Championship 2025/26 fixtures – live: EFL opening matches and full schedule revealed

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The Independent

·26 June 2025

Championship 2025/26 fixtures – live: EFL opening matches and full schedule revealed

Leeds United fans party outside Elland Road after team secure promotion to Premier League

The Championship’s 2025/26 fixtures have been revealed as all 72 clubs of the English Football League (EFL) find out their journey through the season.

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The schedule for the Championship, League One and League Two were released simultaneously with the three divisions following quickly after the Premier League’s matches were confirmed earlier in June.

After a play-off final win, Charlton are back in the second tier of English football along with Birmingham City and Wrexham, while Leicester, Ipswich and Southampton dropped down from the top-flight.

Barnet and Oldham navigated out of non-league at the end of last season to return to League Two, replacing Carlisle and Morecambe. In League One, meanwhile, the quartet of Doncaster, Port Vale, Bradford City and play-off winners AFC Wimbledon take the places of Crawley, Cambridge United, Bristol Rovers and Shrewsbury, who were all demoted in 2024/25.

Carabao Cup first-round draw

That’s all from the EFL fixture release – but you can follow the Carabao Cup first-round draw here:

Carabao Cup first round draw live: Championship and other EFL clubs learn fate

Follow as Championship, League One and League Two clubs join the 2025/26 League Cup

Lawrence Ostlere26 June 2025 15:07

Wrexham begin first second-tier campaign in 43 years at Saints

Wrexham are back in the second tier following three consecutive promotions since Hollywood actors Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney took over the club:

Wrexham begin first second-tier campaign in 43 years with trip to Southampton

Wrexham are back in the second tier following three consecutive promotions since Hollywood actors Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney took over the club.

Lawrence Ostlere26 June 2025 13:35

League Two fixtures on final day

And the finale to League Two:

Barrow v Newport
Bromley v Walsall
Cheltenham v Colchester
Crawley v Salford
Crewe v Cambridge
Fleetwood v MK Dons
Gillingham v Shrewsbury
Harrogate v Barnet
Notts County v Bristol Rovers
Oldham v Accrington
Swindon v Chesterfield
Tranmere v Grimsby

Lawrence Ostlere26 June 2025 13:04

League One fixtures on final day

The final day of the 2025/26 League One season is scheduled for Saturday 2 May 2026, with all matches kicking off at 15:00 BST.

Here are the confirmed fixtures:

AFC Wimbledon v Huddersfield Town
Barnsley v Stockport County
Bolton Wanderers v Luton Town
Exeter City v Bradford City
Leyton Orient v Burton Albion
Mansfield Town v Cardiff City
Northampton Town v Plymouth Argyle
Peterborough United v Doncaster Rovers
Port Vale v Lincoln City
Reading v Blackpool
Stevenage v Wigan Athletic
Wycombe Wanderers v Rotherham United

Lawrence Ostlere26 June 2025 13:01

EFL fixtures revealed

League One and League Two starts a week earlier than the Championship, with relegated Luton and promoted AFC Wimbledon getting things under way at Kenilworth Road on Friday, August 1 at 8pm.

Cardiff and Plymouth start out with home games the next day after dropping into League One, against Peterborough and Barnsley respectively.

Promoted pair Bradford and Doncaster are at home to Wycombe and Exeter, while Port Vale mark their return to the division away to Rotherham.

Barnet and Oldham are back in the EFL after winning promotion from the Vanarama National League.

The Bees open their League Two campaign at home to Fleetwood on Saturday, August 2, while Oldham make the trip to MK Dons.

Salford, now owned by a new consortium which includes Sir David Beckham and Gary Neville, have a home opener against Crewe.

Former Manchester United team-mates Gary Neville, left, and David Beckham are part of a new ownership group at Salford (Peter Byrne/PA) (PA Archive)

Lawrence Ostlere26 June 2025 12:46

Championship fixtures reaveled

The Championship season will consist of 33 weekend rounds, nine midweek rounds and four bank holiday rounds, finishing on Saturday, May 2, 2026.

Boxing Day highlights include Birmingham at home to Derby, Leicester entertaining Watford, Norwich hosting Charlton and Wrexham meeting Sheffield United.

Leicester travel to Sheffield United on New Year's Day, with Southampton at home to Millwall and Swansea greeting West Brom.

Lawrence Ostlere26 June 2025 12:40

Championship fixtures reaveled

Sheffield United and Bristol City start at Bramall Lane on August 9 in a repeat of last season's Championship play-off semi-final, West Brom host Blackburn and promoted Charlton welcome Watford to The Valley.

Frank Lampard's Coventry start at home to Hull, Stoke entertain Derby, Oxford play Portsmouth and Liam Manning's first game in charge of Norwich will be at home to Millwall.

New Middlesbrough manager Rob Edwards also opens at home against Swansea and Julien Stephan's first game at QPR is a visit from Preston.

Relegated Leicester and Sheffield Wednesday are the last two teams in action on the opening weekend, with a 4.30pm kick-off on Sunday, August 10.

Leicester's first away game is at Preston and the second weekend of action sees Ipswich and Southampton, both back in the second tier after relegation, meet at Portman Road.

The two Sheffield derbies take place on November 22 at Hillsborough and at Bramall Lane on February 21.

Lawrence Ostlere26 June 2025 12:35

Championship fixtures reaveled

Birmingham and Ipswich kick off the new Sky Bet Championship campaign on August 8 with a Friday night game under the St Andrew's lights.

Two divisions separated the clubs last term as Birmingham won the League One title and Ipswich were relegated after just one season in the Premier League.

The season-opener pits ex-NFL quarterback Tom Brady against singer-songwriter Ed Sheeran, the two men being respective minority owners of Birmingham and Ipswich.

Birmingham's start before the September international break also includes trips to Blackburn and Leicester and a visit from Oxford, while their so-called 'Hollywood derbies' with Wrexham are away on October 4 and at home on April 11.

Wrexham, under the ownership of Hollywood A-lister Ryan Reynolds and fellow actor Rob McElhenney, begin at Southampton, which will be Will Still's first as Saints boss, on Saturday, August 9 with a 12.30pm kick-off.