# 2025–26 AFC Bournemouth season
The 2025–26 [AFC Bournemouth](https://www.edgepedia.org/afc-bournemouth) season was the club's third consecutive Premier League campaign under head coach [Andoni Iraola](https://www.edgepedia.org/andoni-iraola), in which the team finished sixth with 57 points from 38 matches (13 wins, 18 draws, 7 losses) and qualified for European competition for the first time in its history.[1](https://fbref.com/en/squads/4ba7cbea/2025-2026/matchlogs/c514/schedule/Bournemouth-Scores-and-Fixtures-FA-Cup) • [2](https://www.squawka.com/en/features/bournemouth-analysis-europa-league-marco-rose/) The season began with a 4–2 defeat at champions Liverpool and an eight-match unbeaten run that at one stage constituted the longest unbeaten run of any side in Europe's top five leagues in 2025–26.[3](https://www.fourfourtwo.com/team/we-need-to-enjoy-every-moment-the-excitement-of-playing-in-europe-and-having-those-fixtures-is-an-incredible-problem-to-have-bournemouths-history-makers-on-their-european-bow) • [4](https://www.fourfourtwo.com/competition/every-premier-league-teams-season-graded)
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Premier League finish | 6th place, 57 points (1.50 per game), record 13W–18D–7L[1](https://fbref.com/en/squads/4ba7cbea/2025-2026/matchlogs/c514/schedule/Bournemouth-Scores-and-Fixtures-FA-Cup) |
| Home / away record | Home 7W–10D–2L (31 points); away 6W–8D–5L (26 points)[1](https://fbref.com/en/squads/4ba7cbea/2025-2026/matchlogs/c514/schedule/Bournemouth-Scores-and-Fixtures-FA-Cup) |
| Cups | League Cup: second-round exit, 0–2 to Brentford; FA Cup: third-round exit at Newcastle, 3–3 (7–6 on penalties)[5](https://www.11v11.com/teams/afc-bournemouth/tab/matches/season/2026/) |
| Defensive record | 11 clean sheets but 54 goals conceded, a total only six Premier League sides exceeded[2](https://www.squawka.com/en/features/bournemouth-analysis-europa-league-marco-rose/) |
| Major transfer sale | Antoine Semenyo sold to Manchester City in January 2026 for £62.5m[6](https://www.cannaeholdings.com/static-files/d75542fb-0afa-490b-a98e-7ca73e7c29af) |
| Managerial change | Andoni Iraola left at the end of the season; Marco Rose appointed for 2026–27[7](https://www.fourfourtwo.com/team/bournemouth-have-waved-goodbye-to-andoni-iraola-but-will-they-continue-to-build-upon-the-fine-work-he-laid-down-bournemouth-2026-27-season-preview) |
| Late-game scoring | 16 goals scored in the last 15 minutes of matches during 2025–26[8](https://www.mancity.com/news/mens/bournemouth-opta-analysis-premier-league-august-2026-63922832) |
## Pre-season and squad turnover
Bournemouth prepared with the second [Premier League Summer Series](https://www.edgepedia.org/premier-league-summer-series) in the United States, alongside Everton, Manchester United, and West Ham United, with the series beginning on 26 July 2025 at [MetLife Stadium](https://www.edgepedia.org/metlife-stadium) in [East Rutherford, New Jersey](https://www.edgepedia.org/east-rutherford-new-jersey).[9](https://apnews.com/article/e125cde81d6d8bd50f1b792ba44e00d2)
**Heavy summer sales.** The club again sold established players at high prices: [Dean Huijsen](https://www.edgepedia.org/dean-huijsen) to Real Madrid after a single season, [Milos Kerkez](https://www.edgepedia.org/milos-kerkez) to Liverpool, Illia Zabarnyi to Paris Saint-Germain, Dango Ouattara to [Brentford](https://www.edgepedia.org/brentford), and goalkeeper Neto to Botafogo, while Kepa Arrizabalaga's loan ended.[10](https://www.premierleague.com/en/news/4325177) Incoming signings included Adrien Truffert from Rennes, Bafodé Diakité from Lille for £34.6m, Djordje Petrovic from Chelsea, Ben Gannon-Doak from Liverpool, Amine Adli from Bayer Leverkusen, Veljko Milosavljevic from Red Star Belgrade, and Eli Junior Kroupi, whose £10m January 2025 move from Lorient was completed with him joining the squad after a season on loan in France.[10](https://www.premierleague.com/en/news/4325177) • [11](https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/articles/cy5pqewprz7o) • [12](https://www.fourfourtwo.com/team/fourfourtwos-2025-26-season-preview-revisited-five-predictions-we-got-right-and-five-things-that-shocked-us)
## League season
**Strong start.** After the opening-night 4–2 loss at Liverpool, Bournemouth went eight games without defeat, rising into the upper reaches of the table.[3](https://www.fourfourtwo.com/team/we-need-to-enjoy-every-moment-the-excitement-of-playing-in-europe-and-having-those-fixtures-is-an-incredible-problem-to-have-bournemouths-history-makers-on-their-european-bow) The run included wins over Wolverhampton Wanderers (1–0), Tottenham Hotspur away (1–0), Brighton (2–1), Fulham (3–1), and Nottingham Forest (2–0), with draws against Newcastle, Leeds, and Crystal Palace.