Ipswich Town met Sunderland in its first Premier League match after returning in 2026–27.
The two clubs played at Portman Road on Saturday 22 August 2026. Ipswich won 2–1, making a successful start to its return to the English top flight.
Ipswich had been absent from the Premier League for one year. Sunderland were also among the promoted teams entering the division, meaning this opening-round fixture brought together two clubs with recent Championship experience.
Portman Road was listed with a capacity of 30,056 for the season. Ipswich’s return was part of a wider reshaping of the league: Coventry City, Ipswich Town and Hull City replaced West Ham United, Burnley and Wolverhampton Wanderers after the previous campaign. Sunderland, however, were a newly promoted club rather than a returning Ipswich-era rival from the previous Premier League season.