The latest Premier League announcement will impact Man Utd and Man City

Manchester City and Manchester United now know when their 2023/24 season will kick off. The Premier League schedule-makers have had their work cut out over recent years, first with the pandemic, which halted the season, leaving football having to catch up while ensuring the following season could start relatively on time.

League authorities then had to manage the 2022 World Cup, which takes place this winter, with domestic leagues having to take a month-long break during the season due to the unusual awarding of the world’s biggest competition to a country where it is too hot to play during the summer months.

But for the 2023/24 season, schedules will finally return to normal, with the Premier League confirming the key dates. Here’s what City and United fans need to know.

When will the 2023/24 season start and finish?

The Premier League season will get underway on August 12 and end on May 19, 2024. The start is one week later than this season as the schedule gets back to its pre-pandemic and pre-Qatar World Cup version. There will, however, be a winter break between January 13-20. Furthermore, no two rounds of matches over the Christmas and New Year period will take place within 48 hours, with festive games a little more spread out.

The Premier League statement

The Premier League have released the following statement over the schedule for the 2023/24 season. The statement read: “The Premier League 2023/24 season dates have been confirmed, with the campaign starting on Saturday 12 August 2023. The final match round of the campaign will be played on Sunday 19 May 2024, when all matches will kick off simultaneously as usual. The season schedule returns to normal following the COVID-19 pandemic and the FIFA World Cup 2022, which provided disruption during the previous three seasons.

“In keeping with commitments made to clubs this season to address the congested schedule across Christmas and New Year, no two rounds in this period will take place within 48 hours of each other.

“The schedule also provides for a return of the mid-season player break, which will take place between 13-20 January. The season will consist of 34 weekends, three midweek rounds and a Bank Holiday match round. The start date of Saturday 12 August allows 76 clear days from the end of 2022/23 season. With the Premier League finishing on 19 May 2024, it will also allow players rest between the end of the season and the international fixtures in June.”