[5](https://www.11v11.com/teams/afc-bournemouth/tab/matches/season/2026/) After nine matchdays the team again had the lowest PPDA (passes allowed per defensive action) in the Premier League, at 9.8, after leading the competition with 9.9 the previous season.[13](https://www.premierleague.com/en/news/4450480/are-bournemouth-genuine-title-contenders-if-they-beat-man-city) [Antoine Semenyo](https://www.edgepedia.org/antoine-semenyo), one of three players to reach 10 or more goals for the club the previous season, had eight Premier League goals by late autumn.[14](https://twickenhamtribune.com/PDF/Twickenham%20Tribune%200477.pdf)
**Mid-season dip.** Defeats followed at Manchester City (3–1), Aston Villa (4–0), and [Sunderland](https://www.edgepedia.org/sunderland) (3–2), and a home loss to Everton, with the run of results against top-table sides drawing comment by mid-December.[5](https://www.11v11.com/teams/afc-bournemouth/tab/matches/season/2026/) • [15](https://harvardindependent.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/1-2-combined-1.pdf) A tactical analysis of the slump noted that average possession rose from 50.6% in the opening nine matches to 57.7% across a five-game winless stretch, suggesting Iraola's side was holding the ball more without the same penetration.[16](https://www.squawka.com/en/features/tactical-analysis-bournemouth-whats-gone-wrong/) [Justin Kluivert](https://www.edgepedia.org/justin-kluivert) missed a large part of the season with a knee injury and finished with only two Premier League goals.[17](https://www.fantasyfootballscout.co.uk/2026/08/15/fpl-2026-27-bournemouth-best-players-set-piece-takers-predicted-xi-more) In January 2026 the club sold Semenyo to Manchester City for £62.5m.[6](https://www.cannaeholdings.com/static-files/d75542fb-0afa-490b-a98e-7ca73e7c29af)
**Run-in and European qualification.** From February the team became hard to beat, drawing heavily but losing rarely; the 38-match league record of 18 draws was the basis of the points total.[1](https://fbref.com/en/squads/4ba7cbea/2025-2026/matchlogs/c514/schedule/Bournemouth-Scores-and-Fixtures-FA-Cup) • [2](https://www.squawka.com/en/features/bournemouth-analysis-europa-league-marco-rose/) Wins at Arsenal (2–1) and Newcastle (2–1) in April and home wins over Crystal Palace (3–0) and Fulham (1–0) in May carried the club into the final day with, per [BBC Sport](https://www.edgepedia.org/bbc-sport), a mathematical chance of Champions League qualification.[5](https://www.11v11.com/teams/afc-bournemouth/tab/matches/season/2026/) • [18](https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/articles/c052889yd8mo) On 19 May 2026 Eli Junior Kroupi's strike put [Bournemouth](https://www.edgepedia.org/bournemouth) ahead at home to Manchester City before [Erling Haaland](https://www.edgepedia.org/erling-haaland) equalised in the 95th minute for a 1–1 draw; the dropped points by City contributed to Arsenal winning the title.[3](https://www.fourfourtwo.com/team/we-need-to-enjoy-every-moment-the-excitement-of-playing-in-europe-and-having-those-fixtures-is-an-incredible-problem-to-have-bournemouths-history-makers-on-their-european-bow) • [12](https://www.fourfourtwo.com/team/fourfourtwos-2025-26-season-preview-revisited-five-predictions-we-got-right-and-five-things-that-shocked-us) The season closed with a 1–1 draw at Nottingham Forest on 24 May 2026.[5](https://www.11v11.com/teams/afc-bournemouth/tab/matches/season/2026/)
## Cup competitions
Both cup exits came early. In the League Cup second round on 26 August 2025, Bournemouth lost 0–2 at home to Brentford.[5](https://www.11v11.com/teams/afc-bournemouth/tab/matches/season/2026/) In the [FA Cup](https://www.edgepedia.org/fa-cup) third round on 10 January 2026, a 3–3 draw at Newcastle United was followed by a 7–6 defeat on penalties.[5](https://www.11v11.com/teams/afc-bournemouth/tab/matches/season/2026/)
## Playing style and assessment
Iraola's high-pressing approach remained the team's identity: Bournemouth had the Premier League's lowest PPDA both at the end of 2024–25 (9.9) and after nine matchdays of 2025–26 (9.8).[13](https://www.premierleague.com/en/news/4450480/are-bournemouth-genuine-title-contenders-if-they-beat-man-city) The side also kept scoring late, with 16 goals in the final 15 minutes of matches.[8](https://www.mancity.com/news/mens/bournemouth-opta-analysis-premier-league-august-2026-63922832) FourFourTwo's end-of-season grading gave the club an A grade, judging the team to have overperformed, naming Marcos Senesi as key player, and noting that too many draws limited the final position; the same article described the summer departure of Iraola as a blow.[4](https://www.fourfourtwo.com/competition/every-premier-league-teams-season-graded) The grading article lists Bournemouth's final position as 7th, while FBref and Squawka both record a 6th-place finish on 57 points.[4](https://www.fourfourtwo.com/competition/every-premier-league-teams-season-graded) • [1](https://fbref.com/en/squads/4ba7cbea/2025-2026/matchlogs/c514/schedule/Bournemouth-Scores-and-Fixtures-FA-Cup) • [2](https://www.squawka.com/en/features/bournemouth-analysis-europa-league-marco-rose/)
