The release was sent out on 12:26 a.m. Eastern on Thursday – the day the U.S. Women’s National Team was set to take on Japan in the Olympics’ gold medal game. A rematch of the heartbreaking 2011 World Cup final, the only story in the U.S. women’s soccer world on Thursday was going to be the result at Wembley. Win, the country’s soccer fans would be euphoric. Lose, and they’d be disconsolate. Either way, nobody was going to care about a new league until Friday, at the earliest.
So it was that the diehards were informed the U.S. would once again have a professional women’s soccer league. This group of national teamers who continue to transcend the often narrow world of soccer fandom will have the chance to build on the mistakes of Women’s Professional Soccer. They will get the opportunity to maintain that connection on a weekly basis through next spring and summer. Next year, somewhere, we might be able to buy a ticket to see Alex Morgan, Megan Rapinoe, Abby Wambach and Hope Solo.
That’s pretty big news. It probably deserved more than a 12:26 a.m. press release. It probably deserved a coordinated roll out, some outreach to major media outlets (which wasn’t done), and some lead time and access for the likes of Beau Dure and Scott French – people who have consistently provided strong, mainstream coverage for women’s soccer – to give the development the attention it deserved.
Instead, the announcement was buried, predictably, as everybody focused on Wembley.
If it’s true that you never get a second chance to make a first impression, than the latest attempt at a professional league got lucky. Amongst what should be their target audience – those crucial, potential customers who’ll need to be converted to make the league more viable than WUSA or WPS – the league failed to make an impression, good or bad. Announced while most of their potential customers slept on Thursday, the new league is neither on the radar nor below it.
Three former WPS teams (Boston Breakers, Chicago Red Stars, and Sky Blue FC) will join a new team in Seattle (not the Sounders’ women) and four promised (but not identified) teams, with the league set to start play in spring 2013. The press release cited five firm commitments but failed to name a fifth team. At least one of the four other teams will be on the west coast.
At first blush, the release looked hasty, between the odd timing, the five versus four discrepancy, and an inability to identify its full lineup of clubs. The league doesn’t even have a name. Bill Predmore (who will own the new Seattle club) said “the brand is something of tremendous importance, so we’re going to take our time with it and [make] sure we get it right.” It’s a level of care inconsistent with launching a unnamed league in the middle of the night. Why publicize something if people won’t know what to call it?
The league’s organizers seemed intent on announcing the league on gold medal day, apparently under the assumption U.S. success could create momentum. Unfortunately, it didn’t. The people who know about the new league are diehards who would have known about it regardless of the day it was announced, people so well connected with the scene and each other than a single tweet on the Red Stars’ Twitter account would have informed the fanbase within hours.
The announcement was poorly executed, but if the organizers’ aspirations come to fruition, this bad start could go down as a cute footnote league’s history. It’s the context of that mistake, however, that’s most disturbing.
Organization and decision making will be as important to a new league as its financing and quality. One of the criticisms of previous attempts to establish a sustainable professional league was organizer naivete: That having loyal fans and recognizable stars would be enough to bring in more money, build enough notoriety – to make up for the little things.
After the failures of WUSA and WPS, we know the little things matter. When a group decides to announce a league that doesn’t have a name, can only identify half its teams, and goes public hoping to share the news with the U.S. Women’s National Team, those little things come into question.
Why couldn’t the announcement wait? If not until eight teams and a name could be finalized then at least until the U.S. Women weren’t playing for a gold medal? Where organizers really under the assumption they could share the podium with the national team?
Thankfully, most people won’t notice those details. The announcement made so little impact, the new league will get a mulligan. Later this summer, when all the details are finalized, they’ll have a chance to organize a proper media push that will get their message out. They can have a home for the league. They can have a spokesperson. They can invite U.S. Soccer representatives as well as a few name players they can assure fans will suit up come March 2013. They can have interviews set up, pieces in the can. They can have a website, Twitter account, and Facebook ready to go.
They can do it right. And thankfully, nobody will say “isn’t that the league that tried to do something on gold medal day?”
