Ipswich’s 90th-minute winner
On Saturday, Jack Clarke struck in the 90th minute to secure a 2-1 win for Ipswich Town over Sunderland. The victory was the club’s first in the Premier League after promotion from the Championship, and it ensured that two of the three newly promoted sides opened the campaign with a win.
Historic start for promoted clubs
Hull City also won their opening match, stunning the reigning champions Manchester United 2-0 at the MKM Stadium. Hull’s win was their first league victory over United since 1974 and the second time the club has beaten the Premier League champions in its opening game after promotion (the first was a 2-1 win over Leicester City in 2016). Coventry City, the third promoted club, lost 3-0 to Arsenal, meaning the record that all three promoted sides win on opening weekend has not been achieved this season.
The Premier League described Saturday’s results as a “dream start” for the two promoted clubs. Historically, only three seasons have seen two promoted teams win their first matches: 1997/98, 2021/22 and 2025/26. In 2021/22 Brentford beat Arsenal 2-0 and Watford defeated Aston Villa 3-2. In 2025/26 Sunderland beat West Ham 3-0 and Leeds United defeated Everton 1-0.
Record-setting season
The 2026/27 campaign is now the fourth season in Premier League history where two newly promoted clubs have won their opening matches. Hull and Ipswich are the latest members of that select group, joining the 1997/98, 2021/22 and 2025/26 seasons. The Premier League’s historical table confirms that 1997/98 was the first season in which more than one promoted club won on Matchweek 1.
Ipswich’s triumph not only gave the club a positive start to their return to the top flight but also cemented a rare achievement for newly promoted teams in the Premier League era.
