This invention pertains to a thermally-integrated solid oxide fuel cell system, providing for a solid oxide fuel cell stack disposed within a stack hotbox; a heat extractor disposed within the stack hotbox in thermal communication with the fuel cell stack and circumscribed around a full or partial perimeter of the fuel cell stack; a fuel reformer-combustor module disposed within the stack hotbox in thermal communication with the stack and disposed around a full or partial perimeter of the heat extractor; and a manifold fluidly connecting an outlet of the heat extractor to an inlet of a reformer section of the fuel reformer-combustor module.