Manchester City faced Bournemouth at the Etihad Stadium in the 2026–27 Premier League opener.
The match took place on Sunday 23 August 2026. Manchester City won 2–1, beginning the campaign with a home victory. The fixture was one of three matches scheduled for the opening Sunday, alongside Brighton & Hove Albion versus Aston Villa and Newcastle United versus Liverpool.
The Etihad Stadium is Manchester City’s home ground in Manchester. The match was scheduled for 14:00 BST and was shown live on Sky Sports in the United Kingdom. Bournemouth began the season away from home after the league’s opening Saturday programme.
This was not the season’s first match, because Arsenal had hosted Coventry City two days earlier. It was also distinct from the opening-weekend match involving Manchester United, who travelled to Hull City. The specific home opponent for Manchester City was Bournemouth, officially styled AFC Bournemouth in many league listings.