Chelsea edged Fulham in a thrilling 3-2 victory to kick off the 2026-27 Premier League season with three points.
On 25 August 2026, the final match of the Premier League's opening round featured a London derby at Craven Cottage. Fulham, managed by newcomer Álvaro Arbeloa, hosted Chelsea, who were also led by new manager Xabi Alonso.
Just 31 seconds into the first half, Chelsea took the lead through a swift counterattack. A headed pass from midfield found Cole Palmer, who quickly set up João Pedro to chip the ball over Fulham goalkeeper Bernd Leno into the net.
In the 23rd minute, Fulham equalized 1-1 when Josh King made a penetrating run to receive the ball through a gap and curled a shot from the right side of the penalty area. The ball slipped past Robert Sánchez, who failed to cover the near post.
At the 41st minute, the Blues regained the lead 2-1 with a well-worked move into the box. New defender Maxence Lacroix surged down the right flank to the byline and cut the ball back to Morgan Rogers, who shot through the Fulham defense standing on the offside line.
Early in the second half, at 49 minutes, Chelsea extended their lead to 3-1. João Pedro held up play, allowing Cole Palmer to make a run behind the defense and deliver a pass for Pedro to score from a tight angle, the ball passing between Bernd Leno's legs.
Fulham fought back at 54 minutes, reducing the deficit to 3-2. Josh King controlled the ball in the penalty area, shifted to find space, and fired a shot saved by Robert Sánchez. However, new signing Gonzalo García, recently transferred from Real Madrid, reacted quickest to head in the rebound.
No further goals were scored in the remaining time. Chelsea, under new manager Xabi Alonso, secured a 3-2 away victory to start the 2026-27 Premier League season with maximum points, placing them 6th after week 1.
Meanwhile, Fulham, led by new manager Álvaro Arbeloa, remain without points and sit 12th in the standings.