For me, one of the diehards, a 12:26 a.m. press release is fine. And the people who’ll need to be converted into diehards? They didn’t even notice the news. But in terms of avoiding the mistakes of the past – in terms of doing something right rather than merely doing it – Thursday was not a good start.
Disclosure: Two sites mentioned in this post have connections with ProSoccerTalk writers. I maintain a relationship with Equalizer Soccer, while Jenna Pel is the managing editor of All White Kit.
Premier League fixtures for 2022-23 season: How to watch, TV schedule, live stream links, Peacock, channel
The 2022-23 Premier League fixtures are front and center as the new season has delivered so much drama so far and normal service has resumed after the World Cup break.
Remember: you can watch all 380 Premier League games across NBC, USA Network, NBCSports.com and Peacock. We’ve got you covered.
Will Manchester City win yet another Premier League title? Can Chelsea and Liverpool push them all the way? How will Manchester United’s new-look side fare? What about Tottenham and Arsenal? How will the new boys get on? Who will be the surprise package?
Those questions will be answered from August 2022 to May 2023, with the full list of Premier League fixtures.
While below are the answers to all of the questions you have around the Premier League fixtures and everything else you need to know for the upcoming season, with full details on the Premier League TV schedule across the NBC family of channels and more.
The Premier League fixtures for the 2022-23 season were announced on Thursday June 16, 2022 at 4am ET. Below is the full schedule, as you can watch all 380 games across our NBC platforms.
The Premier League fixture computer decides who plays who and when, as teams located close to one another are usually playing at home on opposite weekends to help with policing, crowd control and transport congestion in those areas.
When will the Premier League take a break for the 2022 World Cup?
When will the 2022-23 Premier League season finish?
The final day of the season will be on Sunday, May 28, 2023.
Which teams will compete in the 2022-23 Premier League?
These are the 20 teams which will compete in the Premier League for the upcoming season:
Arsenal, Aston Villa, Bournemouth, Brentford, Brighton and Hove Albion, Chelsea, Crystal Palace, Everton, Fulham, Leeds United, Leicester City, Liverpool, Manchester City, Manchester United, Newcastle United, Nottingham Forest, Southampton, Tottenham Hotspur, West Ham United, Wolverhampton Wanderers
Predictions for 2022-23 Premier League season
We made a few bold predictions ahead of the Premier League campaign, which you can read in full here. And we’ve also predicted how we think the Premier League table will look at the end of the 2022-23 campaign. I’m sure you agree wholeheartedly with these predictions…
2022-23 Premier League TV schedule
Below are the Premier League fixtures in full, with all kick offs listed at 10am ET unless otherwise stated:
9am: Nottingham Forest v Leeds – USA Network – WATCH LIVE
11:30am: Spurs v Man City – NBC – WATCH LIVEPhoto by Visionhaus/Getty Images
Matchweek 23
Saturday 11 February
7:30am: West Ham v Chelsea
Arsenal v Brentford
Crystal Palace v Brighton
Fulham v Nottingham Forest
Leicester v Spurs
Southampton v Wolves
12:30pm: AFC Bournemouth v Newcastle
Sunday 12 February
9am: Leeds v Man Utd
11:30am: Man City v Aston Villa
Monday 13 February
3pm: Liverpool v Everton
Matchweek 24
Wednesday 15 February
2:30pm: Arsenal vs Manchester City (rearranged)
Saturday 18 February
7:30am: Aston Villa v Arsenal
Brentford v Crystal Palace
Brighton v Fulham
Chelsea v Southampton
Everton v Leeds
Nottingham Forest v Man City
Wolves v AFC Bournemouth
12:30pm: Newcastle v Liverpool
Sunday 19 February
9am: Man Utd v Leicester
