Chelsea’s 2026/27 Premier League campaign begins and ends with local rivals, as the Blues face fellow West London clubs Fulham and Brentford, respectively, in their opening and closing fixtures.
With Xabi Alonso preparing for his first campaign in charge at Stamford Bridge, supporters will already be looking ahead to the fixtures that could define Chelsea’s season. From an intriguing opening derby to a potentially favourable run-in and several rival clashes in between, there is plenty to look forward to.
Chelsea Handed Interesting Season Opener
Revealing our 2026/27 Premier League fixtures! 🔵🗓️ pic.twitter.com/gCEZWapiJy
— Chelsea FC (@ChelseaFC) June 19, 2026
Chelsea’s season gets underway on 24 August when they travel to Craven Cottage to face Fulham. Alongside their neighbours, the Blues are the last Premier League side to kick off their league campaign, with the match scheduled for the Monday evening slot. While supporters may be eager to get started, the delayed opening could prove beneficial for Alonso. The former Real Madrid boss will have extra time to work with his squad during pre-season and continue implementing his ideas before competitive action begins.
The match itself is a tough one to predict at this stage, as Fulham will also begin their season with a new manager. As coincidence would have it, Alonso’s replacement at Real Madrid, Alvaro Arbeloa, looks set to be appointed as Fulham’s next head coach. The move will complete an unusual managerial merry-go-round. Marco Silva left Fulham for Benfica, Jose Mourinho left Benfica for Real Madrid, and Arbeloa leaves Madrid for Fulham.
Although Alonso enjoyed a superior record at Real Madrid, posting a win percentage of 70.6% compared to Arbeloa’s 64.2%, those numbers will matter little once both men begin fresh challenges in the Premier League.
Recent meetings between Chelsea and Fulham suggest the contest could be closely fought. Since Fulham’s return to the top flight, both clubs have won two league meetings apiece. Fulham were victorious in the most recent encounter, winning 2-1 in January, although both of their goalscorers that day, Raul Jimenez and Harry Wilson, have since departed the club.
Five days after their trip to Craven Cottage, Alonso will take charge of his first Premier League match at Stamford Bridge when Chelsea host Brighton. That fixture looks far from straightforward as the Seagulls have won each of their last four matches against Chelsea in all competitions. This makes it an early test of the Spaniard’s credentials.
A Favourable Run-In?
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Champions League qualification will be Chelsea’s minimum objective this season. A top-four finish would guarantee a place among Europe’s elite, and if the race remains tight heading into the final weeks, Chelsea may be encouraged by their closing fixtures.
Chelsea finish the campaign with:
- Matchday 35: Tottenham (A)
- Matchday 36: Everton (H)
- Matchday 37: Bournemouth (A)
- Matchday 38: Brentford (H)
On paper, it is a relatively kind schedule. Everton and Brentford both finished in mid-table last season, while Bournemouth could face a challenging campaign following the departure of manager Andoni Iraola and the additional demands that come with European football.
Tottenham may pose more of a threat than they have done over the last two seasons, but Chelsea have often enjoyed their visits to this part of North London. The Blues have won six of their seven Premier League visits to the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.
Chelsea’s final match of last season carried significant stakes, with European qualification on the line. However, a 2-1 defeat to Sunderland saw them slip to 10th place in the table. The coming season’s final-day opponents, Brentford, are capable of causing problems and have held Chelsea to a draw in three of their last five meetings. Nevertheless, if Alonso succeeds in getting Chelsea performing to their full potential, it is a fixture that supporters will expect the Blues to win.
It is worth noting that the season finale is a little later than usual, with Brentford’s trip to Stamford Bridge scheduled for 30th May.
Other Key Dates for the Diary
Dates remain subject to change due to television selections and fixture clashes, but Chelsea supporters will already be circling several key matches. The first major test of Alonso’s reign arrives early, with a trip to reigning champions and fellow London rivals, Arsenal, scheduled for gameweek 3.
The fixture many fans will be most looking forward to is Tottenham’s visit to Stamford Bridge in October. Chelsea have consistently enjoyed the upper hand in this fixture, with Spurs winning just one Premier League match at Stamford Bridge. It is a statistic that almost seems too remarkable to be true, yet we have made no mistake.
Elsewhere, the remaining big rivalry matches are reasonably well spread out throughout the season, giving Chelsea a steady run of key tests rather than one brutal block of fixtures.
- 5th September: Arsenal (A)
- 24th October: Tottenham (H)
- 31st October: Man United (H)
- 5th December: Liverpool (H)
- 6th February: Man United (A)
- 13th March: Arsenal (H)
- 1st May: Liverpool (A)