Burnley and Wolves Bid Farewell to the Premier League
One Last Time in the Top Flight
There will be louder matches on Sunday. There will be bigger stakes, bigger crowds, and bigger moments happening simultaneously across England.
But at Turf Moor at 4pm, something quietly significant is taking place.
Two clubs — both already relegated, both heading to the Championship — will play their final Premier League match for at least a year. No title. No European qualification. No relegation drama.
Just football. And everything that still means for the people who care most about these clubs.
Burnley welcome Wolves to Turf Moor in the final matchday of the 2025-26 Premier League season — the last time these two sides will play a Premier League match in at least a year. But do not let the circumstances fool you into thinking nothing is at stake. Because something always is.
So What IS at Stake?
More than it might first appear.
19th vs 20th — and £2.6 Million
Burnley sit two points above Wolves heading into this final-day fixture — and need to avoid defeat to avoid finishing bottom of the Premier League table.
That might sound like a small thing. Finishing 19th or 20th when you are going down either way. But consider this: each Premier League position carries an additional £2.6 million in prize money. Finishing 19th instead of 20th is not just about pride — it is two and a half million pounds towards a Championship rebuild.
That is a signing. That is wages. That is the foundation of next season.
The History Books
Burnley have lost their final match of the season in each of their last seven Premier League campaigns. Only Wolves have had a longer such run in the competition.
Both clubs arrive at this fixture with personal records they desperately want to end. Both know the numbers are working against them. That creates a peculiar kind of motivation — the desire to finally write a different ending to a story that has gone wrong too many times.
Player Futures
For the individuals involved, Sunday is also an audition.
Strikers playing for clubs heading into the Championship are inevitably linked with summer exits. A strong final-day performance in front of scouts and coaches — with transfer windows opening soon — can open or close doors before a ball is kicked in pre-season.
Zian Flemming, Jaidon Anthony, and Tolu Arokodare all have reasons to perform.
The Season That Was — A Story of Two Struggles
Burnley — Better Than the Bottom, Never Good Enough
Burnley have disappointed with only four Premier League wins and nine draws this season, placing them 19th on 21 points. They have conceded a mammoth 74 goals — the most of any team in the division.
That defensive record tells the story of a season where the fight was rarely absent but the quality was consistently short. Scott Parker brought energy and organisation — yet the gaps at the back, the lack of a clinical edge in front of goal, and the sheer size of the Premier League gap were too much to bridge.
Their most recent match — a 1-0 defeat at Arsenal on Monday — was an oddly poetic final act. Burnley were the opponents the day Arsenal’s title was confirmed, standing in front of a stadium about to erupt in celebration. They gave everything. It was not enough. It rarely was.
Burnley are winless in their last 14 Premier League home games since a 2-0 win against Leeds in October — the fourth-longest winless home run within a single season in Premier League history.
Turf Moor deserves a better send-off than that.
Wolves — Eight Years, Then Gone
After an eight-year-long stay in the top flight, Wolves are headed to the Championship.
Eight consecutive seasons in the Premier League. It felt like a permanent fixture. A fanbase that had grown comfortable with top-flight football, a stadium that had hosted European nights, a club that had become part of the Premier League furniture.
Wolves sit bottom on 19 points — three victories and 10 draws their meagre return. Their attack, averaging just 0.7 goals per game, was the least productive in the division.
Wolves’ eight-year continuous stay in the top flight officially came to an end on April 20 following a 3-0 defeat at Leeds. The confirmation came weeks before the season ended — leaving Rob Edwards and his squad to manage the difficult psychological task of playing out the remainder of a season with no possibility of escape.
Wolves have won their final Premier League match in just one of their 11 seasons in the competition — a 2-1 win over Sunderland at Molineux in 2009-10. That is a sobering statistic for anyone hoping for a triumphant farewell.
Form Guide: When Momentum Has Long Gone
| Team | Last 5 PL Matches | Winless Run |
|---|---|---|
| Burnley | L W D L L | 12 matches |
| Wolves | D L L D L | 8 matches |
Neither side is carrying momentum into Sunday. That is perhaps the one area where they are evenly matched.
Wolves have failed to win a single away league game in 18 attempts this season. That is a remarkable and painful statistic — 18 trips, zero wins, across an entire Premier League season.
Burnley’s home form has not been much better. But here is the one statistic that counts in their favour: Burnley are unbeaten in seven at Turf Moor against Wolves and have won four of those matches.
History is on Burnley’s side for this one, even if the season as a whole has not been.
The Players Still Playing for Something
Zian Flemming — Burnley’s One Bright Light
Flemming has scored 10 league goals this season — Burnley’s leading scorer and the most likely home name to find the net on the day.
In a season of collective underperformance, Flemming has been a genuine individual bright spot. His direct running, technical quality, and eye for goal have frequently raised the question of whether he belongs at a higher level. Sunday gives him a platform, and a Championship season gives him a chance to prove the answer is yes.
