The 2025–26 season was the 144th season in the history of Burnley Football Club, and the club's first season back in the Premier League since the 2023–24 campaign, following promotion from the Championship in the preceding season. In addition to the domestic league, the club also participated in the FA Cup and the EFL Cup.
On 22 April 2026, Burnley were relegated from the Premier League following a 1–0 home defeat to Manchester City, becoming the fourth team to suffer relegation from the competition at least five times after Norwich City, West Bromwich Albion and Leicester City.
Review Background
Pre-season On 26 June 2025, Burnley confirmed that first-team set-piece coach, Elliot Tybebo, had departed the club to pursue a new opportunity abroad, ending a two-year stay at the club. He was initially brought to the club from Belgian side Anderlecht in 2023 along with manager Vincent Kompany. On 24 July, Burnley appointed a new set-piece coach, Pål Fjelde, to replace Elliot Tybebo who departed in the previous month. The 30 year-old Norwegian had most recently been involved in roles as an assistant manager at Danish club, Viborg FF, and as a set-piece coach for the Norwegian Football Federation.
On 27 June, Ashley Barnes agreed a new one-year deal having re-joined the club on a short-term deal in January 2025 until the end of the season. The 35 year-old forward, who had over 300 appearances for the club, stated that he "had unfinished business" and wanted to play for one final campaign in the Premier League.
On 30 June, current Academy coach, Jack Cork, was moved up to be a member of Scott Parker's coaching team. The former midfielder had only joined the previous summer to be a part of Andy Farrell's Academy team, in what was his first season of coaching.
First-team transfers (summer transfer window) The Premier League summer transfer window runs from 1 June to 10 June (due to an exceptional registration period mandated by FIFA for the Club World Cup), and then between 16 June and 1 September 2025.
On 11 June, it was announced that the representatives of CJ Egan-Riley had formally rejected a significant long-term contract offer from the club and that he was to pursue a new opportunity in France, later joining Ligue 1 runners-up Olympique de Marseille on a free-transfer. The England U21 international was an integral part of the defence that kept a record-equalling 30 clean sheets in 2024–25, making 43 league appearances alongside Maxime Estève.
Burnley made their first signing of the summer on 25 June, with the Germany under-20 international goalkeeper Max Weiß joining from German club Karlsruher SC for a reported fee of £4.3m. The 21 year-old had been an ever-present in his breakthrough season for the club, helping them to an 8th place finish in 2. Bundesliga. Burnley sold the Republic of Ireland under-21 international Dara Costelloe to League One side Wigan Athletic on the same day for a reported fee of £0.5m. The forward had initially joined the Academy in 2021 and had eventually progressed to the first team to make six appearances, but had spent the last two-and-a-half seasons out on loan.
The club's second and third signings were revealed on 26 June: left-back and Dutch international Quilindschy Hartman from Dutch Eredivisie side Feyenoord for an initial fee of £7.7m and centre-back and DR Congo international Axel Tuanzebe on a free transfer, following his release from recently relegated Premier League side, Ipswich Town. Upon expiry of their contracts on 30 June, Josh Brownhill, Nathan Redmond and Jonjo Shelvey left the club. On 2 July, Burnley signed French forward Loum Tchaouna from Lazio. Three days later, defender Kyle Walker was signed from Manchester City, where he had won 17 trophies.
Burnley's first loan departure was announced on 8 July when forward Andréas Hountondji departed to Bundesliga side FC St. Pauli on a season-long deal. The Benin international had joined the Clarets the previous summer but had struggled to breakthrough into the first team, spending the second half of the previous campaign on loan at Standard Liège.
Burnley signed 26 year-old Danish international Jacob Bruun Larsen for a second time on 11 June, having spent the 2023–24 Premier League campaign on loan at the club from TSG 1899 Hoffenheim. The winger transferred from Bundesliga side VfB Stuttgart for an undisclosed fee, believed to be £3.4m, having only joined the club in January 2025.
On 15 July, Han-Noah Massengo joined German Bundesliga side FC Augsburg for an undisclosed fee, believed to be in the region of £2.6m. The 24 year-old midfielder had struggled to make an impact since signing for the club in August 2023 and had spent the second-half of the previous season on loan at AJ Auxerre. On 29 July, Burnley sold goalkeeper James Trafford to Manchester City for a club-record fee of £31m (plus add-ons and a sell-on clause), making him the most expensive British goalkeeper in history. Trafford was regarded as one of the club's key players, and broke several English records the previous season, including the most clean sheets (29 in 45 matches) in single season.
In three successive days, from 6 to 8 August, the club signed three new players: experienced goalkeeper and Slovakia international Martin Dúbravka from Newcastle United, and midfielder Lesley Ugochukwu and forward Armando Broja, both from Chelsea. The reported transfer fee for Ugochukwu—approximately £23m—set a new record for the highest fee Burnley have ever paid.
Pre-season friendlies Burnley kicked off their pre-season campaign with a 1–0 win over EFL League Two side Fleetwood Town on 12 July in a friendly behind closed doors at the Burnley Training Centre. The game was won courtesy of a Marcus Edwards second-half goal but the game was notable as central defender, Jordan Beyer, returned to the side following a serious long-term injury that he sustained in December 2023. The club then departed for a week of warm-weather training in Portugal shortly after, which also included U21 prospects Charlie Casper, Murray Campbell and Joe Bauress.
