Chelsea finished the 2026–27 Premier League opening weekend against Fulham at Craven Cottage.
The match was played on Monday 24 August 2026, making it the final fixture of the opening round. Craven Cottage is Fulham’s historic stadium beside the River Thames, while Chelsea’s home ground is Stamford Bridge. Because Fulham were the home team, the match took place at Craven Cottage.
Chelsea won 3–2 in a closely contested London derby. The result came during a season in which Chelsea were managed by Xabi Alonso and Fulham by Álvaro Arbeloa, both of whom were new figures in English football management at their clubs.
The match was separate from the weekend’s Sunday fixtures, which included Manchester City versus Bournemouth, Brighton & Hove Albion versus Aston Villa, and Newcastle United versus Liverpool. Its Monday scheduling extended the opening round across four calendar days.