The 2025–26 season was the 144th season in the history of Tottenham Hotspur Football Club, their 48th consecutive season in the top flight of English football, and 34th consecutive season in the Premier League. In addition to the domestic league, the club also participated in the FA Cup, the EFL Cup, the UEFA Champions League, and made a debut appearance in the UEFA Super Cup, with the latter two qualifications coming by virtue of winning the UEFA Europa League final 1–0 against Manchester United in the previous season.
The club endured a poor season on the pitch, finishing 17th in the Premier League for the second consecutive season. Tottenham were very close to being relegated, ultimately edging out London rivals West Ham United for survival by just two points. Early eliminations from all the cup competitions in conjunction with the league finish ensured Spurs for the 2026–27 season would not play in any UEFA-sanctioned competition for the first time since the 2023–24 season and only the third time since the 2004–05 season.
Season summary Prior to the season, Thomas Frank was headhunted from Brentford and appointed as head coach on a three-year contract, replacing the sacked Ange Postecoglou. The summer transfer window also saw a significant leadership shift on the pitch, as long-serving captain Son Heung-min departed for Los Angeles FC after a decade at the club. This period of transition reached the boardroom on 4 September 2025, when Daniel Levy resigned (but was widely understood to be de facto sacked by the Lewis Family) as executive chairman after nearly 25 years at the helm, with the Lewis Family citing a lack of footballing success and focus on football.
The season started positively, with a competitive performance in the UEFA Super Cup against heavy favourites and European champions Paris Saint-Germain, albeit with Tottenham ultimately throwing away a 2–0 lead late on to draw 2–2 and losing on penalties. Frank also won his first two league games, including a marquee win over Manchester City away from home, and Spurs were third in the league on Halloween. However, optimism dissipated quickly due to a collapse in form, poor performances in derby losses to Chelsea and Arsenal in November, and growing concerns about a very defensive style of football creating very few chances. Spurs also suffered a very large injury crisis throughout 2026, with parallels to the preceding two seasons. Spurs hurtled down the league and despite pleas for patience Frank grew increasingly unpopular. Tottenham board members Vinai Venkatesham and Johan Lange, promoted to positions of power after Daniel Levy's exit, would face criticism for retaining Thomas Frank for too long. By February 2026, a 2–1 home loss to Newcastle United left Spurs in 16th place, prompting the club to dismiss Frank after only eight months in charge following exits from both domestic cup competitions.
The subsequent managerial search saw Igor Tudor appointed on 17 February as interim head coach. Tudor was known for overseeing immediate upturns in results upon joining new clubs, yet his stint began with disastrous results, suffering losses to Arsenal, Fulham, Crystal Palace and Nottingham Forest in the league. His only other league game was a late-earned draw away at Anfield against Liverpool. He also oversaw a 7–5 Champions League round of 16 aggregate loss to Atlético Madrid, beginning with a 5–2 defeat in Spain, including being 4–0 down after 23 minutes due to goals from poor slips and individual errors. Tudor played backup goalkeeper Antonín Kinský in the match, but substituted him after sixteen minutes following two individual errors to much criticism.
Tudor was sacked as interim head coach on 29 March after just 44 days in charge, in the aftermath of a 3–0 home defeat to Nottingham Forest. He was replaced by Roberto De Zerbi, coming in as permanent manager. The club's situation worsened on 10 April, when a 4–0 victory for West Ham United against Wolverhampton Wanderers pushed Tottenham into the relegation zone after three or more games played for the first time since January 2009. This standing served as the backdrop for De Zerbi's managerial debut two days later, which resulted in a 1–0 defeat at Sunderland.
De Zerbi would go on to lead Spurs to eleven points from their final six matches, which would be enough to clinch safety on the final day and finish 17th. Tottenham went into the last game of the season knowing that only a loss at home to Everton and a win for West Ham at home against Leeds United would see them relegated, excluding an unrealistic twelve goal difference swing. Tottenham won 1–0; a João Palhinha goal in the 43rd minute from a corner was the winner. West Ham were therefore relegated despite a 3–0 win over Leeds.