On 14 July, Swiss forward Zeki Amdouni was dealt an injury blow just weeks into pre-season when he suffered a suspected cruciate ligament tear that would lead to a prolonged absence requiring surgery. The 24 year-old had not played for the club since May 2024 and had spent the previous season on loan at Portuguese side Benfica, who had chosen not to exercise a clause to make the move permanent.
The Clarets concluded their Portugal training camp on 19 July with a 1–1 draw against Premier League side Wolverhampton Wanderers when Jacob Bruun Larsen equalised in the second half in the Algarve to cancel out Jørgen Strand Larsen's opener.
They concluded their pre-season campaign with a game against Italian side Lazio at Turf Moor on 9 August 2025, which Burnley lost 1–0. During this match, Burnley became the first football club in history to live stream a game in immersive virtual reality. The broadcast, developed by club partner Rezzil, offered viewers a virtual seat inside the ground with a panoramic view of the pitch, live commentary, ambient crowd noise, and real-time visuals including club branding and player kits.
August Burnley kicked off their Premier League campaign on 16 August away at the 2024–25 UEFA Europa League champions Tottenham Hotspur at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, a ground where Burnley had lost on every occasion. They started poorly with a 3–0 defeat with a brace from Richarlison, including an overhead kick, and one goal from Brennan Johnson which helped Spurs to a win in Thomas Frank's first Premier League game in charge of the club. Martin Dúbravka, on his debut, became the first Premier League goalkeeper to be penalised by the new eight-second ruling.
On 23 August, Burnley played their first home game of the campaign against fellow promoted side Sunderland, who had beaten Sheffield United in the play-offs and had started this campaign with an impressive 3–0 home win against West Ham United. Dúbravka made a smart early save to deny Eliezer Mayenda from close range before Lyle Foster had a goal ruled out by referee Michael Salisbury, indicating there was a foul in the build-up, which was confirmed by VAR. Just after half time in the 47th minute, Burnley scored their first goal of the season with captain Josh Cullen guiding the ball into the bottom right corner from the edge of the box following a clever flick from Jaidon Anthony. The game was temporarily delayed for over 3 and a half minutes when there was an issue with the floodlights which subsequently led to them being turned off. Burnley secured the 3 points and a 2–0 win in the 88th minute when roles were reversed from the first goal, with Cullen playing a delightful through ball for Anthony to latch onto and round goalkeeper Robin Roefs, before smashing high into the net. It was the third Premier League season in succession that Burnley's first win had come against one of the promoted teams, with Brentford in 2021–22 and Luton Town in 2023–24.
Three days later Burnley kicked off their EFL Cup campaign in the second round against EFL Championship side Derby County, who had beaten West Bromwich Albion away on penalties in the first round. Burnley had received a bye in the first round due to being a Premier League side. It was the first time that Burnley had been awarded a home tie in a cup competition in the last ten draws, dating back to March 2023 against Fleetwood Town in the FA Cup. Burnley made eleven changes to the starting eleven, with not one of those who started in the win over Sunderland being included in the matchday squad, but still secured a 2–1 victory. Aaron Ramsey scored his first goal for the club in the 4th minute, slotting into the corner from just inside the box following a Armando Broja assist on his debut. Derby levelled the game in the 35th minute with a Bobby Clark shot which hit the post before going in. The game looked to be going to penalties but Oliver Sonne secured the win on 90+1 minutes with his first goal for the club, slipping the ball past the goalkeeper following a Mike Trésor assist, on his first game at Turf Moor since April 2024.
Burnley travelled to Manchester United for the second away game of the season who were sat in 16th place having failed to win their first two games. Burnley had a poor start to the first half and nearly found themselves behind just after the first quarter of an hour when referee Sam Barrott pointed to the spot for a foul on Mason Mount by Kyle Walker. However the decision was reversed by the referee after review following an intervention from VAR. Midway through the first half Manchester United did take the lead when the ball hit Josh Cullen and rebounded in following a free kick that hit the crossbar. United again hit the crossbar through Mount but Burnley went in at half time 1–0 down. Ten minutes into the second half, Burnley equalised through an unmarked Lyle Foster in the box following a cross from the right hand side from Jacob Bruun Larsen. Almost immediately United retook the lead when they attacked down the left and crossed for Bryan Mbeumo to hit home his first league goal for the club. Just moments later Burnley though they had equalised again when Foster raced through on goal, rounded Altay Bayındır and slotted home, but the flag went up for offside. Burnley did get the equaliser in the 66th minute when Walker caused problems in the box with a long throw and Jaidon Anthony's shot went in via a combination of the goalkeeper and defender. Just when it appeared that Burnley would come away with a point a penalty was awarded retrospectively via VAR for a shirt pull by Anthony on Amad Diallo. Bruno Fernandes converted the spot kick on 90+5 minutes to make it 3–2 and seal the points for Manchester United.
September