The 2026/27 English Football League campaign has officially begun, and excitement is already bubbling across all three divisions. The opening fixture on Friday night sees Wolverhampton Wanderers travel to face Blackburn Rovers, and every match in the Championship, League One and League Two will be broadcast live over the weekend, giving supporters a full slate of football to enjoy. One of the headline changes for this season is the expansion of the Championship play‑offs.
Historically, only the clubs finishing third to sixth have contested the promotion battles, but the league has now widened the field to include the top eight teams. This adjustment, the most significant alteration to the English domestic structure in decades, offers a greater number of clubs a realistic shot at climbing to the Premier League and should keep the league table far more congested right up to the final weeks. Early betting odds have quickly identified West Ham United and Wolverhampton Wanderers as the frontrunners for an immediate return to the top flight. West Ham are back in the second tier for the first time in fourteen years.
They have retained manager Nuno Espírito Santo, who previously guided Wolves to the Championship title in 2018, and they have also kept key forward Jarrod Bowen, a player who knows the rigours of the division from his spell with Hull City before moving to London. Wolves, on the other hand, have swapped Rob Edwards for the relatively unknown but ambitious Portuguese coach César Peixoto. The squad still boasts talents such as Andre, Mateus Mane, Santiago Bueno and Hugo Bueno, while the arrivals of former Liverpool striker Raúl Jiménez and experienced England right‑back Kieran Trippier add a dose of quality and leadership. Burnley present a slightly more uncertain picture.
The club have appointed Belgian manager Nicky Hayen, a 45‑year‑old who has previously steered Club Brugge and Genk. Nevertheless, the Clarets have a proven pedigree at this level, having secured promotion in each of the last two Championship campaigns with points totals exceeding the century mark.
According to the Sky Sports predictive model, West Ham and Wolves sit at the top of the favourite list, with Burnley positioned fourth, just behind Middlesbrough. Middlesbrough endured a roller‑coaster season last term. They spent more weeks in the top two than any other side but ultimately finished fifth.
Their campaign was marred by the infamous "Spygate" controversy, a semi‑final defeat to Southampton, a reinstatement to the final, and a heartbreaking loss at Wembley to Hull City via an Oli McBurnie stoppage‑time strike. The club appears to have shaken off that hangover, however, thanks to a substantial investment from owner Steve Gibson. New signings include striker Will Lankshear, who arrived from Tottenham after a prolific spell at Oxford where he netted eleven goals, and midfielder Sebastian Berhalter, a recent World Cup participant for the United States.
Goalkeeper Radek Vitek, on loan from Manchester United and praised for his performances at Bristol City, also joins the squad. Fans at the Riverside are buzzing with optimism about what this refreshed roster can achieve. Southampton’s saga dominated headlines last season after they were expelled from the play‑offs due to their involvement in the Spygate scandal. The club quickly rallied behind manager Tonka Eckert, despite an ongoing FA charge, and have worked to rebuild squad morale.
While midfielder Shea Charles was the only departure, the Saints have secured permanent deals for goalkeeper Daniel Peretz and striker Cyle Larin, both of whom impressed during loan spells. A four‑point deduction looms over them, yet their remarkable second‑half resurgence last year suggests they possess the quality to mount a serious challenge. Other managerial movements deserve mention.
Tony Mowbray returns to Blackburn Rovers after a four‑year absence, while Watford have appointed Alessio Dionisi as head coach. Lincoln City’s promotion‑winning boss Michael Skubala departed for Bristol City, prompting the Imps to adopt a joint‑manager system with Chris Cohen and Tom Shaw at the helm.
Leicester City, a club that celebrated a Premier League triumph just a decade ago, find themselves in League One for only the second time in their history. Russell Martin has been tasked with halting a dismal run of back‑to‑back relegations and restoring pride after disappointing spells at Southampton and Rangers. The summer window saw the arrival of experienced players such as Liam Cullen, Conor Chaplin and Wes Burns to bolster the squad. Sheffield Wednesday have entered a new era under owner David Storch following the end of the Chansiri era.
Henrik Pedersen, who guided the Owls through a difficult 2025/26 campaign, now has the chance to extract more from a side built with promotion ambitions. Notable signings include the promising youngster Louie Barry, whose injuries have limited his progress but who showed flashes of brilliance at Stockport County, and the return of veteran midfielder Barry Bannan from Millwall.
In the lower divisions, Luton Town remain strong under Jack Wilshere after a solid second‑half run last season, while Plymouth Argyle continue to impress, narrowly missing out on the play‑offs despite an excellent start to 2026. Oxford United made a headline‑grabbing appointment by handing Aaron Ramsey his first permanent managerial role, replacing Matt Bloomfield.
Ramsey’s tenure has already been complicated by a transfer embargo that prevents him from adding new players to a squad that suffered relegation. Further changes include Daniel Stendel’s return to Barnsley, Martin Drury’s appointment at Huddersfield Town, and Jimmy McNulty’s move from Rochdale to Stockport following Dave Challinor’s exit. Bromley, promoted to the EFL for the first time in 2024, have now secured a rapid ascent from League Two to the third tier, winning the League Two title last season. Despite being tipped as relegation favourites, Andy Woodman’s side aim to defy expectations at Hayes Lane.
York City rejoined the EFL after a ten‑year absence, but their start has been rocky. Long‑time manager Stuart Maynard, who guided them to promotion with a 100‑plus point tally, left just weeks before the season began.
His successor, Scott Lindsey, has struggled to win over supporters, with a Carabao Cup exit and vocal fan criticism marking his early tenure. Rochdale, the club that earned automatic promotion from the National League, also lost their manager when McNulty departed for Stockport. Ian Watson, previously of National League North side South Shields, has taken over the reins. Salford City, now in their eleventh year since promotion to League Two, remain hungry for advancement.
After a narrow play‑off final defeat to Notts County last season, manager Karl Robinson left and was replaced by Peter Cklamovski, the former Malaysia national team boss. High‑profile signings such as Macaulay Langstaff and Luke Molyneux suggest the club is serious about reaching League One. Other notable appointments include Chris Hogg at Northampton Town, Alex Bruce at Rotherham United, Darrell Clarke at Tranmere Rovers, Lee Grant at Walsall and Hayden Mullins at Newport County. The 2026/27 EFL season promises a thrilling opening weekend, beginning with Wolves versus Blackburn.
Sky Sports will broadcast every match across the three divisions, offering more than a thousand live games spanning the league, the Carabao Cup and the EFL Trophy. Fans can catch free highlights on the Sky Sports app after each round, and enjoy in‑depth analysis on the Essential EFL podcast and The EFL Show, a new weekly slot on Sky Sports News airing every Monday at 2 pm.
The action kicks off on Saturday the 15th, with most fixtures slated for a 3 pm kickoff unless otherwise noted.