Nottingham Forest

• Read more on the matches and rule changes for 2026-27

Nottingham Forest will kick off their 2026-27 Premier League campaign - a first full season under Vitor Pereira - with a home game against Leeds United.

The match will take place on Saturday, 22 August at 15:00 BST, with Forest's first away fixture against Liverpool on the weekend of 29-30 August.

Pereira's side face Manchester United (A), Newcastle United (A), Fulham (H) and Hull City (H) over the Christmas and New Year period.

And they end their league season against Coventry City at Coventry Building Society Arena on Sunday, 30 May, when all games will kick off at the same time.

See Forest's Premier League fixtures in full here

Image source, Getty Images

With the countdown to the 2026-27 Premier League fixture release well and truly on, we asked for your stories of opening-day games - both good and bad - that have stuck in your minds most. And you delivered.

Here are some of your replies:

Mark: My memory is from 17 August 1996. It was Coventry City 0-3 Nottingham Forest, thanks to a Kevin Campbell hat-trick. The season looked so bright, but it was one of just six Premier League wins that season. We ended up bottom of the table.

Dave: I remember going to watch Forest play at the old Highfield Road for my 13th birthday with my old man. The Reds smashed Coventry 3-0 on a beautiful sunny day. It was the first of many road trips to come.

Arthur: Southend away in 1993 - the first away match of the new season when we were relegated. The match was on a Sunday, thousands of Forest fans went down the night before, however there wasn't enough hotels rooms so we ended up sleeping in the car. The night out in Southend was brilliant - every pub and nightclub was full of Forest fans. There were so many that the police had to draft in reinforcements. The game was completely sold out and Teddy Sheringham was actually sitting with the Forest fans during the game. A cracking weekend away. Great memories.

Gary: Losing at Coventry 2-1 on the opening day of the 2021-22 season. They scored the winning goal in the 96th minute. Here we go again, we all thought - same old, same old. But we went on to win the Championship play-off final. Dreamland.

Jack: The very best opening-day memory was Everton away on 20 August 1977. Every pundit had written us off before the season had even started. Wasn't it Bob Wilson with the "flash in the pan" remark? And, oh dear, we had the temerity to finish as champions and then win the European Cup - twice, in case anyone's forgotten.

Come back to this page at 10:00 BST to see how the Reds' 2026-27 Premier League fixtures have fallen.

Tottenham have opened talks over a deal for Germany Under-21 forward Said El Mala from Cologne and hope to beat Newcastle and Nottingham Forest to the 19-year-old's signature. (Teamtalk), external

Want more transfer stories? Read Thursday's full gossip column

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Elliot Anderson continues to go from strength to strength and has cemented his place in England's midfield.

The Nottingham Forest midfielder as again integral as the Three Lions wrestled the lead back in Wednesday's World Cup win over Croatia.

Take a look at Anderson's first-time pass that swept Jude Bellingham in for England's third.

Leeds United and Nottingham Forest are in the race for 26-year-old Belgium striker Lois Openda from Juventus. (Teamtalk), external

Everton are exploring the possibility of signing Openda on a loan-to-buy deal. (Football Insider), external

Want more transfer stories? Read Wednesday's full gossip column

Follow the gossip column on BBC Sport

The World Cup may be less than a week old but the 2026-27 Premier League fixtures will be released on Friday.

And to get in the mood as Nottingham Forest prepare for a first full season under Vitor Pereira, we want your stories of opening-day games that have stuck in your minds most - both the good and the bad.

Get in touch with your memories here

And make sure to come back to this page on Friday to see how the Reds' league fixture list has fallen.

Nick Mashiter
Football reporter

Image source, Getty Images

Vitor Pereira's contract talks with Nottingham Forest have been put on hold.

Both parties remain committed to the future and there is the intention of restarting discussions next season.

Pereira has one-year left on his current City Ground contract and would prefer to stay, despite interest from Al-Hilal. He did not engage with the Saudi Pro League side and wants to carry on in the Premier League with Forest.

A deal had been progressing and the club remain interested in renewing Pereira's contract, while the 57-year-old is keen on an agreement after he guided the Reds to top-flight safety.

But it has been decided now is not the right time to continue talks, although the risks in pausing any talks are recognised should Forest have a poor start to next season.

Pereira replaced Sean Dyche in February to become Forest's fourth manager of the season and they ended the campaign in 16th, five points above the bottom three.

They reached the Europa League semi-finals - making the last four in a European competition for the first time since 1982 - but lost to eventual winners Aston Villa,

Pereira won eight of his 20 games in charge, losing just six.

