Fulham hosted Chelsea in the final fixture of 2026–27 Premier League Matchweek 1. The match was scheduled for Monday 24 August 2026 at Craven Cottage, with a 20:00 BST kick-off.
This fixture completed the opening round after matches on Friday, Saturday and Sunday. Fulham and Chelsea are both London clubs, making the final game a local derby played at Fulham’s historic riverside stadium. Craven Cottage had a listed capacity of 28,107 for the season.
Chelsea began the campaign under Xabi Alonso, who was appointed on 1 July 2026 after Calum McFarlane’s interim spell ended. Fulham appointed Álvaro Arbeloa on 7 July 2026 after Marco Silva’s contract ended. The match therefore also featured two clubs with new managerial arrangements.
The fixture should not be confused with Everton versus Crystal Palace, another opening-round match involving a London club. Everton hosted Palace on Saturday, while Fulham hosted Chelsea on Monday and brought Matchweek 1 to a close.