João Pedro scored Chelsea’s opening-weekend goal after 31 seconds against Fulham in the 2026–27 Premier League season.
The Brazilian forward opened the scoring at Craven Cottage on Monday 24 August 2026. His finish arrived just 31 seconds into the match, giving Chelsea the quickest goal of the game and an immediate advantage in the west London derby.
Fulham later equalised through Josh King, but Chelsea regained control before half-time when Morgan Rogers scored. Cole Palmer added Chelsea’s third goal after the interval, and Gonzalo García reduced the deficit before the visitors secured a 3–2 victory.
The time matters because “early goal” can describe several different moments in football reporting. This was not merely a goal in the first five minutes: the official match report recorded João Pedro’s strike at 31 seconds. Palmer was Chelsea’s standout player overall, but João Pedro scored the opening goal.