LONDON — Fulham FC announced the appointment of Álvaro Arbeloa as its new head coach on July 7, 2026. Arbeloa signed a three-year contract with the club, which is scheduled to expire in the summer of 2029.

Arbeloa, 43, succeeds Marco Silva in the role. He previously served as interim manager for Real Madrid's first team, where he managed the final 28 games of the season. Under his interim leadership, Real Madrid finished second in La Liga and reached the Champions League quarter-finals, where they were eliminated by Bayern Munich. Arbeloa took over the interim position in January following Xabi Alonso's departure. Before his time as interim first-team manager, Arbeloa worked within Real Madrid's youth ranks. During his playing career, he played for Jose Mourinho at Real Madrid.

Arbeloa expressed his perspective on the new role, stating, "It is a real honour for me to be embarking on this new stage at Fulham FC, the oldest club in London." He added, "I feel a great sense of responsibility and I'm deeply grateful to [chairman] Mr [Shahid] Khan and [vice-chairman] Tony Khan for the trust they have placed in me with Fulham in the Premier League."

Shahid Khan, the chairman of Fulham FC, spoke about Arbeloa's appointment. Khan stated, "Alvaro is, by his own admission, very ambitious." He also mentioned Arbeloa's prior experience, saying, "He has spent quality time around the best players, clubs and methods in the game, experiences which will serve him well here at Fulham."