2025 / 2026 Premier League Prediction Competition

Welcome back everyone. Ready for another marathon? With August and the start of a new season fast approaching I think it's high time we get started on another Premier League Prediction competition.

Will Liverpool retain the crown? Will Arsenal break through the ceiling of second place? Perhaps many champions of yesteryear will re-emerge as forces to be reckoned with. Can the three promoted teams - Burnley, Leeds and Sunderland - avoid relegation?

These are all questions that need answers - and it's partly up to you to provide them. Any member of the UK Babe Channels Forum, male or female, is welcome to play. I want to help to make this an inclusive and enjoyable competition, with many ways and means to be involved.

Rules

With over two weeks to go until kick-off, let's take a moment to remind ourselves of the rules of the game below:

1. Predictions must be made in this thread only. Any predictions posted anywhere else on the UK Babe Channels Forum will not be counted. If you know you will be absent for a round you may send them to me via a pm to post on your behalf but please remember it remains your own responsibility to have your lists posted in this thread.

2. Before each week I will post the set of fixtures with the kick off times listed for each match. There will again be no deadlines, so each player is welcome to join at any stage during the round. I can record your scores from whichever matches you are in time for, but to ensure maximum involvement, it is up to you to make sure you have your entries posted before the first kick off.

3. Please always check your lists to make sure that everything is included. I'll post and send reminders where possible but it is always your responsibility to submit full and complete lists. Missing ingredients significantly reduce your involvement in the competition and that would be unfortunate.

4. I'll always try to post one fixture list at a time. However, it may occasionally become necessary to give you two lists in one post to save time. This would normally happen at busy times in the season - for example at Christmas. Previous seasons have shown this might be needed at other times though. I will never post more than two lists in one go and the season will have 38 weeks.

5. Scoring: Basic scoring will remain the same. 3 points for a correct score and 1 point for a correct result. A correct score means the exact score of the fixture. For example Arsenal draw 1-1 with Manchester City. Players who had 1-1 will receive 3 points. Any other draw will only receive 1 point.

6. Jokers: A very important bonus scoring opportunity where a correct score is doubled, meaning 6 points. This only applies to correct scores. For example Arsenal beat Manchester City 2-1. To get the 6 points you must have predicted 2-1 and labelled this match as your joker. Please mark clearly which match you are playing your joker - preferably with a "J" or the word "joker" at the end of the fixture. You have one joker per gameweek.

7. Joker's Wild: On two occasions during the season jokers will be wild. This means a joker is worth triple - meaning 9 points instead of 6. Same principal as above - only applies to correct exact scores. The two wild jokers will be sufficiently spaced apart, ideally one in the first half of the season and the other towards the end. I will tell you when "Jokers Are Wild".

8. Tables: Results and the table will normally be posted following completion of a round. It may be necessary to post the table later if short of time between a round. Tied points positions will be separated in the following order - correct scores, correct results, correct jokers. This will continue for the entire season and if there are still tied players after that, we'll just call it a draw.

9. Postponements: In the (hopefully) unlikely event of any matches postponed, those scores will be void and the matches will be predicted on again when they reappear in the season. If anyone has lost a joker on a postponed fixture they will be allowed two jokers in the round where that match reappears. I promise that jokers will not be wild in rearranged rounds and I will keep a log of any players who are owed a joker. Rest assured that every player will have the chance to use all of their jokers.

10. I am again only hosting the competition and not participating in the scoring myself. I really hope to see lots of people involved. The more players, the better the competition.

OK, I think that's everything. Take a while to read through this opening post and feel free to ask me if anything is unclear. Feel free to use the chat and discussion thread to discuss the season and the competition.

I'll post the first fixture list some time over the weekend. Not long to go now...

Thanks,
Reg

Thanks Reg.