Did you enjoy this summer’s World Cup? Are you curious about the soccer world beyond that tournament? Welcome to The Athletic’s Soccer Weekender. All fans are welcome. We’ll be tackling the big topics from every weekend of action, and the funniest moments, weird histories, meaningful stories you may have missed and more. Today: We debrief the opening round of Premier League action, the biggest haircut of the year and a quick rundown of how it all actually works in a Premier League 101.Step away from the panic button. It’s just Week 1. As an American, every year when the NFL, college football or the NBA starts, there’s usually at least one wild overreaction that takes over the internet.We always have to remind ourselves: It’s just one game. It’s just Week 1. It doesn’t actually mean anything. Yet.But still, the Premier League’s opening weekend was a weekend of shockers. This is the first time since 2021-22 that the “Big Six” have suffered two defeats in the opening weekend. And one (Chelsea) has yet to play! The “Big Six” are the six richest and most globally popular teams: Arsenal, Chelsea, Tottenham, Manchester United, Manchester City and Liverpool.And those were just two of the major upsets that had everyone, including Ed Sheeran, screaming.It’s easy to forget, but it’s worth remembering: Last year’s post-Super Bowl Kansas City Chiefs lost their first two games, and everyone said, “Just give it time.” They missed the playoffs.Here are the five shocks of the week — with an off-pitch finale from Erling Haaland — plus a rundown on how the Premier League works as we kick off the season.The five shocks this week1. A newly promoted team beating the most famous team in the world?OK, we can quibble over which team is the “most famous” in the Premier League in 2026, but historically it’s Manchester United. They’re basically the Dallas Cowboys of the league: dominated for a critical era and had the likes of David Beckham and Cristiano Ronaldo in the squad. It’s hard to argue they aren’t the most significant and famous soccer team in the world.But, also like the Cowboys, they are not still ‘dem boys. They’ve struggled in recent years and are inconsistent. But they had a good end to last season under a new head coach — Michael Carrick — who played during their last glory era. They’re back in the Champions League (more on what that means below) and look poised for a good season.Then Hull City happened. Hull have just made it back into the Premier League. Think of it a little bit like a team that just made it from Division 2 up to Division 1. Hull wasn’t even expected to win promotion last year. They were written off in this pre-season, too, as an easy win for any big team.