Crystal Palace open the 2026-27 Premier League at Everton with Sage in charge
Crystal Palace begin the 2026-27 Premier League season away from home: the opening round takes the club to the Hill Dickinson Stadium in Merseyside to face Everton on August 22. A tricky debut for Pierre Sage, who takes over the team as a new face on the bench and still has to balance the domestic calendar with the Europa League campaign.
An unforgiving opener
Sage will have little time to breathe. Palace have not beaten Everton away from home since 2014 – whether at the old Goodison Park or the current stadium on the banks of the Mersey. The 2-1 defeat last autumn ended a 19-match unbeaten run that had been built up over the summer. That is more than a decade without a win in this particular fixture.
The first home game will not be easy either. Manchester City visit Selhurst Park on August 29, and Palace have not beaten the Citizens on their own turf for 11 years. Opening with two challenges of that caliber is, at the very least, a good way to measure the character of the new cycle.
Sage arrives after a brilliant season with Lens
The French coach was announced as Oliver Glasner’s successor on Monday, signing a three-year contract. In the previous season, he led Lens with consistency: runners-up in Ligue 1 and winners of the Coupe de France. He now faces a challenge of a different scale – an established club in the English elite, with European obligations and expectations of growth.
Crystal Palace arrive in the Europa League through the front door. Jean-Philippe Mateta scored the only goal in the Conference League final against Rayo Vallecano, in Leipzig, securing the title and the continental spot. It was the club’s second significant trophy in two years, after the FA Cup won in 2024-25.
The calendar reveals the decisive moments
The derby against Brighton & Hove Albion takes place away on October 17, at the Amex Stadium, with the return leg set for May 15 at Selhurst. On Boxing Day, December 26, Arsenal – the reigning Premier League champions – visit south London. In April, Palace face Manchester City and Manchester United in succession, both away from home.
The season ends on May 30, 2027 with Leeds United as visitors. A farewell at home. Before that, on the European stage, the Europa League group phase is scheduled to begin on September 16, and the final is set for May 26 at the Deutsche Bank Park in Frankfurt. For Sage, the 2026-27 script is already drawn up. All that remains is to execute it.
