Arsenal secured the Premier League title on May 19, 2026, marking the club's first championship in 22 years [1].
The distribution of winner's medals is now the primary focus for the squad, as league rules dictate who automatically qualifies for the honor and who must rely on club discretion.
According to Premier League regulations, players must make at least five league appearances during the 2025-26 season to automatically qualify for a medal [3]. This threshold ensures that those who contributed significantly to the campaign are recognized. The league provides a total of 40 winner's medals to each champion club [4].
Because the allocation is limited, not every member of the extended squad is guaranteed a medal. Reports indicate that two Arsenal players may miss out on a winner's medal because they did not meet the minimum appearance requirement [3].
While the five-appearance rule serves as the baseline, the club retains the ability to allocate additional medals from its total set of 40 to other squad members [3]. This allows the coaching staff to reward players who provided depth or faced long-term injuries, even if they did not reach the official threshold.
The celebrations took place at the Emirates Stadium in north London, where the team and supporters marked the end of a two-decade wait for the trophy [1]. The club's management will now determine how to distribute the remaining medals among the players who fell short of the five-game mark.
“Arsenal secured the Premier League title for the first time in 22 years”
The strict appearance threshold for Premier League medals often creates tension within champion squads, as it distinguishes between core contributors and rotational players. By utilizing the full allocation of 40 medals, Arsenal can mitigate this by rewarding squad depth, though the fact that some players may still miss out highlights the competitive nature of the league's recognition system.
