Premier League 2026/27 Season Preview: Everything SA Fans Need to Know

Premier League 2026/27 season preview. The world’s most-watched league is back, and South Africa’s army of Premier League fans is ready for another season of drama. The 2026/27 campaign gets its traditional curtain-raiser in the Community Shield before the league kicks off — so here’s your guide to the title race, the top-four scrap, the new boys and the storylines that’ll dominate the SA sports-bar chat.

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The Title Race

The Premier League’s heavyweights are loaded again at the top. Manchester City and Arsenal have set the standard in recent seasons, with Liverpool never far away, and the arms race at the summit shows no sign of cooling. Expect the usual suspects to slug it out for the crown, with squad depth, a kind run with injuries and a fast start all likely to prove decisive over a punishing 38-game season. mwafrika.life

The Race for the Top Four

Below the title contenders, the fight for Champions League places is as fierce as ever. The likes of the chasing established clubs and ambitious challengers will scrap for every point, and with the financial and prestige rewards of European football on the line, the top-four battle often runs right to the final day.

The Promoted Clubs

Three newly-promoted sides step up to the big time, dreaming of a fairytale while bracing for a survival scrap. Recent seasons have shown just how hard staying up can be — but every year someone defies the odds.

The Community Shield Curtain-Raiser

Before the league begins, the traditional season-opener pits two of English football’s biggest names against each other. This year’s Community Shield is down as Manchester City face off against Arsenal on the 16^th of August for the first silverware of the campaign.

The South African Angle

Few countries follow the Premier League as passionately as South Africa. From early-afternoon SAST kick-offs perfect for weekend viewing to the fierce loyalties split across the big clubs, the EPL is woven into SA sporting life — and this season promises another nine months of must-watch football.

Our View

Expect the title to once again be a two- or three-horse race, but the beauty of the Premier League is its unpredictability further down — surprise packages, managerial dramas and last-day twists are all but guaranteed. Buckle up.

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La Fédération internationale de football a dénoncé "un effort concerté et continu de certains pour affaiblir la Fifa et son président" Gianni Infantino, samedi dans un communiqué. "Des informations publiées récemment comportaient des affirmations non étayées et des allégations manifestement fausses concernant la Fifa et son président. Les spéculations et les insinuations ne doivent pas être présentées comme des faits et la répétition d'une allégation ne la rend pas vraie", poursuit l'instance, sans préciser lesquelles.

Justin Marshall says getting to the fourth Test of Rugby’s Greatest Rivalry with the series still alive would already represent a significant achievement for the All Blacks.

The four-Test showdown begins at Ellis Park in Joburg on 22 August before moving to Cape Town Stadium and then FNB Stadium outside Soweto.

The fourth Test – and a potential series decider – will be staged at M&T Bank Stadium in Baltimore in the USA for commercial reasons.

Marshall knows better than most the importance of making a strong start to a Test series in South Africa.

The former scrumhalf was part of the 1996 All Blacks team that became the first from New Zealand to win a Test series in the Republic. The tourists won 23-19 at Kings Park before clinching the series a week later with a 33-26 triumph at Loftus Versfeld.

Speaking on The Verdict podcast, former Bok flank Schalk Burger suggested New Zealand would happily arrive in Baltimore with the series still undecided.

“From a series perspective, as a New Zealander, you’re thinking that’s where the decider’s got to be,” Burger said. “If it gets down to that, just imagine that.”

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Marshall immediately agreed.

“I think we’d be happy with that,” he said. “If we can get out of here having not lost the series by that stage, that would be a win, big time, for the All Blacks.”

Marshall said New Zealand’s approach in 1996 was built around striking first and forcing the Springboks to chase the series.

“When I was thinking about this tour and also replicating what we did, our full focus was winning that first Test because then you’re on the front foot in the series. The other team’s playing catch-up.”

MALLETT: All Blacks won’t let Boks scrum

That task will be particularly daunting this time, with the opening Test taking place at Ellis Park.

“You’re not surprised it’s Ellis Park – the home of Springbok rugby,” said Marshall. “Let’s face it, it’s where the Springboks just grow, if that’s ever possible, a bit taller and pump their chests out a bit further. It’s just got that feel about it.

“If Rassie or the coaching group had any input [in the schedule], they would go, ‘That first Test match in the series is huge for momentum.’

“I’m not surprised it’s Ellis Park. It makes that task of the All Blacks getting on the front foot a lot more daunting.”

FROM THE MAG: Springboks vs All Blacks – Why it matters

Photo: Esa Alexander/Reuters

The post ‘Reaching decider would be big win for All Blacks’ appeared first on SA Rugby magazine.

La 17e édition du Forum social mondial, organisée à Cotonou, s'est clôturée samedi 8 août après une toute dernière cérémonie à l’université d’Abomey-Calavi. Plus de 100 pays représentés, des centaines d'organisations présentes pendant trois jours avec l'objectif de débattre sur les grandes thématiques de notre temps : justice sociale, écologie politique, mobilisation citoyenne et mouvements sociaux, mais également les défis liés aux migrations. Si cet événement n’a pas vocation à présenter de grandes conclusions à son terme, il a été l’occasion pour bon nombre d’associations de travailler main dans la main et ainsi de bâtir leur future collaboration.