Xabi Alonso made his Premier League debut as Chelsea head coach at Fulham in the 2026–27 opening round.
Chelsea visited Fulham on Monday, 24 August 2026, in the final match of the opening round. Chelsea won 3–2 at Craven Cottage, giving Alonso a winning start in the English top flight.
The appointment was notable because Alonso moved into Premier League management after a distinguished playing career and successful coaching work elsewhere in Europe. His opening fixture was also a London derby, adding local rivalry to his first league match in England as a manager.
Álvaro Arbeloa was the manager of Fulham for the same match, which can cause confusion when identifying the two debuting coaches. Alonso was in charge of Chelsea; Arbeloa led Fulham.