Chelsea won 3–2 away to Fulham in the final fixture of the 2026–27 Premier League opening round.
The west London derby was played at Craven Cottage on Monday 24 August 2026, completing Matchweek 1. Chelsea’s victory meant the opening round stretched across four days, from Arsenal’s Friday opener to the Monday night derby.
The match was also a managerial meeting between Álvaro Arbeloa of Fulham and Xabi Alonso of Chelsea. The two had previously been teammates at Liverpool and later worked in close proximity at Real Madrid, adding an unusual personal connection to the fixture.
Chelsea’s 3–2 win gave Alonso a winning start in the Premier League. Fulham became one of the opening weekend’s defeated home teams, while Chelsea joined the group of clubs beginning the season with three points.