He was sacked by Wolves in November after 11 months at Molineux and has previously managed Olympiacos, where he worked with Forest owner Evangelos Marinakis.

Chris Wood and Elijah Just performed some double act on Monday, linking up not once but twice to drive New Zealand to a point in their World Cup opener against Japan.

Image source, Getty Images

We asked for your views on who you would like Nottingham Forest to keep, loan and sell from the squad this summer.

Here are some of your comments:

Peter: Keep Jair Cunha - a real prospect in defence, especially in a back three with Murillo and Milenkovic. Loan James McAtee - he needs guaranteed game time to regain his confidence. Perhaps he could join one of the newly promoted clubs or a top Championship team, or maybe abroad. Sell Dan Ndoye as he hasn't shown progress over the season but is suited to European leagues and will probably have an excellent World Cup.

Paul: I'd keep Bakwa, who after a tough first season has shown glimpses of his potential. James McAtee needs a loan spell to get regular first-team football, and I'd sell Morato as we have younger and more reliable central defenders.

Michael: I'd keep Ndoye. Though he's not necessarily been on the fringes, he hasn't seemed to make his mark properly yet and I think he's hugely talented and could be a real asset for us moving into his second full season with a more stable structure at the helm. Of course have to keep Awoniyi too, for everything he has done for the club since his arrival as our most expensive signing of that first Premier League transfer window. I would loan out Cuiabano to give him some more experience, ideally over in France or Germany, as he's unlikely to break into the first XI this season with Murillo signing the extension and the Serbinator keeping it solid at the back. I'm not confident in John Victor, and having released Gunn and Ortega, this would mean we could go for a younger keeper with some experience to back up Sels this season and perhaps take the gloves for the future from there.

David: Jair Cunha has lots of potential and must stay. Opportunities will come next season and he will establish himself in the team. Loan out James McAtee as he needs to regain confidence. Sell Dan Ndoye as he has made very little impact.

Paul T: Keep - James McAtee - he is close to the finished product. Loan out - Kalimuendo - still not ready for the Premier League. Sell - Bakwa/ Morato - too slow or not suitable for the Premier League.

Giles: Regrettably but inevitably, sell Anderson, wish him the best and reinvest sensibly on two or three quality folk; keep McAtee or Hutchinson and loan out the other for more minutes and game maturity.

Sean: We should keep Kalimuendo, he showed with us and with Frankfurt that he's got a bit of pace and some goalscoring ability, but I also think he'd benefit from our two-striker system. Loan out Zach Abbott. He's got a bright future for us but he needs minutes on the pitch regularly now. Sell Hudson-Odoi. Controversial I know but as good as he has been for us, he does get injured regularly, and with competition from Bakwa and Hutchinson for his position, I'd rather give those two a chance.

Jesse: I think sell Anderson, loan out Cunha and keep Gibbs-White. Anderson wants to go and £120m+ is a huge amount of money. Cunha needs time to develop and Forest have strength in the central defence. Gibbs-White has been the driving force of Forest's attack this season and I think he's irreplaceable. If they sell Anderson, they are already getting enough money.

Change is inevitable at football clubs during the summer months and we want to ask you something specific about Nottingham Forest's squad.

Tell us:

• One player who has been on the fringes who should be kept and why?

• One player who should be loaned out

• One player who should be sold

We would love names and reasons for all three - get in touch with your views using this form.

Nick Mashiter and Shamoon Hafez
Football reporters

Image source, Getty Images

Four years since helping Bristol Rovers win promotion from League Two, Elliot Anderson faces what could be a defining summer.

Anderson is expected to be one of England's key players at the World Cup, and his stellar performances for Nottingham Forest have led to such significant transfer interest that he is likely to become the most expensive British footballer ever.

The 23-year-old has quickly become a key man for national team boss Thomas Tuchel - winning eight caps this season, just three years after being called up by Scotland.

He is expected to start alongside Declan Rice in the heart of midfield when they begin their World Cup campaign against Croatia on 17 June (kick-off 21:00 BST).

As he prepares for that, his club future remains uncertain. Forest have already turned down a significant bid from Manchester City for Anderson, as owner Evangelos Marinakis holds out for a reported £110m.

He scored a superb equaliser to salvage an unlikely point at Etihad Stadium in March, and the Blues have long admired the player. They firmed up their interest last week with an opening bid and sources say they are expected to make another.

Anderson tops the club's list of midfield targets following the departure of captain Bernardo Silva, and such has been his rise that they will not be swayed from paying a fee that could become a record for a British player.

