With the smell of freshly cut grass, the odd misplaced pre-season pass, and a few sunburnt full-backs already part of the warm-up act, the Isle of Man Football Association (IoMFA) has officially released the full fixture list for the 2025/26 season.

The curtain-raiser sees Peel, fresh off their 2024/25 Canada Life Premier League title win, take on FA Cup holders Ayre United in the traditional Eric Fletcher Charity Shield.

That clash will take place under the lights at the Bowl on Friday, August 22, with a 7pm kick-off.

Come Saturday, August 30, the league season gets properly underway with 2.30pm kick-offs island-wide.

Champions Peel begin their title defence away at Ramsey.

Meanwhile, newly promoted Braddan are thrown in at the deep end as they head south to face Rushen United at Croit Lowey.

Ayre United travel to Billy Goat Park to face a Foxdale side who’ll be looking to fill the Jason Charmer-shaped hole on the wing, the pacy island international having swapped royal blue and maroon for red and white this summer in a surprise move to Peel.

In Division Two, one of the tastier opening-day fixtures sees RYCOB head down south to Colby.

Both sides missed out on promotion last term and will be eager to start this campaign with a bang, not a whimper.

Midweek madness begins just a few days later, with games kicking off at 6.15pm from Tuesday, September 2.

Among the notable ties is Laxey v St Mary’s at Glen Road, a match-up between two sides with big ambitions after mid-table finishes last season.

In the second tier, Marown are (hopefully) hosting Douglas Athletic at Old Church Road, though concerns remain over whether DAFCA can field more than one team this season.

Combination games take place the following day, Wednesday, September 3, also under the early autumn sunset at 6.15pm.

There’s plenty more to whet the appetite as the season progresses.

On September 13, Peel welcome a rejuvenated Corinthians side many tip to be title challengers, especially with the return of strikers Luke Murray and Sean Doyle, the latter having stepped back from FC Isle of Man duty at the end of last season.

The October 11 weekend brings a northern derby between Ramsey and Ayre at Ballacloan, while St George’s, now in Division Two, host Colby in what could be a cracker as Geordies look to bounce back from relegation.

The Railway Cup semi-finals are locked in for November 29, with any clashing league games shuffled accordingly.

As the Christmas lights go up, the Old Firm returns on December 6, with Peel hosting Rushen at Douglas Road.

Elsewhere that day, relegated duo Marown and St George’s meet in Division Two.

A festive break follows later that month, with no games on December 20 or 27, but the traditional Boxing Day Railway Cup Final returns to the Bowl at 2pm.

Into 2026, and January 3 sees the FA Cup preliminary round, followed by Woods Cup action on January 17.

The season’s semi-final showdown day, FA Cup and Woods Cup, is set for March 21, with both finals taking place over Easter weekend.

League fixtures are set to wrap up on April 11 with a 1.45pm kick-off for St Mary’s v Peel and the rest 2.30pm, before the Hospital Cup and Junior Cup close out the campaign in May.

The Gold Cup, that post-season bonus for top four finishers in the second division, will once again be played after the final league games.

Full fixture list available in the Manx Independent on August 28.