Brighton v Aston Villa and Manchester City v Bournemouth were scheduled to kick off at 14:00 BST in the 2026–27 opening round.
Both matches were listed for Sunday 23 August 2026. Brighton & Hove Albion hosted Aston Villa, while Manchester City hosted AFC Bournemouth. The two fixtures shared the same kickoff time and were both scheduled for live coverage on Sky Sports.
Brighton’s Sunday placement was linked to the club’s participation in UEFA Conference League qualifying play-offs on the preceding Thursday. Scheduling rules aim to give clubs adequate recovery time when European matches affect the domestic calendar.
The Sunday programme also included Newcastle United versus Liverpool at 16:30. The opening round then ended the following evening, when Fulham hosted Chelsea on Monday 24 August. Kickoff times were published as part of the league’s official fixture release and remained subject to later changes.