Arsenal scored first in the 2026–27 Premier League season by hosting the opening fixture.
Arsenal’s match against Coventry City was scheduled as the season’s first fixture on Friday 21 August 2026 at the Emirates Stadium. Arsenal won 3–0, so they were both the home side in the opening match and the first club to begin a competitive league campaign that season.
The match also marked the start of Arsenal’s title defence. They had won the previous Premier League season, ending a 22-year wait for another league title. Coventry were the visitors after returning to the division following a 25-year absence.
The wording matters because the question asks which club hosted the opening fixture, rather than which team scored the first goal or which side won the biggest opening-round match. Arsenal satisfies the hosting and opening-match details; Coventry were the visiting team.