Despite confirming safety, the season would be remembered as one of the worst in Tottenham's history; the team had a historically close brush with relegation, three managers in a season, the large Champions League round of 16 first leg loss to Atlético Madrid, and were knocked out of the FA Cup in the third round for only the second time in twenty years, being eliminated by Aston Villa. The Premier League finish of 17th meant that it was the first time Tottenham had finished as low as 17th in the top flight two years running for 111 years. The club also lost six matches in a row across all competitions for the first time in their history. Tottenham did not win any of their first fifteen league games of 2026, the second-longest league winless streak in their history (sixteen games without a win in 1934–35). Spurs also experienced historically poor home form, with only three home league wins all season, the joint-lowest by any Premier League team to escape relegation along with Hull City in 2008–09, including a run of one home win in seventeen. Everton were the only team Tottenham beat home and away in the league.
The season was considered by many to be the only serious threat of relegation experienced by a "Big Six" club since the formation of the concept when Manchester City were taken over in 2008. The story of the missteps by the club executives and management, which nearly led Tottenham to what would have been a historic relegation to the Championship for the first time in 49 years, became the dominant narrative across the Premier League for the 2025–26 season.
Squad information
No. Player Nationality Position(s) Date of birth (age) Goalkeepers 1 Guglielmo Vicario (4th captain) GK 31 Antonín Kinský GK 40 Brandon Austin GK Defenders 3 Radu Drăgușin CB 4 Kevin Danso CB 13 Destiny Udogie LB / LWB / LM 17 Cristian Romero (captain) CB 23 Pedro Porro RB / RWB 24 Djed Spence LB / RB / RWB 33 Ben Davies (3rd captain) CB / LB 37 Micky van de Ven (5th captain) CB / LB 38 Souza LB Midfielders 6 João Palhinha DM / CB / CM 7 Xavi Simons AM / LW / CM 8 Yves Bissouma DM / CM 10 James Maddison (vice captain) AM / CM / RW 14 Archie Gray CM / DM / CB 15 Lucas Bergvall CM / AM 21 Dejan Kulusevski AM / RW / ST 22 Conor Gallagher CM / DM 29 Pape Matar Sarr CM / AM 30 Rodrigo Bentancur CM / DM Forwards 9 Richarlison ST / LW 11 Mathys Tel ST / LW / RW 19 Dominic Solanke ST 20 Mohammed Kudus RW / AM / ST 28 Wilson Odobert LW / RW / AM 39 Randal Kolo Muani ST / RW Out on loan 16 Luka Vušković CB 18 Yang Min-hyeok RW / LW 25 Kōta Takai CB 27 Manor Solomon LW / RW 35 Ashley Phillips CB 36 Alejo Véliz ST 44 Dane Scarlett ST / LW 45 Alfie Devine CM / AM
Transfers and contracts
Released Date from Pos. Nationality Player Subsequent club Notes Ref.30 June 2025 DF Archie Baptiste MiddlesbroughEnd of contract GK Fraser Forster AFC Bournemouth DF Maxwell McKnight Brentford DF Sergio Reguilón Inter Miami DF Max Robson Forest Green Rovers GK Charlie Warren Queens Park Rangers FW Jaden Williams Colchester United DF Timileyin Adekunle Free agent DF Will Andiyapan Free agent GK Elliot Krasniqi Free agent DF Jahziah Linton Free agent DF Dante Orr Free agent GK Alfie Whiteman Retired
In Date from Pos. Nationality Player From Fee Ref. 1 June 2025 DF Kevin Danso Lens £21,000,000 15 June 2025 FW Mathys Tel Bayern Munich £30,000,000 1 July 2025 DF Luka Vušković Hajduk Split £12,000,000 4 July 2025 MF Max McFadden Leeds United Free 8 July 2025 DF Kōta Takai Kawasaki Frontale £5,000,000 10 July 2025 FW Mohammed Kudus West Ham United £55,000,000 27 August 2025 FW Conall Glancy Celtic Free 29 August 2025 FW Xavi Simons RB Leipzig £51,800,000 1 January 2026 FW Mason Melia St Patrick's Athletic £1,600,000 14 January 2026 MF Conor Gallagher Atlético Madrid £35,000,000 22 January 2026 DF Souza Santos £13,000,000 30 January 2026 FW Elisha Sowunmi West Ham United Undisclosed 2 February 2026 FW Joel Vidal-Philbert Chelsea Undisclosed
