Ipswich Town opened its 2026–27 Premier League campaign against Sunderland.
Ipswich hosted Sunderland on Saturday 22 August 2026 in one of three matches scheduled for 15:00 BST. The fixture was notable because Ipswich were beginning their first Premier League season after returning to the division following a one-year absence.
Sunderland were also back in the top flight for the new campaign, creating a meeting between two clubs with strong histories in English football. Ipswich’s home ground, Portman Road, was the setting for the opening-round contest.
The other two promoted clubs had different opponents. Coventry City travelled to defending champions Arsenal, while Hull City hosted Manchester United in the Saturday lunchtime game. This makes Ipswich the promoted side specifically paired with Sunderland in the opening round.
The match is sometimes confused with Sunderland’s later fixture against Manchester City, but that was a separate league game. Opening-weekend questions refer only to the first Match Round from 21 to 24 August 2026.