Ipswich Town was scheduled to play its first Premier League match back against Sunderland in 2026–27.
The fixture was listed for Saturday 22 August 2026, with Ipswich at home and Sunderland as the visitors. It was part of the three 15:00 matches in the opening round and marked Ipswich’s return to the Premier League after a one-season absence.
Ipswich were one of three promoted clubs for the campaign. Coventry City returned after 25 years away, Hull City returned after nine years, and Ipswich returned after one year. Those different gaps are useful context when comparing the promoted teams.
The wording “first Premier League match back” refers to Ipswich’s return to the competition, not the club’s first-ever Premier League match. Ipswich had previously played in the Premier League during earlier eras, so the distinction matters. Sunderland were also returning to the top flight, making the opening fixture a meeting between two clubs with recent promotion stories.