Arsenal won the 2025/26 Premier League on Tuesday night after Manchester City failed to beat Bournemouth. The 1-1 draw for Pep Guardiola’s men meant that they could no longer catch the Gunners. There were wild celebrations from players, fans and staff when it became clear that Arsenal were, at last, the champions of England.
This success is the north London club’s 14th in the top tier of English football, extending their advantage over Manchester City, who are fourth in the all-time winners’ list with 10, and closing the gap to Manchester United and Liverpool, who both boast 20 top-flight titles. It was also Arsenal’s fourth Premier League title and, famously, ended their 22-year wait for glory.
That the Gunners were able to wrap the title up ahead of the final clash of the season is a huge boost. It saves fans from the agony and tension of last-day drama, which could, frankly, have been unbearable. It also meant the players could celebrate the win in style – and judging from the various photos and videos shared on social media, they certainly did!
One Down, One to Go
The Arsenal. Your Premier League champions. pic.twitter.com/gNnfzesrhP
— Arsenal (@Arsenal) May 19, 2026
However, most importantly, it means that Mikel Arteta and his side can now switch their focus 100% to the Champions League final against Paris Saint-Germain. The Gunners play Crystal Palace on the final day of the season. That game takes place on the 24th of May, and the UCL final is on the 30th of May, in Budapest.
Given Palace also have a European final ahead of them (the Europa Conference League, just three days after they host the Gunners), and neither side now has much, if anything, to play for in the league, Arteta is free to field pretty much whatever side he wants at Selhurst Park. Eagles boss Oliver Glasner can and will do the same, and with this game not set to have any major ramifications for any other teams in the league either, both managers can rest as many players as they like without affecting the integrity of the Premier League.
It also means that Arsenal have plenty of time to recover emotionally and psychologically and will not be suffering any sort of hangover – literal or metaphorical! Had the title race gone to the wire, then, win or lose, it could have had a negative impact, but now that danger has been avoided.
Moreover, Arteta and his team have more time to prepare for the huge clash with PSG. They can now focus everything they have on masterminding a plan to beat the defending champions. Rather than having to try to beat Palace, all their energy, all their tactical research and their set-piece plans can be about one thing, and one thing only: how to put the icing on the season’s cake by completing an amazing double.
A New Dawn, a New Double
Having finished second three years in a row before finally landing the title in 2025/26, Arsenal will be keen to ensure their success is not a one-off. With Liverpool and Chelsea so poor this term, Man United unlikely to mount a serious title push yet and Man City about to lose the services of their maestro, Pep Guardiola, the Gunners have a fantastic opportunity to establish themselves as the dominant force in English football.
They should view this success as a new dawn and do everything they can to establish themselves as a “dynasty team”, to borrow a phrase from US sport. Adding the Champions League title to the Premier League would be the perfect way to start going about that.
The north London giants have won various doubles over the years. However, they have never won the double that is available to them in Budapest, that of league title and the top-tier European competition. Of course, the Gunners have never won the UEFA Champions League, or its predecessor, the European Cup. Given that, it would be a truly sensational achievement if they could get past a PSG side that are looking to establish themselves as one of the great European teams.
Arsenal first won “the double” in 1970/71, with the term historically being associated with victory in the league and FA Cup. In 1992/93, they did a different double, landing both domestic cups. They beat Sheffield Wednesday in the finals of both the FA Cup and the League Cup. They won their second “proper” double under Arsene Wenger in 1997/98 and then repeated the feat under the brilliant French boss in 2001/02.
But if Arteta can somehow plot a way to beat PSG’s star-studded, yet incredibly hardworking side, this will unquestionably be the greatest double achieved by the club. The French side are the favourites for the Budapest showpiece, but the Gunners will be the toughest test they have faced this term and will head to Hungary full of confidence and belief. It should be a cracking contest.