Out Date from Pos. Nationality Player To Fee Ref. 1 June 2025 MF Pierre-Emile Højbjerg Marseille £17,000,000 19 July 2025 GK Josh Keeley Luton Town £1,000,000 6 August 2025 FW Son Heung-min Los Angeles FC £20,000,000 1 September 2025 FW Bryan Gil Girona £8,600,000 2 January 2026 FW Brennan Johnson Crystal Palace £35,000,000 2 February 2026 FW Herbie James Cardiff City Undisclosed 6 February 2026 DF Roman Egan-Riley Burnley Undisclosed
Loaned in Date from Pos. Nationality Player From Date until Ref. 3 August 2025 MF João Palhinha Bayern Munich 31 May 2026 1 September 2025 FW Randal Kolo Muani Paris Saint-Germain 31 May 2026 2 February 2026 FW James Wilson Heart of Midlothian End of Season
Loaned out Date from Pos. Nationality Player To Date until Ref. 24 June 2025 FW Damola Ajayi Doncaster Rovers 16 January 2026 8 July 2025 FW Alejo Véliz Rosario Central End of season 19 July 2025 DF Alfie Dorrington Aberdeen 6 January 2026 23 July 2025 DF Ashley Phillips Stoke City End of season 1 August 2025 FW Mikey Moore Rangers End of season 4 August 2025 MF Tyrese Hall Notts County End of season 5 August 2025 FW Will Lankshear Oxford United End of season 6 August 2025 MF Jamie Donley Stoke City 1 January 2026 6 August 2025 MF George Abbott Wycombe Wanderers 5 January 2026 8 August 2025 FW Yang Min-hyeok Portsmouth 6 January 2026 8 August 2025 MF Alfie Devine Preston North End End of season 29 August 2025 DF Luka Vušković Hamburger SV End of season 1 September 2025 FW Manor Solomon Villarreal CF 2 January 2026 2 January 2026 DF Kōta Takai Borussia Mönchengladbach End of Season 2 January 2026 FW Manor Solomon Fiorentina End of season 2 January 2026 MF Jamie Donley Oxford United End of season 6 January 2026 FW Yang Min-hyeok Coventry City End of season 8 January 2026 FW Oliver Irow Mansfield Town End of season 16 January 2026 FW Damola Ajayi Bromley End of season 22 January 2026 MF Yusuf Akhamrich Bristol Rovers End of season 30 January 2026 FW Dane Scarlett Hibernian End of season 2 February 2026 MF George Abbott Mansfield Town End of season 2 February 2026 DF Alfie Dorrington Salford City End of season 2 February 2026 GK Aaron Maguire Hampton & Richmond Borough End of season
New contract Date from Pos. Nationality Player Contracted until Ref.30 May 2025 MF Harry ByrneUndisclosed FW Tynan Thompson 4 June 2025 FW Reiss Elliott-Parris 8 June 2025 DF Ben Davies 30 June 2026 19 June 2025 FW Ellis Lehane Undisclosed 20 June 2025 DF Danté Cassanova 30 June 2027 27 June 2025 FW Oliver Irow 30 June 2028 25 July 2025 MF Rio Kyerematen Undisclosed 27 July 2025 MF George Abbott 8 August 2025 MF Alfie Devine 11 August 2025 FW Mikey MooreUndisclosed 18 August 2025 DF Djed Spence DF Cristian Romero 30 June 2029 2 October 2025 MF Lucá Williams-Barnett Undisclosed 3 October 2025 MF Rodrigo Bentancur Undisclosed 17 October 2025 GK Blake IrowUndisclosed 20 November 2025 GK Dylan Thompson 10 December 2025 DF Jun'ai Byfield 31 January 2026 MF Tye Hall Undisclosed 24 March 2026 FW Conall Glancy Undisclosed 25 March 2026 DF Harry Byrne Undisclosed 26 March 2026 GK Carey Bloedorn 9 April 2026 DF Malachi Hardy 10 April 2026 DF Tyler Tingey Undisclosed 29 April 2026 DF James Rowswell Undisclosed