11:30am: Spurs v West Ham
Matchweek 25
Friday 24 February
3pm: Fulham v Wolves
Saturday 25 February
7:30am: Newcastle v Brighton
Everton v Aston Villa
Leeds v Southampton
Leicester v Arsenal
West Ham v Nottingham Forest
12:30pm: AFC Bournemouth v Man City *subject to EFL Cup Final
2:45pm: Crystal Palace v Liverpool ^If Liverpool are not in EFL fifth round and if AFC Bournemouth or Man City progress to EFL Cup final, this match will move to 17:30 and remain on Sky Sports
Sunday 26 February
8:30am: Man Utd v Brentford* Due to UEFA Europa League playoff round
8:30am: Spurs v Chelsea
Saturday 4 March
Arsenal v AFC Bournemouth
Aston Villa v Crystal Palace
Brentford v Fulham
Brighton v West Ham
Chelsea v Leeds
Liverpool v Man Utd
Man City v Newcastle
Nottingham Forest v Everton
Southampton v Leicester
Wolves v Spurs
Saturday 11 March
AFC Bournemouth v Liverpool
Crystal Palace v Man City
Everton v Brentford
Fulham v Arsenal
Leeds v Brighton
Leicester v Chelsea
Man Utd v Southampton
Newcastle v Wolves
Spurs v Nottingham Forest
West Ham v Aston Villa
Saturday 18 March
Arsenal v Crystal Palace
Aston Villa v AFC Bournemouth
Brentford v Leicester
Brighton v Man Utd
Chelsea v Everton
Liverpool v Fulham
Man City v West Ham
Nottingham Forest v Newcastle
Southampton v Spurs
Wolves v Leeds
Saturday 1 April
AFC Bournemouth v Fulham
Arsenal v Leeds
Brighton v Brentford
Chelsea v Aston Villa
Crystal Palace v Leicester
Everton v Spurs
Man City v Liverpool
Newcastle v Man Utd
Nottingham Forest v Wolves
West Ham v Southampton
Saturday 8 April
Aston Villa v Nottingham Forest
Brentford v Newcastle
Fulham v West Ham
Leeds v Crystal Palace
Leicester v AFC Bournemouth
Liverpool v Arsenal
Man Utd v Everton
Southampton v Man City
Spurs v Brighton
Wolves v Chelsea
Saturday 15 April
Aston Villa v Newcastle
Chelsea v Brighton
Everton v Fulham
Leeds v Liverpool
Man City v Leicester
Nottingham Forest v Man Utd
Southampton v Crystal Palace
Spurs v AFC Bournemouth
West Ham v Arsenal
Wolves v Brentford
Saturday 22 April
AFC Bournemouth v West Ham
Arsenal v Southampton
Brentford v Aston Villa
Brighton v Man City
Crystal Palace v Everton
Fulham v Leeds
Leicester v Wolves
Liverpool v Nottingham Forest
Man Utd v Chelsea
Newcastle v Spurs
Tuesday 25 April
19:45 Everton v Newcastle
19:45 Leeds v Leicester
19:45 Nottingham Forest v Brighton
19:45 Spurs v Man Utd
19:45 West Ham v Liverpool
19:45 Wolves v Crystal Palace
20:00 Aston Villa v Fulham
Wednesday 26 April
19:45 Chelsea v Brentford
19:45 Southampton v AFC Bournemouth
20:00 Man City v Arsenal
Saturday 29 April
AFC Bournemouth v Leeds
Arsenal v Chelsea
Brentford v Nottingham Forest
Brighton v Wolves
Crystal Palace v West Ham
Fulham v Man City
Leicester v Everton
Liverpool v Spurs
Man Utd v Aston Villa
Newcastle v Southampton
Saturday 6 May
AFC Bournemouth v Chelsea
Brighton v Everton
Fulham v Leicester
Liverpool v Brentford
Man City v Leeds
Newcastle v Arsenal
Nottingham Forest v Southampton
Spurs v Crystal Palace
West Ham v Man Utd
Wolves v Aston Villa
Saturday 13 May
Arsenal v Brighton
Aston Villa v Spurs
Brentford v West Ham
Chelsea v Nottingham Forest
Crystal Palace v AFC Bournemouth
Everton v Man City
Leeds v Newcastle
Leicester v Liverpool
Man Utd v Wolves
Southampton v Fulham
Saturday 20 May
AFC Bournemouth v Man Utd
Brighton v Southampton
Fulham v Crystal Palace
Liverpool v Aston Villa
Man City v Chelsea
Newcastle v Leicester
Nottingham Forest v Arsenal
Spurs v Brentford
West Ham v Leeds
Wolves v Everton
Sunday 28 May
16:00 Arsenal v Wolves
16:00 Aston Villa v Brighton
16:00 Brentford v Man City
16:00 Chelsea v Newcastle
16:00 Crystal Palace v Nottingham Forest
16:00 Everton v AFC Bournemouth
16:00 Leeds v Spurs
16:00 Leicester v West Ham
16:00 Man Utd v Fulham
16:00 Southampton v Liverpool
Who’s looking like title contenders and/or favorites?
