Best Starting Fixtures in FPL 2025/26 – Which Teams to Target Early
If you’re looking to get a jump on the competition, identifying the best starting fixtures in FPL 2025/26 is crucial. With the new Premier League season just around the corner, savvy Fantasy managers are already eyeing which teams have a favourable run in the opening Gameweeks.
In this article, we break down the standout fixture runs, highlight key teams to target, and help you build a strong foundation for your FPL campaign.
Sunderland
Newly promoted side Sunderland sit top of the Fantasy Football Scout fixture ticker heading into the new campaign. The Black Cats surprised a lot of football fans by not only reaching the Championship play-offs but by beating the then-heavy-favourites Sheffield United in the play-off final.
After all three promoted sides were relegated last season, Sunderland will be hoping to get off to a good start. As we can see, they have the potential to do that with matches against West Ham, Burnley, Brentford, Crystal Palace and Aston Villa.
Their easiest fixture appears to be against fellow promoted side Burnley, which could be their best opportunity to pick up three points.
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Aston Villa
Sitting second on the fixture is Aston Villa. Unai Emery and his men finished 6th in the 2024/25 season, just goal difference short of a Champions League spot.
Overall it was another excellent campaign for Aston Villa. With an average of just 1.5 goals per game and just nine clean sheets banked in the previous season though, many will be expecting improvements across the board.
Whilst matches against Newcastle in the opening round and Brentford immediately after that could be tricky, Aston Villa should be favourites going into clashes with Crystal Palace, Everton and Sunderland.
Chelsea
Chelsea will be hoping to start their campaign as they did their last. The Blues were considered title contenders at one point, but that soon dwindled along with their form.
It was a very strong end to the 24/25 season for Enzo Maresca’s side though. Their impressive away win to Nottingham Forest not only meant securing fourth place, but also Champions League football for the upcoming season.
We can see that Chelsea have a very appealing start to their season in terms of schedule. All five fixtures, especially when considering how much quality the Blues have, could hold lots of potential for their assets.
Brentford
It was another solid season from the Bees as they placed 10th in the Premier League. A lot of that was due to their scoring rate – after netting an average of 1.7 goals per match. Their defence left fans wanting more though as they produced just eight clean sheets.
Things could change dramatically for them in the new season though. Former manager Thomas Frank, who helped sustain Brentford’ position in the Premier League during the previous years has now left the club to join Tottenham.
There are even rumours that star player and penalty taker Bryan Mbeumo could also make the switch over.
Whilst things are in the air, they do have some great fixtures ahead. Brentford will fancy their chances against Nottingham Forest, Aston Villa and Chelsea, in addition to matches versus Sunderland and Fulham which they should win.
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