Anderson's eye-catching performances earned him a team of the season spot in BBC Sport's first end-of-season football awards - and his statistics make for incredible reading.

Among all top-flight players, Anderson managed to:

• Have the most touches of the ball (3,300).

• Win the most duels (297).

• Win the most fouls (80).

• Win possession the most times overall (306) as well as in the middle third (154) and defensive third of the pitch (127).

Among central midfielders, he also made the most line-breaking passes (376), completed the most overall passes (2,038) and made the most dribbles (95).

He became the first player since Declan Rice in 2019-20 to win possession more than 300 times in a Premier League season. Out of possession he worked hard too, his 1,895 high-intensity pressures were the most applied by a central midfielder.

So, to some, his success is no surprise.

Read the full article here

Nick Mashiter
Football reporter

Image source, Getty Images

Stefan Ortega heads the departure list at Nottingham Forest.

The goalkeeper joined Forest from Manchester City in February and made 10 appearances, seven in the club's run to the Europa League semi-finals.

John Victor is expected to be fit for the start of the season after suffering a serious knee injury in January, with Matz Sels Forest's No.1.

Defender Willy Boly and goalkeeper Angus Gunn will also leave the club at the end of their contracts this month.

Striker Lorenzo Lucca, signed on loan from Napoli in January, is returning to the Serie A club having scored once in nine appearances.

"Everyone at Nottingham Forest thanks Willy, Angus, Stefan and Lorenzo for their contributions while on Trentside, wishing them the very best for their next steps," read a club statement.

Co-owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe is willing to satisfy the wage demands of Nottingham Forest midfielder Elliot Anderson, 23, in order to bring him to Manchester United. (Mirror), external

Want more transfer stories? Read Wednesday's full gossip column

Follow the gossip column on BBC Sport

Shamoon Hafez
Manchester City reporter

Image source, Getty Images

Manchester City last week had an opening bid for midfielder Elliot Anderson rejected by Nottingham Forest.

The 23-year-old England international tops City's list of midfield targets following the departure of captain Bernardo Silva, and sources say they are expected to make another bid.

City have long admired Anderson and will not be swayed from paying a significant fee, which could become a record fee for a British player.

Forest owner Evangelos Marinakis is known to be a tough negotiator and is understood to want more than the £105m Arsenal paid to sign midfielder Declan Rice from West Ham in 2023.

Anderson is currently at the World Cup, but England boss Thomas Tuchel has said squad members will have permission to finalise transfers provided it does not significantly affect the team's preparations.

BBC Sport has previously reported Anderson is leaning towards a move to City over rivals Manchester United.

The countdown to the World Cup is well and truly on, so here's a reminder of the Reds selected to represent their countries from 11 June to 19 July.

The expanded 48-team competition is set to be the biggest in history, with the United States, Canada and Mexico hosting.

Nottingham Forest's World Cup contingent:

• Elliot Anderson (England)

• Tyler Bindon (New Zealand)

• Angus Gunn (Scotland)

• Dan Ndoye (Switzerland)

• Ibrahim Sangare (Ivory Coast)

• Chris Wood (New Zealand)

Bindon has returned from his season-long loan spell at Sheffield United.

Take a dive into each of the 48 squads here

Read more about the World Cup squads in numbers

Find out more about how to follow the competition on the BBC

Click here to download your World Cup 2026 wallchart

Atalanta are in talks with Nottingham Forest over a deal to bring centre-back Nicolo Savona back to Serie A. (Goal - in Italian), external

Manchester United remain intent on signing Elliot Anderson, with the club's executives optimistic they can beat Manchester City to the midfielder, who is valued at about £100m by Forest. (Guardian), external

However, Anderson is said to have expressed a desire to join City over United. (Talksport), external

Want more transfer stories? Read Tuesday's full gossip column

Follow the gossip column on BBC Sport

Image source, Getty Images

We asked for your views on what one thing needs to change at Nottingham Forest before the new campaign and why.

Here are some of your comments:

John: Keeping the group of the current team has to be fundamental to continuing the impressive last 10 Premier League matches. We cannot start over with the heart of the team ripped out. The spine needs to stay; Gibbs-White, Anderson, Murillo and Sels just have to remain. Then get that main stand replaced and construction started. This will demonstrate the club's ambitions fully!

Kevin: Avoid the chaos of last season! A settled manager, a settled squad and get rid of Edu.

Matt: Unity. We need a united front between Vitor and the club for our summer transfer strategy. The quicker the incomings and outgoings are sorted, the better our pre-season training will be. I fear this will all hinge on the sale of Anderson, who I would love to stay, but realistically we'll need the sale to reinvest in the squad and the sooner the better.