Jaidon Anthony — Consistent to the End
Anthony has registered eight goals and two assists this season with 22 shots on target — Burnley’s second-line outlet and a real threat from wide areas.
Sixteen direct goal contributions in a relegated side is no small achievement. Anthony has played with consistent effort throughout a difficult campaign and deserves the send-off that a home final-day performance could provide.
Tolu Arokodare — Wolves’ Wild Card
Arokodare has scored three goals this season with 16 shots on target — the Nigerian striker has been Wolves’ main road threat. He is described as a clear impact option off the bench — standing out as the most productive substitute, with one goal and one assist from bench appearances.
In a Wolves side that has struggled for goals all season, Arokodare’s directness and physical presence gives them their best chance of creating problems at Turf Moor.
Team News
Burnley — Near Full Strength
Burnley’s injury woes have finally cleared up — only long-term absentees Jordan Beyer and Josh Cullen will miss out.
Scott Parker has a near fully-fit squad available and will want a performance that gives the Turf Moor faithful something to remember before the Championship campaign begins.
Predicted Burnley XI (4-2-3-1): Weiss — Walker, Tuanzebe, Esteve, Pires — F. Luis, Ugochukwu — Anthony, Mejbri, Tchaouna — Flemming
Wolves — Johnstone Only Absent
Wolves have no fresh injury concerns — goalkeeper Sam Johnstone remains their only absentee.
Rob Edwards will likely stick with the back four formation used in recent weeks, with Arokodare available from the bench if Wolves need a goal.
Predicted Wolves XI (4-2-3-1): Sa — Semedo, Bueno, Toti, Ait-Nouri — Gomes, Joao Gomes — Hwang, Strand Larsen, Cunha — Mateus
Head-to-Head: The Rivalry in Numbers
| Stat | Figure |
|---|---|
| Total meetings | 115 |
| Wolves wins | 52 |
| Burnley wins | 32 |
| Draws | 31 |
| Last meeting (Oct 2025) | Wolves 2-3 Burnley — Lyle Foster winner |
| Burnley record at Turf Moor vs Wolves | Unbeaten in last 7 (W4 D3) |
| Wolves away wins this season | 0 from 18 attempts |
The reverse fixture this season provided one of the more memorable moments of either club’s campaign. Burnley scored a 90th-minute winner at Molineux — South African striker Lyle Foster curling in the decisive goal — in a 3-2 victory that felt like a lifeline at the time.
That result now feels bittersweet — a highlight in a season that ultimately ended in heartbreak for both.
What Happens Next: The Championship Road
Relegation is already confirmed. But the conversation at both clubs has quietly shifted to what comes next.
For Burnley, the immediate question surrounds their management situation. Burnley have a big decision to make about their manager — with the club wanting someone who can restore them to the Premier League at the first attempt. Scott Parker’s long-term future is not yet confirmed, and Sunday’s result and performance may factor into those conversations.
For Wolves, Rob Edwards enters the Championship under pressure. Edwards will be feeling the pressure quickly in 2026-27 if Wolves are not able to make a fast start to the campaign. The expectation at a club of Wolves’ size is that one season in the Championship is the maximum. Anything longer would represent a serious step backwards.
Both clubs will spend their summer rebuilding — releasing players, recruiting for the lower division, and planning a return to the top flight as quickly as possible.
That mission starts the moment this match ends.
Prediction
Models project a 41.6% chance of Burnley winning, 32.9% for Wolves, and 25.4% for a draw — with a 52% chance of over 2.5 goals.
Burnley’s home advantage, their unbeaten record at Turf Moor against Wolves, and the desperate need to avoid finishing bottom all point towards a home win. Wolves’ awful away record — no wins in 18 attempts — makes it difficult to back them with confidence.
Flemming and Anthony providing the quality that has carried Burnley through their darker moments. Arokodare causing problems late on for Wolves.
Prediction: Burnley 2-1 Wolves
A fitting, competitive end to a difficult chapter for both clubs.
Key Match Information
| Detail | Info |
|---|---|
| Fixture | Burnley vs Wolverhampton Wanderers |
| Competition | Premier League — Matchweek 38 |
| Venue | Turf Moor, Burnley |
| Date | Sunday, May 24, 2026 |
| Kick-Off | 4:00 PM BST / 11:00 AM ET |
| Burnley need | Avoid defeat — stay 19th, not bottom |
| Wolves need | Win — leapfrog Burnley to 19th |
Final Thoughts: Appreciate the Send-Off
It is easy to overlook this match on a day packed with European drama, record chases, and trophy presentations.
Do not.
Every fan watching at Turf Moor on Sunday has invested a season of weekends, emotions, and hope into their club. For Burnley supporters, this is the final home Premier League game until they return — however long that takes. For Wolves fans who made the trip north, it is the last away match of an era that stretched back eight years.
Football matters most to the people closest to it. And at Turf Moor on Sunday, this match will matter enormously to the people inside that ground.
Give them the send-off they deserve. Go out swinging.
