An explanation of the Premier League, the highest division of English football

The Premier League is the highest division of English football and attracts players from all over the world. It is widely regarded as the best league in the world due to its competitiveness and its unimaginably large global audience of almost 1 billion households in 189 countries.

• It consists of 20 teams that play against each other twice from August to May – once at home and once away.

• Teams receive points for each game: three for a win, one for a draw and zero for a loss. At the end of the season, the champion is crowned based on the team that has collected the most points. That’s right, no playoffs – even Coach Lasso was surprised.

In addition to the lack of a postseason, One of the biggest differences between European and North American leagues is a phenomenon known as relegation. Here’s how it works:

• Teams that finish in the bottom three of the Premier League are relegated to the second division, the Championship. The top two teams (and a third through a playoff) from the Championship are promoted to the Premier League.

Besides relegation, there are other ways to win (and lose) in English football. The top four finishers in the Premier League automatically qualify for the UEFA Champions League, a ten-month, midweek tournament featuring the best club teams from across Europe.

The Champions League is a true continental competition and a chance for English teams to see how they stack up against other European giants. Winning this tournament is considered the pinnacle of club football. No big deal.

And if that is not enough football, there are also country-specific cupsThe Football Association (FA) Cup has been contested for over 150 years and includes teams from up to 10 English leagues. And the best part? This tournament is known for its surprises.

• The Carabao Cup is another seasonal tournament involving only the top four leagues in the English football system. It is less majestic than the FA Cup, but it is the first trophy a team can win on their way to the quadruple.

Speaking of which, Premier League teams have the potential to win four trophies — a feat that no men’s team in modern European football has ever achieved. A treble (winning the Premier League, Champions League and domestic cup) alone takes teams into the elite class.

There are no guarantees in the Premier League, But it usually comes down to the following clubs, known as the “Big Six”.

🩵 Manchester City: The four-time defending champions are coached by the brilliant Pep Guardiola and boast a squad that reads like a cheat code. They may be consistently top of the table, but they are also in the midst of a financial investigation. Stay tuned.

💣 Arsenal: Last season’s runners-up will be hoping to end their title drought this year and with an impressive defence and a strong star-studded attack, manager Mikel Arteta may have all the ingredients to finally surpass his mentor and former boss Guardiola.

🔴 Liverpool: The bookies see the Reds as favourites, but their fans are not so sure. After the departure of their long-time manager Jürgen Klopp, top players have passed up signing for Liverpool. Perhaps new manager Arne Slot can prove the critics wrong and bring the fresh wind they need to compete at the top of the table.

🦢 Tottenham: Spurs have plenty of stars but no championships… yet. Much of last year was about filling the void left by Harry Kane after the superstar moved to German club Bayern Munich, but with plenty of young talent and newly signed striker Dominic Solanke in attack, it could be an exciting season for Spurs fans.

🦁 Chelsea: The Blues were on the wrong side of history last year, setting a club record for most goals conceded under the leadership of Mauricio Pochettino. With Pochettino now most likely heading across the pond to America to manage the USMNT, new coach Enzo Maresca has inherited quite a mess, meaning that qualifying for the Champions League alone would count as a win.

😈 Manchester United: Speaking of chaotic managerial situations, Erik ten Hag was not in charge of the Red Devils before they pulled off an unlikely FA Cup win last year, capping their worst ever league finish. Now, with a host of new signings and a solid midfield, we hope they can recreate the winning spirit of old.

💪 Erling Haaland, Manchester City: The striker is known for scoring goals in abundance and will be hoping to add a third consecutive top scorer title to his trophy cabinet. His speed, size and accurate finishing are a nightmare for Premier League defenders. The Norwegian scored an incredible 63 goals in 66 games during his two seasons at City.

🤩 Ollie Watkins, Aston Villa: After scoring the goal of the summer for England, Watkins is ready to make even more headlines after his club finished fourth last year. Everyone loves a good Villan.

🚀 Bukayo Saka, Arsenal: Saka, another top English player, showed a new maturity in addition to his goal-scoring ability and led his national team to the final of the 2024 Men’s European Championship. Now the 22-year-old has the goal of bringing a trophy to his boyhood club.

🧠 Rodriguez, Manchester City: Considered one of the best midfielders in the world, Rodri is the glue that holds Man City together. Last season he led the league in touches and passes and had gone 74 games and 474 days unbeaten for his club before City’s FA Cup defeat to United. As reliable as can be.