Worst Starting Fixtures in FPL 2025/26 – Which Teams to Avoid Early
If you’re looking to get a jump on the competition, identifying the worst 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 an avoidable run in the opening Gameweeks.
In this article, we break down the worst fixture runs, highlight the teams to potentially avoiding, and help you build a strong foundation for your FPL campaign.
Manchester United
Manchester United endured a torrid season last time out under the help of new manager Ruben Amorim. Although advancing all of the way to the Europa League final and losing, they finished at the pits of the Premier League table in 15th.
We could well see the same dire form they produced towards the latter stage of their 24/25 campaign early on in the upcoming season. The Reds face matches against Arsenal, Manchester City and Chelsea in their first five matches – three of the top four 24/25 Premier League teams.
Even their match against Fulham could prove tricky. The only fixture they have good potential in is when they face newly promoted side Burnley, so avoiding them early on could be wise.
Arsenal
There is an argument that the best teams are never a hard avoid, even with tough fixtures, and Arsenal are one of them.
The Gooners enjoyed another fantastic season in the Premier League – in which they finished second. Their strong performance was helped by a scoring average of 1.8 goals per match and banking 13 clean sheets.
We can see that Arsenal come up against Manchester United and Leeds in their opening two fixtures. However, they then come up against Liverpool, Nottingham Forest and Manchester City after that.
Some may decide to invest in Arsenal assets for the first two matches, then sell up. Some could even decide to buy and hold them even through the tougher fixtures. But, many may completely avoid them in the hope their fixtures ease off.
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Bournemouth
Bournemouth took many by surpirse in 2024/25 – beating teams like Arsenal, Nottingham Forest and Newcastle during a campaign which saw them secure ninth.
During their campaign they averaged around 1.5 goals scored per match, and produced nine clean sheets.
That may be the case, but there are major question marks over them due to their schedule. Gameweek 1 sees the Cherries clash with 24/25 Premier League champions Liverpool. They also play Newcastle and Tottenham which could also be limiting for their assets.
FPL managers will likely be keen on seeing their player prices before making a final decision. But, currently, it could be quite difficult to feel hopeful for them.
Newcastle
Winning the FA Cup was a mammoth achievement for Newcastle, and they topped their season by securing Champions League football for the 25/26 campaign.
Eddie Howe has turned Newcastle into formidable opposition for any side, but the fact they clash with Aston Villa and Liverpool in the opening two Gameweeks doesn’t bode well for their appeal.
The Magpies schedule isn’t that bad though outside of Aston Villa and Liverpool. They then face newly promoted side Leeds, Wolves and Bournemouth after that.
