Which two Premier League clubs played at 14:00 on Sunday 23 August 2026 because of Brighton’s European schedule?

Brighton and Aston Villa played at 14:00 on Sunday 23 August 2026 because Brighton had a UEFA Conference League qualification play-off nearby in the calendar.

The Premier League scheduled Brighton & Hove Albion versus Aston Villa for the same Sunday afternoon time as Manchester City versus Bournemouth. Brighton’s European involvement affected the timing because the club was due to participate in a Conference League qualification play-off on the preceding Thursday.

Brighton won the match 4–0, recording the biggest home victory of the opening round. The result gave Brighton a strong start and left Aston Villa without a goal in their first match.

The fixture is easy to confuse with Newcastle United versus Liverpool, which was also played on Sunday but later at 16:30. Fulham versus Chelsea was not part of the Sunday schedule; it closed the opening round on Monday evening.