Championship 2026/27 season fixtures, dates, schedule and how to watch
Every game from the opening weekend of the EFL season across the Championship, League One and League Two will be shown on Sky Sports+ live; relegated duo Burnley and West Ham go head to head at Turf Moor while Cardiff host Wrexham in all-Welsh clash and Wolves face Blackburn in first game
Thursday 25 June 2026 11:13, UK
West Ham and Burnley will go head to head on the opening weekend of the new Championship season after Wolves kick off the new campaign at home to Blackburn - live on Sky Sports+.
The relegated Premier League duo will reunite their rivalry at Turf Moor on Sunday August 16, kick-off 4pm, with the Hammers having completed a league double in the top flight last season.
Wolves will get the new season under way under the lights against Tony Mowbray's Rovers on Friday August 14, with new managers in both dugouts as Cesar Peixoto and Mowbray take charge of the first league games for their respective clubs since taking over.
- Got Sky? Watch the Championship on the Sky Sports app
- Not got Sky? Stream the Championship with no contract
League One champions Lincoln face a trip to beaten play-off finalists Middlesbrough as the two sides meet for the first time since 1961, while Cardiff and Wrexham will go head to head in an all-Wales clash on Monday August 17, kick-off 8pm.
The opening weekend Championship games, with every game live on Sky Sports+ - kick-off 3pm unless stated
Friday August 14
- Wolves vs Blackburn, kick-off 8pm
Saturday August 15
- Bolton vs Preston, kick-off 12.30pm
- Bristol City vs Millwall
- Charlton vs Derby
- Middlesbrough vs Lincoln
- Norwich vs West Brom
- Portsmouth vs QPR
- Stoke vs Swansea
- Sheffield United vs Birmingham, kick-off 5.30pm
Sunday August 16
- Watford vs Southampton, kick-off 1.30pm
- Burnley vs West Ham, kick-off 4pm
Monday August 17
- Cardiff vs Wrexham, kick-off 8pm
Your club's Championship fixture list for 2026/27
- Birmingham | Blackburn | Bristol City | Bolton | Burnley | Cardiff | Charlton | Derby
- Lincoln | Middlesbrough | Millwall | Norwich | Portsmouth | Preston | QPR | Sheff Utd
- Southampton | Stoke | Swansea | Watford | West Brom | West Ham | Wrexham | Wolves
How many of my EFL team's fixtures will be live on Sky?
Every Championship, League One and League Two team will be featured live on Sky more than 20 times in the 2026/27 season.
The EFL is at the heart of Sky Sports+ coverage and will see over 1,000 games from 1,891 matches across the EFL, Carabao Cup and EFL Trophy broadcast live throughout the season.
When will the rest of the fixture times be confirmed?
- By 2 July 2026, selections will be announced in respect of all live broadcast matches to be played before the end of September 2026.
- By 31 July 2026 selections will be confirmed in respect of all live broadcast matches to be played up to, and including, the weekend of 8-11 January 2027.
- By 6 November 2026, selections shall be announced in respect of all matches to be played up to, and including, the midweek of 2-3 March 2027.
- Selections for matches scheduled for the weekend of 5-8 March 2027 will be announced by 5 February 2027, followed by weekly announcements looking four-weeks ahead. (For example, the weekend of 12-15 March 2027 will be announced by Friday 12 February 2027).
- Selections for matches scheduled for the penultimate weekend of the regular season will be announced three weeks in advance.
- Selections for matches scheduled for the final weekend of the regular season will be announced the week prior.
