Xabi Alonso made his Premier League debut as Chelsea manager at Fulham in the 2026–27 opening weekend.
Chelsea visited Fulham at Craven Cottage on Monday 24 August 2026, in the final match of the opening round. Chelsea won 3–2, giving Alonso a victory in his first Premier League match in charge of the club.
The fixture was also a meeting between two newly appointed Spanish coaches. Álvaro Arbeloa led Fulham, while Alonso was in charge of Chelsea. Because both managers were making their Premier League debuts with their respective clubs, the match attracted attention beyond its scoreline.
Chelsea’s away win completed a high-scoring opening round. Fulham scored twice, but Chelsea’s three goals were enough to secure all three points. The match should not be confused with Manchester City’s opening-weekend fixture, where Enzo Maresca also began a new managerial reign with a late comeback win.
Alonso had already built a major coaching reputation before arriving in England, making his first Premier League appearance a notable career milestone.