Chelsea defeated Fulham 3–2 in the 2026–27 Premier League opening round.
The west London derby was played at Craven Cottage on Monday, 24 August 2026, bringing Matchweek 1 to a close. Chelsea made a winning start under manager Xabi Alonso, while Fulham were led by Álvaro Arbeloa in his first top-flight match in charge.
João Pedro put Chelsea ahead after only 31 seconds. Fulham equalised through Josh King, but Morgan Rogers restored Chelsea’s lead before Cole Palmer made it 3–1 early in the second half. Gonzalo García pulled one back for Fulham, though Chelsea held on.
The fixture was a local derby separated by roughly one mile, which can make it easy to confuse with Chelsea’s other London opening-round opponents. Brentford played Tottenham, while Crystal Palace visited Everton. The 3–2 scoreline belongs specifically to Chelsea’s visit to Fulham at Craven Cottage.