Every Championship, League One and League Two fixture will be broadcast live on Sky throughout the opening weekend, with more than a thousand live matches across the EFL, the Carabao Cup and the EFL Trophy available on Sky Sports. As the season unfolds, supporters can also catch free highlight reels on the Sky Sports app after each round of games, and they can tune in to the Essential EFL podcast or The EFL Show on Sky Sports News – a new weekly slot that airs every Monday at 2 pm – for debate and tactical analysis. Preston North End entered the campaign with a surprisingly strong away record against teams from the lower half of the table last season, suffering only three defeats in fifteen visits.
Their underlying performance was even more impressive: expected‑goals models showed they were creating almost a goal per game (0.9 xG) despite the modest final scores, indicating a degree of over‑performance that could be hard to sustain without key players. The recent exit of captain Ben Whiteman to Wrexham, coupled with the loss of attacking contributors Lewis Dobbin and Daniel Jebbison, leaves Paul Heckingbottom with a genuine dilemma. The Wolves dropped four points in a row during pre‑season, and a difficult season may be looming.
Historically, newly‑promoted sides have often hit the ground running in the Championship. Bolton, for example, have a solid track record of early‑season momentum, and Sky Bet currently offers odds of 5/4 on them to deliver a win for backers who favour the favorites.
Some might be tempted to dismiss Millwall’s third‑place finish last season as a statistical fluke. In reality, it was the product of consistent point accumulation: the Lions won 24 of their 46 league games, lost just 11 and conceded only 49 goals. Manager Alex Neil has added a layer of tactical flexibility without stripping away the traditional Millwall identity. His squads are now organised, competitive and pragmatic, yet they also possess a higher level of individual quality than many of the club’s previous sides.
Bristol City’s summer overhaul suggests a major shift in direction, making them a tricky side to assess. The upheaval, however, could provide an opening for Millwall to exploit, and Sky Bet is offering 17/10 on an away victory for the Lions. John Eustace has proven himself a reliable preparer for his teams. Over his first five games in charge, he has posted an impressive 1.6 points per game, losing only three of twenty matches.
Last season he guided a side that had been flirting with the relegation zone up to eighth place, using a no‑nonsense, consistently effective style. Derby County, despite averaging just 44.4% possession, made a genuine push for the play‑offs.
While striker Patrick Agyemang’s long‑term injury is a concern, the attacking duo of Carlton Morris and Sammie Szmodics brings considerable quality to the final third. Sky Bet currently lists Morris to score in an away win for Derby at 7/2. Middlesbrough spent much of the previous campaign looking like a promotion‑ready team, only to fall short at the final hurdle, losing both a play‑off semi‑final and the final.
If you judge teams on the quality of football rather than raw goal numbers, there is a strong case that Boro were the best side in the division under Kim Hellberg. Their defensive record was outstanding – they allowed fewer shots than any other club and boasted the best shot‑to‑goal ratio in the Championship. They earned 80 points from an expected 83.2 and created 109 big chances while conceding just 68.
Such statistics underline a genuine case for improvement. Hellberg now has a full pre‑season to cement his aggressive, possession‑heavy philosophy, which aims to dominate opponents territorially.
Although Hayden Hackney has departed, Hellberg’s credentials suggest he can fill that gap. Sky Bet offers 5/2 on Middlesbrough to win promotion, with a home win being a plausible opening result.
Norwich City were drifting toward a relegation battle when Philippe Clement arrived in November, yet by May they had transformed into one of the division’s strongest outfits, sparking speculation about what could have been if they had started the season more competitively. Their points per game jumped from 0.91 in the first 23 fixtures to 1.91 in the latter half.
A similar resurgence story applies to West Bromwich Albion. After club legend James Morrison stepped in, the Baggies lost only twice in his final 12 games and secured him a permanent role. Both Norwich and West Brom are expected to target top‑eight finishes, making a draw a tempting bet at 11/4 with Sky Bet. Rumarn Burrell is a player to monitor for potential profit.
In his first full Championship season he netted ten goals in thirty appearances – a respectable return for a striker still adapting to the league. QPR’s creative core – Ilias Chair, Koki Saito, Harvey Vale and Kwame Poku – supplies him with varied service, meaning Burrell does not need a flood of chances to score. He is priced at 66/1 to finish as the division’s top scorer and 15/2 to open the scoring against Portsmouth. Swansea City may have secured the best transfer window of the summer.
Their ownership group has poured money into both the squad and the club’s infrastructure, and a new recruitment partnership with Jamestown Analytics could revolutionise how they spot talent. The addition of Elijah Just, Joseph Opoku and Moussa Yeo adds fresh attacking options, while Ross Stewart offers proven goal‑scoring ability if he can stay fit. Sky Bet lists a Swansea win at 9/5.
Stoke City have endured eight consecutive bottom‑half finishes since their Premier League relegation, making them a predictable, often dull watch for local fans. In contrast, Swansea’s fresh investment could allow them to start the season with a bang.
Birmingham City’s away record last season was disastrous; a blind bet on them would have lost you roughly £12.50 per £10 stake, reflecting a -55% return on investment. Chris Davies’ side averaged 1.91 points per game at home but just 0.87 away, and despite Davies claiming a shift in playing style, little is likely to change in the short term. At Sheffield United, Chris Wilder has focused on shoring up defensive frailties, and the Blades have kept four clean sheets in five pre‑season and Carabao Cup matches. A draw‑no‑bet market at 4/5 with Sky Bet, with stakes returned on a draw, makes United an attractive option.
Southampton, despite a turbulent end to last season, performed admirably under Tonda Eckhart from early January onward, earning four more points than any other Championship side in that period and going unbeaten in their final 19 league games (14 wins, 5 draws). Even after a four‑point deduction, they remain on any promotion shortlist.
Continuity has been a key factor: goalkeeper Daniel Peretz and striker Cyle Larin have turned loan spells into permanent deals, while Léo Scienza, arguably the most dangerous wide player in the division, stays for the campaign. Sky Bet offers 3/1 on Southampton winning by two or more goals. West Ham United, the division’s shortest‑priced promotion favourite, sit around 1/2 to bounce straight back to the Premier League.
Their star Jarrod Bowen and Nuno Espírito Santo’s attacking blueprint suggest they could dominate, but the tactical question remains whether a style that thrives against top‑flight opposition will be as effective against Championship teams willing to sit deep and let West Ham have possession. Nonetheless, the upcoming match appears to suit Nuno’s approach, and Sky Bet lists an away win at 13/10.
Burnley, now under Nicky Hayen, are expected to adopt a possession‑oriented philosophy, with Hayen publicly stating his desire for attacking football. This could set up an intriguing tactical clash with West Ham’s more direct approach.
Wrexham, managed by Phil Parkinson, survived the jump to the second tier last season by adapting their shape after a difficult start. However, they scored only 69 goals from chances worth 56.9 xG and were heavily outshot, indicating reliance on striker Kieffer Moore may be a vulnerability. Cardiff City will lean on youth following promotion.
Academy graduates like Dylan Lawlor and Ruben Colwill – the latter priced at 100/30 to score on Monday – could be crucial to the club’s survival bid. Betting highlights: Sheffield United draw‑no‑bet vs Birmingham at 4/5, double offer on the same match plus under 2.5 goals in Wolves vs Blackburn at 5/2, and a Super 6 entry for a chance at £1 million, all available through Sky Bet.