistent, Guardiola will need to utilize different strikers, midfielders, and full-backs.

Making Plans for Fans and Travel

This season has the following for fans that travel:

European Away Days: Naples, Monaco, Villarreal, Madrid, and Istanbul are all well-known cities in Europe. There aren’t many tickets left, so make sure to plan your trip early.
Domestic Trips: Old Trafford, Anfield, and Stamford Bridge are still the hardest places to secure tickets for domestic travels. Planning ahead through recognized fans’ clubs is very crucial.
Etihad Atmosphere: Expect fun nights, especially when you play against Real Madrid, Arsenal, or United.

The fixture calendar is more than just a schedule of games; it’s a chance for supporters to have great times.

Title-Defining Fixtures

There are some games that could change the direction of the season:

Arsenal (H), April 19, 2026—This game could change the race for the crown.
Manchester United (A), January 17, 2026—A derby where form doesn’t always matter.
Liverpool (A), December 20, 2025— This is one of the best games in the Premier League history.
Chelsea (A), May 2026—If the title race goes down to the last few weeks, this could be the determining factor.

Winning these games could be the difference between being the best and the second best.

How to Keep Up with the Season Like a Pro

The Official Man City App lets you see live scores, get updates on tickets, and see changes to the itinerary.
You can find out about changes to the schedule because of TV coverage on the Premier League and UEFA webpages.
Supporters’ Clubs are the best way to purchase tickets to away games and arrange your trip.
Fans have a better time when they understand Guardiola’s lineup choices since they are more aware of how the team rotates players.
Be ready to adjust your plans: TV scheduling and cup progress often change at the last minute.

The Big Picture for the City in 2026 and 2027

City is the defending champion of the Premier League, but this year the competition is harder than ever. Arsenal is growing better, Liverpool is still a threat, and Chelsea is starting a new project from scratch. In the league phase in Europe, Real Madrid and Napoli are two of the hardest clubs to beat.

Manchester City’s schedule for 2025/26 is packed of challenging games against rivals, games on the road, and huge European nights. Guardiola’s main ambition is still to win the Champions League while also being the greatest in his own country. For fans, it’s a vacation full of drama, passion, and great football.