Ipswich Town defeated Sunderland during the 2026–27 Premier League opening weekend.
The match was played at Portman Road on Saturday 22 August 2026, with Ipswich winning 2–1. It was Ipswich’s first Premier League match after returning to the competition, while Sunderland were also back in the top flight.
The opening round therefore featured two newly promoted clubs meeting each other. That made the fixture different from Arsenal versus Coventry and Hull City versus Manchester United, in which a promoted club faced an established Premier League side.
Ipswich had returned to the Premier League after a one-year absence. Sunderland’s promotion ended a long spell outside the division. The 2–1 result gave Ipswich three points immediately, while Sunderland began with a narrow defeat. The clubs later appeared among the 20 teams competing throughout the 2026–27 season.