Xabi Alonso is officially a Chelsea manager now. And his first test? A Monday night trip down the road to face Fulham at Craven Cottage on August 24.
The Premier League released the full fixture list for the 2026-27 season, and Chelsea’s schedule is a mix of brutal early challenges and some potentially forgiving stretches. But given how last season ended — eight losses in the final 11 games, a 10th-place finish, and another coaching change — the Blues need results fast.
Alonso arrives after stints at Bayer Leverkusen and Real Madrid. He inherits a club that fired Liam Rosenior in January, brought back Under-21s coach Callum McFarlane as a stopgap, and has cycled through managers like they’re collecting them. Enzo Maresca got sacked before Rosenior. Maresca, by the way, is now reportedly taking over at Manchester City to replace Pep Guardiola. So Chelsea will see him again in April when they host City at the Bridge.
The opening month is a mixed bag. After Fulham away, Chelsea host Brighton, then travel to Arsenal on the first weekend of September. That’s a serious early measuring stick. The Gunners won the title last season, and Alonso’s system against Arteta’s press should tell us a lot about how quickly this team can adapt. Then it’s Hull at home and Brentford away before the first international break.
Big games, old faces, and a brutal May
The first meeting with Liverpool is December 5 at Stamford Bridge. Alonso spent five years at Anfield as a player. That one will have some emotion attached. The return trip to Anfield comes on May 1, which is part of a nasty closing stretch: Liverpool away, Tottenham away, Everton at home, Bournemouth away, and Brentford at home to finish the season.
Frank Lampard is also coming back to west London — but this time as manager of Coventry City, who won the Championship last season. That reunion happens on Boxing Day at Coventry, then again on March 3 at Stamford Bridge.
Tottenham derbies drop in October and May. The first one is at home on October 24. The second is away on May 8. Those are always chaotic. No reason to expect otherwise.
Promoted teams and tricky mid-season spots
Hull and Ipswich came up through the Championship. Chelsea play Hull in September and again in March. Ipswich they get on December 30 and February 20. Don’t sleep on those. Newly promoted teams often cause problems, especially in December when legs are heavy and rotations happen.
The winter period includes a trip to Manchester City on December 12 and a home game against Newcastle on January 2. That’s a rough back-to-back with only Christmas and New Year’s sandwiched in between.
Notably, Chelsea don’t face Manchester United until late October at home, then travel to Old Trafford on February 6. United finished fourth last season and looked more stable under their new manager, so those are potential swing points in the campaign.
Alonso has a deep squad and a fanbase that’s tired of watching this club tumble down the table. The schedule gives him chances to build momentum early. It also has enough trap games to punish any slip-ups. That’s the Premier League, though. Nobody gets an easy path.
All fixture dates are subject to change.
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