The 2026/27 EFL Championship season begins on August 14. This article will cover the opening weekend and other key dates throughout the campaign. English football's second division consists of 24 teams that will play 46 league games. Here is the full fixture list and league table here.
When does the 2026/27 Championship season start?
The opening weekend of the Championship season is from Friday, August 14, to Monday, August 17. The regular campaign runs until May 1. This will be followed by the playoffs. The Championship has four more teams and has playoffs to contend with. Therefore, the competition begins earlier than the Premier League.
Key dates table:
Date | Event |
|---|---|
August 7-9 | Carabao Cup first round |
August 14-17 | Opening weekend of the Championship |
December 26 | Boxing day fixtures |
May 1, 2027 | Regular season ends |
May 27 | Playoff final |
Which matches are being played on the opening weekend?
Recently relegated Wolverhampton Wanderers start the season on Friday night with a match against Blackburn Rovers. The other two clubs who came down from the Premier League face each other, with West Ham United taking on Burnley.
Bolton Wanderers, Lincoln City and Cardiff City have just been promoted from League 1. Bolton face Preston North End on the opening weekend. Lincoln travel to Middlesbrough, and Cardiff City play Wrexham in a Welsh derby.
Southampton will begin their campaign by taking on Watford. Another intriguing fixture is Bolton Wanderers against Preston North End in a Lancashire derby.
Fixture | Kick-off time (BST) | Broadcaster |
|---|---|---|
Wolves vs Blackburn Rovers | Friday 14, 20:00 | Sky Sports |
Bolton vs Preston | Saturday 15, 12:30 | Sky Sports+ |
Middlesbrough vs Lincoln City | Saturday 15, 15: 00 | Sky Sports+ |
Watford vs Southampton | Sunday 16,13:30 | Sky Sports |
Burnley vs West Ham | Sunday 16, 16:00 | Sky Sports |
Cardiff vs Wrexham | Monday 17, 20:00 | Sky Sports |
When were the Championship fixtures released?
The Championship fixtures were released on June 25, with the EFL also announcing them for League 1 and League 2 on the same day. They are computer-generated but manually adjusted to balance sequencing, travel and fairness. This often leads to more changes throughout the campaign due to TV broadcasters, weather and potential policing issues. Cup competitions also play a factor in games having to be rearranged.
What are the key Championship dates in 2026/27?
Date | Event |
|---|---|
September 21 - October 6 | First international break |
December 26 - 27 | Full programme of Boxing Day fixtures |
December 29 - January 1 | New Years fixtures |
January 9 | FA Cup third round |
February 13 | FA Cup fourth round |
March 6 | FA Cup fifth round |
April 3 | FA Cup quarter-finals |
May 1 | Final day of the regular season |
Mid - May (dates to be decided | Playoff semi-finals |
May 29 | Playoff final |
How does the Championship season work?
24 teams play each other home and away, which makes up a season of 46 games for each club. You get three points for a win, one for a draw, and zero for a loss. The team that finishes with the most points wins the division and gains promotion to the Premier League. Second place also gets promoted to the top flight.
If you finish from third to eighth, then you enter the playoffs. Fifth place faces eighth, with sixth playing seventh in a one-off eliminator. The victors will play the teams that finished third and fourth in two-legged semi-finals.
It used to just be third down to sixth, and the playoffs would start at the semi-final stage. The one-off eliminators are a new format for next season. Changes to the schedule are often contentious due to more games being added to an already congested calendar. It is also strange that the team that finished as low as eighth could now end up being promoted to the Premier League.
The playoff final is at Wembley, and if you win that they you will also be promoted to the Premier League. That match is often regarded as the most expensive game in football, due to the wealth that comes with being in the top flight.
Southampton were controversially kicked out of the playoffs last season as a result of 'Spygate.' A Saints analyst intern was seen filming a Middlesbrough training session. This was ahead of the semi-final playoff match, which the Saints went on to win. Middlesbrough took Southampton's place in the final, but went on to lose to Hull City.
The bottom three teams are relegated to League 1. They are replaced by three teams that are promoted from the third division. Also, three teams come down from the Premier League to the Championship to replace the promoted sides.
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