2025/26 Programme of the Season Award

To be announced in June 2026

 

Aston Villa (v Fulham 28/09/25)

£4.00 (84 pp / 70 net / P)

 

Bournemouth (v Newcastle United 21/09/25)

£4.00 (84 pp / 59 net / P)

 

Brentford (v Manchester United 27/09/25)

£3.00 (68 pp / 52 net / S)

 

Brighton & Hove Albion (v Manchester City 31/08/25)

£4.00 (68 pp / 45.5 net / S)

Brighton have issued a series of retro-style covers for their 2025/26 programmes – with each issue featuring artwork in the style of issues from the club’s history. Inside each issue is a small section with information on the designs – outlining the inspiration behind the covers.

Among the features included in each issue is ‘Get With the Programme’ – which extends the retro theme by turning the spotlight on those programmes referenced by the cover designs. Each article provides plenty of information on the issues from the seasons covered, including the number of programmes produced and the key features that were included.

Other historical features include ‘Hello… Goodbye’, which looks at the circumstances surrounding the arrival and departure from the club of one past player. Chairman Paul Barber’s column returns, once more offering an interesting insight into matters on and off the field, providing a welcome point of communication and transparency for supporters. There is a also a four-page interview with a first-team player.

Opposition coverage is rather limited. An introductory article sets the scene with information on the visiting club’s form and outlook, before ‘Four to Watch’ profiles key players from the opposition ranks. There are also notes on previous meetings between Albion and their opponents, as well as a profile of a player who turned out for both clubs. Perhaps most useful is ‘The Opposing View’, which offers the thoughts of someone writing from the perspective of the visitors.

Club information includes the latest news, photos and stats from past matches, two pages each for the women’s team, under-21s, and under-18s, and a well-presented season results and fixtures spread.  There are also a couple of pages with the latest from the club’s Foundation.

The Brighton issue has a similar feel to issues of the last few seasons, with page layouts being bright and well-designed, with text mostly displayed on plain or light-coloured backgrounds. One negative of note is that the Brighton issue contains a higher ratio of advertising to content of any programme in the Premier League this season. Nevertheless, there remains a decent amount of content within the programme, and the topics chosen, as well as the quality of the writing, make for a good read.

 

Burnley (v Liverpool 14/09/25)

£4.00 (68 pp / 51 net / P)

 

Chelsea (v Brighton & Hove Albion 27/09/25)

£4.00 (52 pp / 39 net / S)

Chelsea’s programme continues the same format as the last few seasons, offering just 52 pages (and 39 pages of content) for the £4 price-tag – giving this issue the lowest ‘value score’ of any in the league. Nevertheless, the programme is well laid-out and offers a decent amount of reading.

There are a couple of key features within each issue. ‘Over Land and Sea’ is a four-page article that tells the stories of former Blues from different parts of the world, including interviews with the key players. ‘Legacy’ is another four-page feature that examines various aspects of Chelsea’s history, often related to the day’s opponents. Each issue also includes an interview with a member of the current first-team squad, and ‘In Focus’ – a short profile of one Blues player currently making the headlines. The other recurring article is ‘Through the Sun and Rain’ – which features the recollections of long-standing Chelsea supporters.

The opposition section is perhaps the most limited of any issue in the league – with the main two-page spread offering only basic biographic detail for the visiting team’s squad members, alongside a form guide and a formation graphic showing the team’s most recent league line-up. There are a couple of pages showing Chelsea’s head-to-head record against their opponents, together with various stats such as ‘milestone matches’ and recent meetings of the two clubs.

In terms of club information, each issue offers columns from the club’s manager and captain, a page on the Chelsea Foundation, two detailed pages for each of the club’s teams – the women, under-21s, and under-18s – and a detailed stats section towards the back of the programme.

The Chelsea programme is certainly well-designed, with a series of clean page layouts. The majority of the content is presented with black text on white backgrounds in a simple, two-column format. The programme also flows well, with related features grouped together. However, the programme is held back by the limited page-count relative to the other issues in the league.

 

Crystal Palace (v Bournemouth 18/10/25)

£3.50 (80 pp / 68 net / P)

 

Everton (v Aston Villa 13/09/25)

£4.00 (84 pp / 62 net / P)

 

Fulham (v Leeds United 13/09/25)

£4.00 (104 pp / 82 net / P)

 

Leeds United (v Tottenham Hotspur 04/10/25)

£4.00 (100 pp / 71 net / P)

 

Liverpool (v Sunderland 03/12/25)

£4.50 (84 pp / 60.5 net / P)

 

Manchester City (v Burnley 27/09/25)

£4.00 (84 pp / 62 net / P)

 

Manchester United (v West Ham United 04/12/25)

£4.00 (84 pp / 63 net / S)

 

Newcastle United (v Arsenal 28/09/25)

£3.50 (84 pp / 64 net / P)

 

Nottingham Forest (v Chelsea 18/10/25)

£4.00 (76 pp / 55 net / P)

 

Sunderland (v Brentford 30/08/25)

£4.00 (84 pp / 68 net / P)

 

Tottenham Hotspur (v Wolverhampton Wanderers 27/09/25)

£4.00 (84 pp / 63 net / P)

 

West Ham United (v Crystal Palace 20/09/25)

£4.00 (132 pp / 97 net / P)

 

Wolverhampton Wanderers (v Everton 30/08/25)

£4.00 (84 pp / 62 net / S)