The Premier League has confirmed that Thursday 20 August will be the release date for the upcoming season's fixtures. We will discover who we will be playing when for our 38 league games.

When does the season start and finish?

The season is set to start on Saturday 12 September and finish on Sunday 23 May 2021. December is set to be the busiest month for league fixtures with six games scheduled, including on Boxing Day and 28 December.

In January, one round of games will be split across the midweeks of Wednesday 13 January and Wednesday 20 January. There are further scheduled midweek rounds in February and May, with participation deep into cup competitions also set to guarantee more midweek football.

As ever, games are subject to change due to broadcast selection. Broadcast selections for the opening round will not be included in the release tomorrow. Selections will commence almost immediately after release with a view to announcing September live matches as soon as possible.

How are the Premier League fixtures decided?

There are a total of 380 matches and they are not simply randomly put together. The dates for international matches, European club competitions and FA competitions are factored in to leave the available dates to play league matches.

A fixture computer condenses the season into five 'sets' which are then reversed later in the season. Clubs cannot play more than two home or away games in a row, although rearrangements can sometimes lead to that. Many clubs are paired with another club and must never play at home in the same round of fixtures (Arsenal and Tottenham for example).

Fixtures are reviewed by the Association of Chief Police Officers and British Transport Police representatives before being confirmed.

Games will be subject to further changes for broadcast purposes.

2020/21 Premier League match round dates

Match Round 1: Saturday 12 September Match Round 2: Saturday 19 SeptemberMatch Round 3: Saturday 26 September Match Round 4: Saturday 3 October Match Round 5: Saturday 17 OctoberMatch Round 6: Saturday 24 October Match Round 7: Saturday 31 October Match Round 8: Saturday 7 November Match Round 9: Saturday 21 November Match Round 10: Saturday 28 November Match Round 11: Saturday 5 December Match Round 12: Saturday 12 December Match Round 13: Wednesday 16 December Match Round 14: Saturday 19 December Match Round 15: Saturday 26 December Match Round 16: Monday 28 December Match Round 17: Saturday 2 January Match Round 18a: Wednesday 13 January Match Round 19: Saturday 16 January Match Round 18b: Wednesday 20 January Match Round 20: Saturday 23 January Match Round 21: Saturday 30 JanuaryMatch Round 22: Wednesday 3 February Match Round 23: Saturday 6 February Match Round 24: Saturday 13 February Match Round 25: Saturday 20 February Match Round 26: Saturday 27 February Match Round 27: Saturday 6 March Match Round 28: Saturday 13 March Match Round 29: Saturday 20 March Match Round 30: Saturday 3 April Match Round 31: Saturday 10 April Match Round 32: Saturday 17 April Match Round 33: Saturday 24 April Match Round 34: Saturday 1 May Match Round 35: Saturday 8 May Match Round 36: Wednesday 12 May Match Round 37: Saturday 15 MayMatch Round 38: Sunday 23 May