The 2025-26 Premier League season begins Friday with defending champion Liverpool hosting Bournemouth at Anfield.
Here's what to know heading into the new campaign in the world's most popular soccer league:
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FILE - Newcastle's Alexander Isak celebrates after scoring his side's opening goal during the English Premier League soccer match between Liverpool and Newcastle, at Anfield stadium in Liverpool, England, Monday, Jan. 1, 2024. (AP Photo/Jon Super, File)
Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola speaks with his staff during a training session at the City Football Academy, Manchester, England, Tuesday, Aug. 5, 2025. (Peter Byrne/PA via AP)
Liverpool manager Arne Slot claps as the crowd play tribute to Diogo Jota in the 20th minute during the pre-season friendly soccer match between Liverpool and Athletic Bilbao, at Anfield, Liverpool, England, Monday Aug. 4, 2025. (Peter Byrne/PA via AP)
Liverpool fans hold a banner in the memory of Diogo Jota before the FA Community Shield final soccer match between Liverpool and Crystal Palace at Wembley Stadium in London,Sunday, Aug. 10, 2025. (AP Photo/Dave Shopland)
Liverpool will attempt to retain the top-flight title for the first time since the mid-1980s to the backdrop of a tragedy.
It is sure to be an emotional evening Friday as Anfield hosts a competitive match for the first time since the death of Diogo Jota, who played for Liverpool for the past five seasons. Jota and his brother, Andre Silva, were killed in a car accident in Spain last month.
As a club, Liverpool is still grieving the loss of Jota and it remains to be seen how the players are affected this season.
“The first time we arrive for a session, the first time we play a game, the first time after 20 minutes (Jota wore No. 20) they sing his song — all these things are difficult,” Liverpool manager Arne Slot said.
There will be a moment’s silence at all Premier League matches in the first round in memory of Jota and his brother, while players from all clubs will be given black armbands. Messaging and imagery will be shared with clubs for them to use on big screens.
Pep Guardiola has never gone two seasons without winning a league title.
That could be one of the Manchester City manager's motivations as the deposed champion looks to bounce back from its fall from grace, having only finished third last season. City won the previous four Premier League titles.
It's another season that City enters with more than 100 charges hanging over the club after being accused of financial misconduct by the Premier League in 2023. The case was heard by an independent commission between September and December last year but no verdict has yet to be reached. City has always denied any wrongdoing.
Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta was seemingly bombarded with the same question every week last season: When are you going to sign a striker?
Well, he has one now in Viktor Gyokeres, a revelation at Sporting Lisbon where he scored 97 goals in 102 games.
With Arsenal having also signed a elite holding midfielder in Martin Zubimendi, the expectation will be heightened on Arteta to deliver the club's first league title since 2004 after three straight runner-up finishes.
The pressure is also on Gyokeres to make the difference up front. The 27-year-old Sweden striker has never played at such a level before and is getting a second crack at the Premier League after being unable to break through at Brighton.
Even by Premier League's standards, spending by clubs this season has been huge.
Nearly $3 billion has been spent on players since the end of last season — and there's still more than two weeks left in the summer transfer window.
Liverpool has been the biggest spender, with an outlay of around $350 million on players like Germany playmaker Florian Wirtz, French striker Hugo Ekitike and full backs Milos Kerkez and Jeremie Frimpong. That figure could yet be supercharged if Liverpool manages to sign unsettled Newcastle striker Alexander Isak in the coming days.
Chelsea has spent big again, this time around $330 million, and has two new strikers in Joao Pedro and Liam Delap.
Manchester United, whose attack has been reshaped with the arrival of Matheus Cunha, Benjamin Sesko and Bryan Mbeumo, and Arsenal have both spent around $260 million on players.
It's never been harder to stay in the Premier League after getting promoted from the Championship.
In the past two seasons, all three clubs which have come up have been relegated the following year.
Over to you, Leeds, Burnley and Sunderland.
Sunderland's top-flight return is arguably the most interesting. The northeast team was last in the Premier League in 2017 and has since been the subject of a Netflix documentary, Sunderland 'Til I Die, that chronicled its troubles in the lower leagues.
AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer
FILE - Newcastle's Alexander Isak celebrates after scoring his side's opening goal during the English Premier League soccer match between Liverpool and Newcastle, at Anfield stadium in Liverpool, England, Monday, Jan. 1, 2024. (AP Photo/Jon Super, File)
Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola speaks with his staff during a training session at the City Football Academy, Manchester, England, Tuesday, Aug. 5, 2025. (Peter Byrne/PA via AP)
Liverpool manager Arne Slot claps as the crowd play tribute to Diogo Jota in the 20th minute during the pre-season friendly soccer match between Liverpool and Athletic Bilbao, at Anfield, Liverpool, England, Monday Aug. 4, 2025. (Peter Byrne/PA via AP)
Liverpool fans hold a banner in the memory of Diogo Jota before the FA Community Shield final soccer match between Liverpool and Crystal Palace at Wembley Stadium in London,Sunday, Aug. 10, 2025. (AP Photo/Dave Shopland)
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — President Donald Trump on Thursday threatened to invoke the Insurrection Act and deploy troops to quell persistent protests against the federal officers sent to Minneapolis to enforce his administration's massive immigration crackdown.