Almost at the halfway mark of the 2022-23 season, Arsenal and Manchester City are looking head and shoulders above the rest though Newcastle is not going away and Manchester United has surged into contention.
The Gunners will have their hands full for the duration of their title challenge, as Erling Haaland continues to take the Premier League by storm with an almost impossible goal-scoring record.
Uneven Tottenham are hanging in the top four battle, while Liverpool is struggling to stay in the Champions League scrap. Chelsea has some work to do while surprising Fulham and Brighton are hanging around on the periphery with fine campaigns.
Who are the candidates for relegation?
Everton, Bournemouth, and Southampton currently occupy the relegation places.
But Leicester, West Ham, Nottingham Forest, Wolves, and Leeds all find themselves within a few points of the bottom three after a topsy-turvy start.
Below you will find the latest Premier League table.
Premier League injury news: It’s time to take a look at which players might be unavailable for matchweek 22 of the 2022-23 Premier League season, due to injury.
Prior to every matchweek this season, we’ll update this Premier League injuries page with the latest news and update, so make sure to check back regularly to see how your favorite — or least-favorite — club is getting on.
Players, like Chelsea and France star N’Golo Kante, designated “out for World Cup” will miss the 2022 tournament in Qatar before (hopefully) returning to club football shortly thereafter.
Let’s check out the latest Premier League injury news, below.
Arsenal injuries
OUT: Gabriel Jesus (knee), Reiss Nelson (thigh), Mohamed Elneny (knock) | QUESTIONABLE: Thomas Partey (chest), Emile Smith Rowe (thigh)
Chelsea hosts Fulham on Friday for its first match since January 21, which is also its first match since breaking the British transfer record to purchase Enzo Fernandez from Benfica (watch live, 3pm ET on USA Network and online via NBCSports.com).
“We did some off-the-pitch activity, a bit of leadership and teamwork outside of this environment. But mostly it’s been training and working on the team and how we want to play. Of course, we’ve been integrating new players and getting injured players up to speed. So it’s a bit of everything really.”
Here’s everything you need to know ahead of Chelsea vs Fulham.
How to watch Chelsea vs Fulham live, stream link and start time
Kick off: 3pm ET, Friday TV Channel: USA Network Online:Stream via NBCSports.com
Key storylines & star players
Watch out for Chelsea, because the crew is getting healthier. To be fair, it’s difficult to have more injuries than Chelsea has had this year, but we digress. Ben Chilwell, Reece James, Raheem Sterling, and Ruben Loftus-Cheek are all ready to go, though Graham Potter said none of them are ready for 90 minutes. Wesley Fofana is close to a return, but should miss out, while Joao Felix could make his return. So, yeah, we could see Felix, Mykhailo Mudryk, and Raheem Sterling on the pitch at the same time. Zoom, zoom, Fulham.
Marco Silva’s Cottagers have cooled off, at least in terms of results, since beating Chelsea at Craven Cottage on Jan. 12, the game in which Felix earned his red card. 1-0 losses to Newcastle and Spurs, forgivable, were followed up with a FA Cup draw with Sunderland. If Fulham can get through this, there’s a more forgiving run of fixtures ahead with a Sunderland replay, Forest, Brighton, Wolves, and Brentford. But is anything forgiving any more in the Premier League? Aleksandar Mitrovic, as usual, looms as a key piece of Fulham’s hopes.
Chelsea team news, injuries, lineup options
OUT: N’Golo Kante (hamstring), Christian Pulisic (knee), Wesley Fofana (knee), Edouard Mendy (shoulder), Armando Broja (knee), Denis Zakaria (thigh)