Sunday’s Premier League fixture at Stamford Bridge, a 2pm kick-off local time, pits the world champions against FA Cup and Community Shield holders Crystal Palace.

This is the 34th Premier League campaign (127th for the league overall) and the Blues have contested every one in it's current guise, winning an impressive 20 of our opening weekend encounters.

Uniquely for the Blues, this is the first of four consecutive games against London opponents from the start of a season.

Last weekend, Palace overcame league champions Liverpool in a penalty shootout to claim FA Community Shield victory, and in preparing for their debut appearance in that showpiece, they could be closer to readiness for the season ahead than some.

However, Chelsea also had a great pre-season weekend at the Bridge, thanks to the VisitMalta Weekender friendlies, completing a 4-1 mauling of AC Milan on Sunday, two days after Friday’s 2-0 beating of Bayer Leverkusen.

The west Londoners have found the net in each of our past 22 top-flight matches against the Glaziers, going back to 2014.

Unbeaten at home in the top flight in the calendar year 2025, Chelsea will now aim to extend our current run of 15 games without defeat against the Eagles (including 13 victories).

The history

Chelsea have kicked-off the Premier League with a capital derby four times previously, each ending in victory for the west Londoners - 4-2 at home to West Ham United in 2000, 3-2 at Charlton Athletic in 2002, 2-1 against the Hammers again in 2016 and, most recently, the 3-0 beating of Crystal Palace in 2021 at Stamford Bridge.

Debut goals were a prevalent feature. Highlights of the first Irons game on 19 August 2000 included a spectacular long-distance volley from new midfielder Mario Stanic, who later completed a first-start brace, a fierce penalty from Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink and equally classic Gianfranco Zola free-kick.

The victory at Charlton two years later was harder-won – despite Paul Konchesky’s red card for an elbow reducing the hosts’ numbers. The Addicks led 2-0 when Zola nipped in to halve the deficit, before substitute Carlton Cole levelled late on. The homegrown teenager then had a hand in Frank Lampard’s winner, lashed in with a minute to go.

On Monday 15 August 2016, the Antonio Conte era was off to a good start, after Diego Costa steered in the late winner. However, the Blues had been profligate, with nothing to show for a dominant display but an Eden Hazard penalty, and James Collins appeared to have salvaged a point with 13 minutes to go, until our Brazil-born striker steered in the winner from the edge of the box.

Thanks to his contribution on 14 August 2021 – against the Eagles – Trevoh Chalobah is one of two Cobham graduates in the current squad (along with Reece James) to have scored on matchday one. Making his league debut, the marauding defender’s fizzing finish completed the 3-0 scoreline after Marcos Alonso had found ‘top bins’ with a free-kick and Christian Pulisic slotted in the second.

Overall in our league history, London-only affairs have kicked off the season 13 times, including an auspicious occasion in August 1957 at White Hart Lane. That day, 17-year-old Jimmy Greaves netted for the west Londoners in a 1-1 draw and played more like a maestro than a novice on his debut appearance.

Another memorable first-day derby draw was the 11.30am kick-off at Arsenal on 25 August 1984, when Kerry Dixon announced his arrival in the big time with a brilliant volleyed equaliser for John Neal’s newly-promoted side, four minutes after Paul Mariner handed the Gunners the lead.

Know this...

Chelsea have posted more opening-weekend victories (20) in the Premier League era than any rival except Manchester United (22).

The Blues have a win percentage of 60.6 in matchday-one Premier League fixtures, along with an aggregate goal difference of +33.

The west Londoners have opened the season by beating the reigning FA Cup holders twice previously - 1-0 versus Manchester United in 2004 and 4-0 against Portsmouth four years later.

Crystal Palace lost three of their last four opening league fixtures, the exception being a win against newly-promoted Sheffield United in 2023.

Digital tickets have been introduced for games at Stamford Bridge this season and you can find more information here. Supporters who need help in the build-up to today's game can access various help points around Stamford Bridge. See the map below.