Fixtures released for 2025/26 Gallagher PREM season as champions Bath kick off at Harlequins
Updated 23/07/2025 at 11:05 GMT+1
The fixtures for the 2025/26 Gallagher PREM rugby season have been announced, with defending champions Bath opening their campaign away from home against Harlequins. Sale and Gloucester will play the very first match of the new season on Thursday, September 25, which is just one of many brilliant games to look forward to - all of which will be available on TNT Sports and discovery+.
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The Gallagher PREM - formally the Gallagher Premiership - kicks off on Thursday, September 25, with a host of brilliant match-ups across the opening weekend.
Rugby fans can start to mark their calendars now that the fixtures for the 2025/26 season have been announced, with plenty of eye-catching matches across the opening half of the season.
Defending champions Bath start their campaign away from home against Harlequins on the second night of action, after Sale Sharks take on Gloucester in the first match of the new season - live on TNT Sports and discovery+.
Newcastle and Saracens also play on Friday, September 26, where fans will be eager to see whether Owen Farrell immediately lines up now that he is back at his old club.
Even at home, that will be a tough opener for Newcastle, who finished bottom of the table last season.
Northampton Saints v Exeter Chiefs and Bristol Bears v Leicester Tigers are also slated for the opening weekend.
Last season saw Bath take the title, topping the table from Leicester, before deservedly beating the Tigers in the final at the Allianz Stadium, Twickenham.
But they start away from home this season, travelling to the Stoop to take on Harlequins before their fans will get to see the defending champions in action at the Rec on Friday, October 3.
As for the Tigers, they also start away from home at Bristol, before taking on Harlequins at home on the second weekend of action.
Sale and Bristol both made the semi-finals last season, and will be looking to go one better this year, while Saracens are still climbing back towards the top of the tree after a disappointing 2024-25 season saw them finish sixth in the table.
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There will be five initial rounds of action before a scheduled break during the Autumn Nations Series, which is live on TNT Sports.
The PREM returns on Friday, November 28 - with the traditional "Big Game" just before Christmas seeing Harlequins host Bristol bears on Saturday, December 20.
Sale and Harlequins will be playing on Boxing Day this year, with three matches on a bumper day of action on Saturday, December 27.
The ninth round of action will commence on January 2, 2026. And next March, 27-29, there will be three back-to-back marquee fixtures, including Gloucester v Leicester at Villa Park.
The run-in at the end of the season will see Bath take on Leicester in the final round of matches on Saturday, June 6.
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The PREM semi-finals will then take place from June 12-14, with the final scheduled for Saturday, June 20, at Twickenham.
"We are incredibly excited for the return of the Gallagher PREM and fans have plenty to look forward to with a number of appetising new additions to the fixture list for 2025/26," Simon Massie-Tayloe, Chief Executive of PREM rugby said.
"Kicking off the campaign with a Thursday night opener brings a fresh twist to our traditional curtain-raiser, and we’re looking forward to seeing Sale Sharks and Gloucester Rugby set the tone in style."
"We are very much looking forward to the new season, particularly with our new Gallagher PREM branding and we will be cheering on the teams at the kick off game in Salford in September and throughout the 2025/26 season," added Michael Rea, CEO of Gallagher in the UK.
"Last season was one of the best yet, seeing record attendances at games throughout the campaign and the final selling out in record time. Here's to another exhilarating and exciting season of Gallagher PREM action starting in just a few weeks."
Watch and stream the Gallagher PREM, Autumn Nations Series and Premiership Women's Rugby live on TNT Sports and discovery+
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