Chris Kavanagh is confirmed as the arsenal vs chelsea referee for Sunday’s trip to the Emirates Stadium. Darren England has the VAR duty. In this update on 2 October 2026, Xabi Alonso takes his unbeaten Chelsea side to face Premier League champions Arsenal, with kick-off set for 4.30pm BST.
It is a tough away day. Alonso’s in-form side meets the division’s reigning champions on their own patch. Neither club has a player suspended for the fixture, so both managers can pick from close to full-strength squads.
Chris Kavanagh record in Chelsea matches
Kavanagh’s last match involving Chelsea came on the final day of the 2025/26 season. The Blues lost 2-1 away at Sunderland. Wesley Fofana was sent off in that game for two bookable offences, leaving Chelsea to finish the campaign with ten men on the pitch.
That result closed out a difficult end to the previous campaign. Chelsea fans will hope for a far better outcome this time. Kavanagh is back in the middle, but for a much bigger occasion against the champions at the Emirates Stadium.
It is the only Chelsea fixture on record for Kavanagh referenced in this update. That makes Sunday his first look at Alonso’s side since that defeat on Wearside. Fofana will need to be wary of his discipline once again if he features this weekend.
Arsenal vs Chelsea referee and officiating team
Chris Kavanagh takes charge as the Arsenal vs Chelsea referee, working alongside assistant referees Dan Cook and Tim Wood. Tom Bramall takes the fourth official’s role. He works from the touchline to manage substitutions and the technical areas on both sides.
In the VAR booth, Darren England reviews the key decisions from the Emirates. Constantine Hatzidakis serves as assistant VAR. Between them, the six officials make up the complete appointment for one of the weekend’s standout fixtures in the Premier League.
What happens next
Chelsea head to north London off the back of an unbeaten league run under Alonso. That run owes something to the head coach’s careful rotation and Alonso’s first-team squad management this season.
With no suspensions for either side, both Alonso and his Arsenal counterpart go into Sunday with strong options across the pitch. Kick-off at the Emirates Stadium remains 4.30pm BST, as first detailed in our original referee report.
