Twenty-two years. Eight managers. Countless near-misses. And on a warm Sunday afternoon at Selhurst Park, it was a first-half Gabriel Jesus finish and a Noni Madueke strike just after the restart that completed the job.
Arsenal are Premier League champions. The 2025-26 season belongs to them.
The title was mathematically secured six days earlier, on 19 May, when Manchester City drew 1-1 with Bournemouth. But the trophy lift had its moment on Matchday 38, when Martin Odegaard raised the Premier League trophy in front of thousands of Arsenal fans who had held their breath since 2004.
The Final Day
Crystal Palace hosted Arsenal at Selhurst Park on Sunday 24 May, with the trophy in tow and the party long pre-arranged. The hosts made it competitive. Jean-Philippe Mateta, one of the Premier League’s most consistent finishers across the season, headed in a late consolation. But by then it was long settled.
Gabriel Jesus opened the scoring in the first half, converting after Gabriel Martinelli drove forward and threaded the ball through for the onrushing striker. Madueke doubled the lead moments after the restart, finishing with the composure of a player who has grown into a reliable starter across the second half of the season. Palace’s Mateta headed home late to give the scoreline a flattering look for the hosts.
Final score: Crystal Palace 1-2 Arsenal.
The Numbers Behind the Title
The headline figure belongs to David Raya. The Spain goalkeeper kept 19 clean sheets across the 38-game season, claiming the Golden Glove for a third consecutive year. Arsenal conceded in only 19 matches all season. That is a defensive record that reflects the organisation Mikel Arteta built, rather than luck.
Viktor Gyökeres solved the problem that had frustrated Arsenal for years: a centre-forward who scores through the whole season. The Swede finished with 14 Premier League goals in his debut Arsenal campaign, topping the club’s scoring charts. Across all competitions, he reached 20-plus goals, the first Arsenal player to do so in a debut season since Alexis Sanchez managed 25 in 2014-15.
Across 38 league games, Arsenal recorded 26 wins, 7 draws, and 5 defeats. The title was not a sprint, it held through Manchester City’s pressure in the spring and came home with a margin that reflects a season of collective quality rather than individual brilliance.
What the Final Table Tells You
The relegation picture adds its own drama to the day. West Ham United, who needed a result, beat Leeds but finished on 39 points, not enough as Tottenham won against Everton to confirm their own survival. The Hammers drop to the Championship for the first time in 14 years.
Burnley and Wolverhampton Wanderers also go down, completing a bottom-three that had been settled for several weeks.
At the other end, Bournemouth seal sixth and Europa League football, a remarkable outcome under Andoni Iraola. Sunderland finish seventh (Europa League). Brighton eighth (Conference League).
What Comes Next
Arsenal have no time to celebrate at length. On 30 May — six days from now — they face Paris Saint-Germain in the UEFA Champions League Final at Puskás Aréna in Budapest. The chance for the Double. The last English club to win the Premier League and Champions League in the same season was Manchester City in 2022-23. Arteta’s side now have their own opportunity to be mentioned alongside them.
PSG are the defending Champions League holders, who won the 2025 final 5-0 against Inter Milan. Arsenal have gone through the entire UCL campaign unbeaten. Both clubs have earned their place in Budapest.
No comment