Everton vs Crystal Palace on Saturday 22 August 2026 (15:00 BST) carries a significance beyond Gameweek 1: it marks Everton's first ever competitive Premier League home match at the new Hill Dickinson Stadium. After 131 years at Goodison Park, the Toffees have a new home — and the emotion surrounding that opening fixture adds an unmistakable energy to what would otherwise be a routine mid-table clash.
Everton: a new era at a new ground
Everton have been heavily involved in settling into their new surroundings during pre-season, using the Hill Dickinson Stadium for friendlies and building familiarity with the pitch dimensions, crowd acoustics, and logistical differences from Goodison. Sean Dyche's side finished in the bottom half last season but have recruited in key areas. The new stadium — on Bramley-Moore Dock on the Merseyside waterfront — holds over 52,000, giving Everton a significantly larger home support than before. The atmosphere on opening day is expected to be exceptional.
Crystal Palace: fresh campaign, familiar challenges
Crystal Palace arrive at Everton's new home with familiar strengths but also notable absentees. Edward Nketiah is ruled out injured, reducing Palace's striking options, while Cheick Doucouré is also sidelined. Palace remain an organised, hard-working Oliver Glasner side — compact defensively, dangerous on the counter through Eberechi Eze and their wide forwards. Without Nketiah, all eyes fall on Jordan Ayew or a recalled striker to lead the line.
Key tactical battle
Everton's passion and home-crowd advantage at the new ground could prove decisive. Crystal Palace will seek to weather the opening intensity, stay compact, and exploit space behind an attacking Everton full-back. Palace are adept at absorbing pressure and striking on the break — Eze's creativity in tight spaces is their most dangerous weapon. Everton's set-piece threat (Dyche teams always compete aerially) could be the difference in a close game.
Historic Hill Dickinson Stadium facts
- Everton played their last match at Goodison Park in May 2025/26, ending a 131-year tenancy — one of the longest in world football.
- Hill Dickinson Stadium is located at Bramley-Moore Dock on the Liverpool waterfront, just over 1km from Goodison Park.
- The stadium capacity exceeds 52,000 — making it one of the largest in the Premier League.
- Crystal Palace's Nketiah and Doucouré are confirmed absentees for GW1.
- Everton have historically struggled on opening-weekend fixtures, winning just 4 of their last 12 Premier League season openers.
Fantasy & Predictor picks
- Eberechi Eze (Crystal Palace, MID) — creative hub, set-piece deliveries; premium value in GW1.
- Everton defensive options — clean-sheet potential with Palace missing key attackers Nketiah and Doucouré.
- Predictor: Everton 1–1 Crystal Palace is a reasonable call given the emotional occasion and Palace's missing firepower.
Prediction
The emotion of Everton's new-ground debut will lift the Toffees but Palace have enough defensively to frustrate. A narrow Everton win on an extraordinary occasion feels the most fitting outcome. Prediction: Everton 1–0 Crystal Palace.