Brighton vs Fulham – Match preview and team news

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The Football Faithful

·16 August 2025

Brighton vs Fulham – Match preview and team news

Brighton & Hove Albion host Fulham this weekend in their opening game of the new Premier League season.

Both sides will be aiming for a strong start to the 2025-26 campaign, with the Seagulls targeting a return to European football after an inconsistent eighth-place finish last term under young manager Fabian Hurzeler.

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Fulham will look to build on their mid-table stability and push for European qualification following a season of defensive solidity.

Brighton & Hove Albion vs Fulham – Match preview and team news

Date: Saturday 16th August 2025

Kick-off: 3pm BST

Venue: Amex Stadium, Falmer

Last Meeting: Brighton & Hove Albion 2 -1 Fulham, March 8, 2025, Premier League

Read – Premier League Preview: The fans’ view – Brighton

Brighton & Hove Albion team news

Brighton boss Hurzeler could potentially hand debuts to several summer signings, including highly-rated forward Charalampos Kostoulas, defender Diego Coppola, Olivier Boscagli, and Maxim De Cuyper, all brought in to bolster the squad after the departure of key striker João Pedro to Chelsea.

The Seagulls will rely on the likes of Danny Welbeck and Kaoru Mitoma to lead the attack, but they must navigate ongoing speculation around midfielder Carlos Baleba, who has attracted interest from Manchester United, though the club demands over £100m to even consider a sale.

Hurzeler has a relatively fit squad following an unbeaten pre-season, with goalkeeper Bart Verbruggen back from injury and no major new concerns reported, though the team will aim to address last season’s inconsistencies that saw some heavy defeats like the 7-0 loss to Nottingham Forest.

Read – Brighton boss dismisses Man United hopes of signing midfielder

Fulham team news

Fulham may integrate their sole summer signing, goalkeeper Benjamin Lecomte, who joined from Montpellier for £500,000, as a backup to Bernd Leno, while the club has seen departures, including the releases of Willian and Carlos Vinícius, with several youngsters loaned out, such as Matt Dibley-Dias and Devan Tanton, to Chesterfield.

Star players like Raúl Jiménez and Adama Traoré are expected to feature in the attack, but the Cottagers face challenges with limited transfer activity so far, having been very passive in the market despite head coach Marco Silva expressing frustration over the need for new signings.

The squad appears stable without major suspensions or injuries highlighted ahead of the opener, allowing a focus on their established core, including Andreas Pereira and Joachim Andersen.

Read – Premier League Preview: The fans’ view – Fulham

Form

Brighton & Hove Albion: W W W W D

Fabian Hurzeler’s team enjoyed an impressive pre-season, remaining unbeaten with seven wins and one draw across eight games, including a final victory over Wolfsburg sealed by goals from Georginio Rutter and Maxim De Cuyper. This builds on a late-season recovery last term, though they must avoid the erratic form that plagued much of 2024/25, such as the poor run in early 2025.

Fulham: W W L W W

Marco Silva’s side won four of their five pre-season outings, showcasing solid defensive work in victories like the 1-0 over Eintracht Frankfurt, following a campaign where they earned a reputation for being tough to break down and occasionally unplayable. They enter with confidence after breaking their all-time Premier League points record last season, but a tricky start, including this away game, could test their squad depth.

Read – Every Premier League game on TV in the UK and Ireland on opening weekend

Predicted Lineups

Brighton & Hove Albion XI: Verbruggen; Veltman, Van Hecke, Dunk, Wieffer, Baleba; Minteh, Ayari, De Cuyper, Mitoma; Welbeck.

Fulham XI: Leno; Tete, Diop, Andersen, Robinson; Reed, Cairney, Pereira; Traoré, Jiménez, Smith Rowe.

How to watch Brighton & Hove Albion vs Fulham?

Due to the UK blackout on Saturday, 3pm kick-offs, the game will not be broadcast live on television, but highlights and analysis will be available on the BBC’s Match of the Day starting at 10:20pm BST. Streaming is not available live in the UK, though club channels may offer audio commentary or watch-alongs.