Mossy: After the whistle was blown at the last game against Bournemouth, the next sound should have been bulldozers starting up to make a start on developing the stadium, years wasted on talks with the council will cost the club eventually. Mr Marinakis should have built a stadium elsewhere in Nottingham.

Ollie: Recruitment - simply put, Forest need to get the recruitment right in the summer to drive on up the table and achieve another taste of European football. With everything that's gone on with Edu and the signings made last summer, the players signed seemed to be for a certain style, and not one that suits the current team. I'm expecting some movement with the squad, but whatever that amounts to, it needs to be spot on, with a new striker being the priority.

David: We need to get on the front foot earlier this summer and bring in players to strengthen the squad in good time to allow the coaching staff to work with the whole squad as a group before the season begins. Last year we were too slow and too late and made some questionable signings which seemed to be panic-driven.

Edward: Get all the transfer business agreed and done as early as possible so there can be a calm, uneventful and transformative pre-season. We all know what happens when that isn't the case.

Image source, Getty Images

Lina Souloukou is to step down from her role as chief executive of Nottingham Forest.

Souloukou has been in the position since January 2025.

In a club statement, Souloukou said: "It has been an honour to serve as the chief executive of Nottingham Forest. I have enjoyed my time here enormously and feel that we have made incredible progress under the ownership of Evangelos Marinakis."

Image source, Getty Images

The fee Nottingham Forest may eventually receive for Elliot Anderson may be "slightly deflated" because of there being a "one-buyer market" for the midfielder, says The i's chief football writer Daniel Storey.

Manchester City had had an opening bid for Anderson rejected by Nottingham Forest on Wednesday, but there is a growing expectation the 23-year-old will leave the City Ground this summer.

A potential fee could be a record for a British player and eclipse the £105m Arsenal paid West Ham for Declan Rice in 2023.

"We have created an environment to let an exceptional footballer be the best version of himself, better than anyone thought he would be," Storey told BBC Radio Nottingham's Shut Up And Show More Football podcast.

"One of the problems Forest have is they simultaneously want the fee to be as high as possible, which is absolutely right, and also would like a bit of a bidding war.

"Premier League clubs now selling at high prices generally takes out the world outside England bar two or three teams. There has never been reported interest from Bayern Munich or Real Madrid or Barcelona so we have a Premier League market."

• Explore all Nottingham Forest content on BBC Sounds

Storey continued: "Manchester United were really keen but they have two or probably three midfielders to buy so I don't think they can go as high as the fee would be. So, effectively, we have a one-buyer market, which is Manchester City. In a one-buyer market, it is hard to avoid the fee being slightly deflated than what you'd like as City can wait it out and do their business towards the end of the window.

"But, City may well also want to do business early and the fee, even if it is slightly deflated, I think will still be at least £90m which is an enormous amount of money.

"We know he's going, we know he has to go, but it's all about how Forest replace him. It's hard to do when he's still at the club as it shows they're really happy to sell Anderson and then the fee drops a little again.

"There has been no sense of him kicking up a fuss, he seems a really good guy, so we are now just in that negotiation phase. My gut feeling is it will be around £100m which somehow both doesn't feel quite enough but is also more than double what Forest have ever sold a player for."

Listen to the full episode on BBC Sounds

A new episode of BBC Radio Nottingham's Shut Up And Show More Football podcast is now available to listen to and download on BBC Sounds.

David Jackson talks to journalist and Forest fan Daniel Storey before he heads to the USA to cover the World Cup.

Hear his thoughts on Elliot Anderson's inclusion in Thomas Tuchel's England Squad, the prospect of his move to Manchester City this summer, and Morgan Gibbs-White's exclusion despite an excellent season.

Listen below or on BBC Sounds here - and don't forget to subscribe to get each episode into your My Sounds feed.

Explore all Nottingham Forest content on BBC Sounds

Chris Collinson
BBC Sport statistician

With all 48 World Cup squads now confirmed, we look at how they shape up and compare with each other leading into the tournament.

Which clubs have the most players?

Looking just at the 20 clubs that made up the 2025-26 Premier League, only this season's top three have more players at the World Cup than Conference League winners Crystal Palace (12).

Including players out on loan over the season, Sunderland remarkably have as many representatives on the global stage as Chelsea and Liverpool (11), showing just how globe-trotting their recruitment was following promotion last summer.

The majority of Brentford, Everton and Leeds' squads can put their feet up and recharge their batteries for next season, with those clubs sending just four players each.

• Get more key stats on participation