Chelsea vs Bournemouth

Chelsea host Bournemouth at Stamford Bridge on Saturday 10 October 2026, as Xabi Alonso's rebuilding project continues in the early weeks of the new season.

Bournemouth head into the fixture under new management themselves, following Andoni Iraola's departure to Liverpool over the summer, so both sides will still be finding their identity under new leadership when they meet. With Chelsea focused solely on domestic competition this season after missing out on Europe, and Bournemouth having been one of the Premier League's most difficult away-day opponents for bigger clubs in recent seasons, this looks a tightly contested early-season fixture.