The season ended Iraola's three-year tenure, described by FourFourTwo as the most successful chapter in the club's history, with European football secured for 2026–27 and Marco Rose appointed as his successor.[7](https://www.fourfourtwo.com/team/bournemouth-have-waved-goodbye-to-andoni-iraola-but-will-they-continue-to-build-upon-the-fine-work-he-laid-down-bournemouth-2026-27-season-preview)
## References
1. [2025-2026 Bournemouth Scores and Fixtures, FBref.com](https://fbref.com/en/squads/4ba7cbea/2025-2026/matchlogs/c514/schedule/Bournemouth-Scores-and-Fixtures-FA-Cup)
2. [Bournemouth analysis: Are Cherries ready for European adventure under Marco Rose?, Squawka](https://www.squawka.com/en/features/bournemouth-analysis-europa-league-marco-rose/)
3. [Bournemouth in Europe: Bournemouth's history makers on their European bow, FourFourTwo](https://www.fourfourtwo.com/team/we-need-to-enjoy-every-moment-the-excitement-of-playing-in-europe-and-having-those-fixtures-is-an-incredible-problem-to-have-bournemouths-history-makers-on-their-european-bow)
4. [Every Premier League team's season graded, FourFourTwo](https://www.fourfourtwo.com/competition/every-premier-league-teams-season-graded)
5. [AFC Bournemouth match record: 2026, 11v11](https://www.11v11.com/teams/afc-bournemouth/tab/matches/season/2026/)
6. [Black Knight Football document, Cannaeholdings](https://www.cannaeholdings.com/static-files/d75542fb-0afa-490b-a98e-7ca73e7c29af)
7. [Bournemouth 2026-27 season preview, FourFourTwo](https://www.fourfourtwo.com/team/bournemouth-have-waved-goodbye-to-andoni-iraola-but-will-they-continue-to-build-upon-the-fine-work-he-laid-down-bournemouth-2026-27-season-preview)
8. [Analysing Bournemouth ahead of the Premier League opener, Man City.com](https://www.mancity.com/news/mens/bournemouth-opta-analysis-premier-league-august-2026-63922832)
9. [Bournemouth, Everton, Manchester United and West Ham United to play in Premier League Summer Series, AP News](https://apnews.com/article/e125cde81d6d8bd50f1b792ba44e00d2)
10. [Summer 2025 Transfers & News, Premier League](https://www.premierleague.com/en/news/4325177)
11. [Premier League 2025-26: Where will Bournemouth finish this season?, BBC Sport](https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/articles/cy5pqewprz7o)
12. [FourFourTwo's 2025/26 Season Preview revisited, FourFourTwo](https://www.fourfourtwo.com/team/fourfourtwos-2025-26-season-preview-revisited-five-predictions-we-got-right-and-five-things-that-shocked-us)
13. [Are Bournemouth genuine title contenders if they beat Man City?, Premier League](https://www.premierleague.com/en/news/4450480/are-bournemouth-genuine-title-contenders-if-they-beat-man-city)
14. [Match Preview: Brentford v Bournemouth, Twickenham Tribune](https://twickenhamtribune.com/PDF/Twickenham%20Tribune%200477.pdf)
15. [Indy Sportsbook: EPL Gameweek 15, Harvard Independent](https://harvardindependent.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/1-2-combined-1.pdf)
16. [Bournemouth analysis: What's gone wrong for the Cherries in winless slump, Squawka](https://www.squawka.com/en/features/tactical-analysis-bournemouth-whats-gone-wrong/)
17. [FPL 2026/27 - Bournemouth, Fantasy Football Scout](https://www.fantasyfootballscout.co.uk/2026/08/15/fpl-2026-27-bournemouth-best-players-set-piece-takers-predicted-xi-more)
18. [Bournemouth: Bill Foley, Greek mythology and destiny, BBC Sport](https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/articles/c052889yd8mo)
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*Topic: Encyclopedia › Sports, games, and recreation › Association football › Football competitions and records › Seasons and editions › Club seasons › English Premier League club seasons › 2020s club seasons*
*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Sep 30, 2026; Oct 21, 2026 · Edited: Sep 30, 2026; Oct 11, 2026; Oct 15, 2026; Oct 21, 2026 · Last review: Oct 21, 2026*
*Copyright 2026 EdgeChat AI, a subsidiary of Biostate AI.*
License: Edgepedia Community License 1.0, https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license