Chelsea defeated Fulham 3–2 at Craven Cottage during the 2026–27 Premier League opening weekend.
The match was played on Monday, 24 August 2026, bringing the opening round to a close. Chelsea won the five-goal match away from home, while Fulham scored twice but finished without a point.
The fixture was a West London derby, with Craven Cottage serving as Fulham’s home ground. Chelsea entered the season under Xabi Alonso, and Fulham began the campaign with Álvaro Arbeloa as head coach. The meeting therefore combined a local rivalry with notable managerial changes.
It is easy to confuse this result with the opening-weekend match between Newcastle United and Liverpool, which ended 2–2. Chelsea–Fulham was different: it had five total goals, Chelsea scored three, and the away side won by one goal.