PREM fixtures: Northampton start title defence at home; Monday rugby returns

The 2026/27 PREM season, the ninth with Gallagher as the title sponsor, will kick off with a clash between last season’s top and bottom club, as reigning champions Northampton take on the re-energised Newcastle Red Bulls at Franklin’s Gardens, on Friday, 25 September.

New Red Bulls boss Dan McFarland couldn’t have asked for a more difficult start to his reign in charge, with the ex-Ulster man’s first-ever PREM game as a head coach pitting him against English rugby’s most dominant force in recent times.

However, Newcastle, albeit a very different-looking side to the one that will take to the field in the East Midlands, following a huge overhaul of their playing squad, gave a very good account of themselves when they last visited Saints in March, before going down 28-27.

With so many changes, the Red Bulls will no doubt take time to gel, but this isn’t the easy first hit out for Saints that many would have said it was 12 months ago.

Sharing the bill on the opening night, Harlequins host Bath in the other Friday night fixture in Round 1. It is the first of three road trips in the first four rounds for 2025 champions Bath.

The following day, 2026 beaten finalists Exeter are at home to Gloucester and Sale Sharks welcome Bristol to Salford, while Brendan Venter’s second tenure as Saracens boss begins away to Leicester on the Sunday.

Northampton head to Bristol in Round 2, while there is an early repeat of last year’s epic semi-final between Bath and Exeter at The Rec, which saw the Chiefs come from behind to become only the seventh away team to win in the play-off semi-finals.

Derby Weekend has been retained and is slated for Round 4, while Monday night rugby returns to the PREM for the first time in five years, with the 18th edition of traditional Big Game festive fixture between Harlequins and Northampton being played under the Allianz Stadium lights on Monday, 28 December, kick off 5pm.

Harlequins and Northampton were the last teams to play a PREM fixture on a Monday, with the Londoners winning 41-28, on 27 December, 2021.

Big Games 18 is one of five of the league’s showcase events, three of which will be played between Rounds 11-13.

Round 11 sees The Showdown 7 return, as Saracens host London rivals Harlequins. A week later, Gloucester and Leicester battle for the Slater Cup at a venue yet to be confirmed. Villa Park hosted the fixture last year but ongoing redevelopment work at the home of Aston Villa F.C may lead to it being played outside of Birmingham.

In Round 13, Bristol Bears’ Big Day Out continues in Cardiff, with PREM rugby putting a flag down in the Welsh capital once again for the West Country clash with Gloucester at the Principality Stadium.

All PREM matches will once again be broadcast on TNT Sports or the streaming platform, HBO Max, formerly known as Disney+.

Click HERE for the full fixture list for the 2026/27 PREM Rugby season.

Simon Massie-Taylor, CEO of PREM Rugby, said: “There’s huge momentum behind the Gallagher PREM heading into the new season, following a third consecutive sold-out final, significant international investment in our clubs, record broadcast audiences and soaring interest from younger fans.

“Today’s fixture release is the moment supporters can start looking to wards the season ahead – circling local derbies in calendars, planning away days and counting down to the return of the Gallagher PREM .

“From a fascinating opening night clash on TNT Sports between our champions and the ambitious Newcastle Red Bulls, through Derby Weekend, Festive Fixtures and our big stadium events, we’ve built a calendar that gives fans more occasions than ever to get behind their clubs.

“And following a landmark agreement to change our operating model earlier this year, we are well on the way with our plans to expand the league by the 2029/30 season.”