Premier League

We enter the 35th edition of the Premier League with Chelsea one of six ever-present members. Fixtures are subject to change but as was the case in 2025/26, 33 rounds of matches will be played over weekends and five in midweek.

For only the third time in three decades, the Blues are not involved in any European campaign this season.

Xabi Alonso’s side will play six league games before leaving the capital. Fulham are Chelsea’s opening-day hosts in what will be the Blues’ first Monday start since a 3-1 victory at Brighton in September 2020.

In fact, the Seagulls are the first visitors to the Bridge. There follows a trip to Arsenal, a home game against Hull, another London away day – this time at Brentford – before Bournemouth come to SW6.

Of course, there will be fewer London derbies overall after the relegation of West Ham, along with Burnley and Wolverhampton.

Three familiar faces have reclaimed top-flight status in their place. It is 25 years since Coventry rubbed shoulders with the elite and nine for Hull, while Ipswich spent just one season on the second rung.

In 2024/25, Chelsea claimed one point from a possible six against the Tractor Boys. Our last league meeting with the Sky Blues at Highfield Road ended 0-0, but at Stamford Bridge it was a one-sided affair, Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink netting four in a 6-1 thrashing.

Blues legend Frank Lampard brings his Sky Blues to the Fulham Road in March.

The Tigers were the first ever competitive visitors to the Bridge in 1905 and were mauled 5-1. In 2016/17, both league fixtures ended in 2-0 Chelsea wins. The Blues’ most recent title triumph was that season.

Alonso will want to improve on last term’s unusually poor tally of just five points taken from a possible 18 against newly-elevated teams.

Alonso will be hoping to follow in the footsteps of 11 Chelsea managers have won trophies within a year of taking charge of the club: Ruud Gullit, Gianluca Vialli, Jose Mourinho, Carlo Ancelotti, Guus Hiddink, Rafael Benitez, Roberto Di Matteo, Antonio Conte, Maurizio Sarri, Thomas Tuchel and Enzo Maresca.

FA Cup

Last season Chelsea were runners-up to Manchester City in a competition we have won eight times, most recently in 2017/18.

As usual, we will join the competition in round three, which will be played over the weekend of 9/10 January 2027. The draw for third round fixtures will take place after round two matches played over the weekend of 5/6 December 2026.

Wembley will host the final on Saturday 22 May 2026 and the winners qualify for the Europa League.

Live coverage is shared by the BBC and TNT Sports/HBO Max.

EFL Cup

With nine Premier League contestants involved in Europe, this competition again featured a preliminary qualifying round.

Chelsea’s 66th League Cup campaign will begin earlier than usual in round two, with the Blues paired with League One side Luton Town. That game at the Bridge is on Thursday 27 August.

To accommodate clubs’ European commitments, third round fixtures will again be split over two weeks: 8/9 and 15/16 September.

The final will be at Wembley on Sunday 21 March 2026 and the winners gain entrance to the play-off round of the UEFA Conference League.

- in the third instalment of our Pre-Season Briefing tomorrow (Wednesday), we will bring you the updated rules and regulations for 2026/27...