The threat comes a day after a man was shot and wounded by an immigration officer who had been attacked with a shovel and broom handle. That shooting further heightened the fear and anger that has radiated across the city since an Immigration and Customs Enforcement agent fatally shot Renee Good in the head.
Trump has repeatedly threatened to invoke the rarely used federal law to deploy the U.S. military or federalize the National Guard for domestic law enforcement, over the objections of state governors.
“If the corrupt politicians of Minnesota don’t obey the law and stop the professional agitators and insurrectionists from attacking the Patriots of I.C.E., who are only trying to do their job, I will institute the INSURRECTION ACT, which many Presidents have done before me, and quickly put an end to the travesty that is taking place in that once great State,” Trump said in social media post.
Presidents have indeed invoked the Insurrection Act more than two dozen times, most recently in 1992 by President George H.W. Bush to end unrest in Los Angeles. In that instance, local authorities had asked for the assistance.
Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison responded to Trump's post by saying he would challenge any deployment in court. He's already suing to try to stop the surge by the Department of Homeland Security, which says it has made more than 2,000 arrests in the state since early December. ICE is a DHS agency.
In Minneapolis, smoke filled the streets Wednesday night near the site of the latest shooting as federal officers wearing gas masks and helmets fired tear gas into a small crowd. Protesters responded by throwing rocks and shooting fireworks.
Demonstrations have become common in Minneapolis since Good was fatally shot on Jan. 7. Agents who have yanked people from their cars and homes have been confronted by angry bystanders demanding they leave.
“This is an impossible situation that our city is presently being put in and at the same time we are trying to find a way forward to keep people safe, to protect our neighbors, to maintain order,” Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey said.
Frey said the federal force — five times the size of the city’s 600-officer police force — has “invaded” Minneapolis, and that residents are scared and angry.
Homeland Security said in a statement that federal law enforcement officers on Wednesday stopped a driver from Venezuela who is in the U.S. illegally. The person drove off then crashed into a parked car before fleeing on foot, DHS said.
Officers caught up, then two other people arrived and the three started attacking the officer, according to DHS.
“Fearing for his life and safety as he was being ambushed by three individuals, the officer fired a defensive shot to defend his life,” DHS said. The confrontation took place about 4.5 miles (7.2 kilometers) from where Good was killed.
Police chief Brian O’Hara said the shot man was being treated for a non-life-threatening injury. The two others are in custody, DHS said. O’Hara's account of what happened largely echoed that of Homeland Security.
Earlier Wednesday, Gov. Tim Walz described Minnesota said what's happening in the state “defies belief.”
“Let’s be very, very clear: this long ago stopped being a matter of immigration enforcement,” he said. “Instead, it’s a campaign of organized brutality against the people of Minnesota by our own federal government.”
Jonathan Ross, the Immigration and Customs Enforcement officer who killed Good, suffered internal bleeding to his torso during the encounter, a Homeland Security official told The Associated Press.
The official spoke to AP on condition of anonymity in order to discuss Ross’ medical condition. The official did not provide details about the severity of the injuries, and the agency did not respond to questions about the bleeding, how he suffered the injury, when it was diagnosed or his medical treatment.
Good was killed after three ICE officers surrounded her SUV on a snowy street near her home. Bystander video shows one officer ordering Good to open the door and grabbing the handle. As the vehicle begins to move forward, Ross, standing in front, raises his weapon and fires at least three shots at close range. He steps back as the SUV advances and turns.
Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem has said Ross was struck by the vehicle and that Good was using her SUV as a weapon — a self-defense claim that has been criticized by Minnesota officials.
Chris Madel, an attorney for Ross, declined to comment.
Good’s family has hired the same law firm that represented George Floyd’s family in a $27 million settlement with Minneapolis. Floyd, who was Black, died after a white police officer pinned his neck to the ground 2020.
Madhani reported from Washington, D.C. Associated Press reporters Bill Barrow in Atlanta; Julie Watson in San Diego; Rebecca Santana in Washington; Ed White in Detroit and Giovanna Dell’Orto in Minneapolis contributed.
A protester holds an umbrella as sparks fly from a flash bang deployed by law enforcement on Wednesday, Jan. 14, 2026, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Adam Gray)
Monica Travis shares an embrace while visiting a makeshift memorial for Renee Good, who was fatally shot by an ICE officer last week, Monday, Jan. 12, 2026, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/John Locher)
A protester yells in front of law enforcement after a shooting on Wednesday, Jan. 14, 2026, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/John Locher)
Tear gas surrounds federal law enforcement officers as they leave a scene after a shooting on Wednesday, Jan. 14, 2026, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/John Locher)
Protesters shout at law enforcement officers after a shooting on Wednesday, Jan. 14, 2026, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Abbie Parr)
Law enforcement officers stand amid tear gas at the scene of a reported shooting Wednesday, Jan. 14, 2026, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Adam Gray)
