West Ham face Charlton Athletic in their first home match of the 2026-27 Sky Bet Championship season.
Victory would lift West Ham further into the top ten, whilst Charlton can go top with a win depending on results elsewhere swinging in their favour.
Team News
Arne Engels is set to make his debut for West Ham following his move from Celtic last weekend after the registration period to feature in their 2-2 draw at Burnley had passed.
Loan signing, Joel Piroe could also make his bow but fellow loanee, Divine Mukasa is unlikely to be rushed straight into the starting 11 as he returns to his boyhood club.
Tomas Soucek and Keiber Lamadrid are ruled out with respective ankle and muscle injuries.
Charlton’s loan signing, Arthur Okonkwo could be in line for his debut following his move from Wrexham in midweek.
Timothy Ouma (fitness) is a doubt but Charlie Kelman (shoulder) and Kayne Ramsay (ankle) remain sidelined.
When is Kick-Off?
West Ham face Charlton at the London Stadium on Saturday 22 August at 3pm BST, untelevised live in the UK.
Stat Attack
- West Ham have won one of their last six league meetings against Charlton (W1, D1, L4).
- Charlton are making their first league visit to the Hammers’ current home – London Stadium.
- West Ham have scored three goals in each of their last two home games against Charlton, having won 3-1 in Premier League in August 2006 then 3-0 in League Cup in September 2020.
- West Ham lost all six London derbies at home in the Premier League last season by an aggregate score of 2-14 (L6).
- Charlton lost their two away London derbies last season (L2), having suffered a 3-1 defeat at QPR in August 2025 then 4-0 loss at Millwall in January 2026.
Prediction
With a sell-out crowd anticipated, West Ham certainly have a chance to lay down a marker because they looked incredibly solid at Burnley with two clinical goals, until mistakes crept in at a time when they should of controlled the game and allowed the Clarets to snatch a late draw.
Charlton meanwhile staged a clinical second-half fightback to beat Derby after a wasteful first-half performance but they can’t afford to repeat that here, otherwise West Ham will surely punish them now that the cobwebs have been shaken off so I expect them to have to be more defensively solid.
Both teams though lost eight London derbies combined between them last season in different divisions so it is easy for the simple pundits to call this a draw, but I fancy the Hammers to come out on top.
Prediction: West Ham 2-1 Charlton
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