The 2026/27 English Football League campaign is officially underway, and the excitement is palpable across all three divisions. This weekend marks the opening fixtures, with every Championship, League One and League Two match being broadcast live on Sky Sports, giving supporters a front‑row seat to the drama from the very first whistle. One of the most consequential changes introduced over the summer is the expansion of the Championship play‑offs. Previously, only the teams finishing third to sixth had a shot at promotion; this season the window widens to include the clubs placed seventh and eighth as well.
The adjustment effectively creates eight promotion‑contending spots, offering a larger pool of clubs the chance to battle for a place in the Premier League and injecting fresh intensity into the latter stages of the season. The early betting odds quickly highlighted West Ham United and Wolverhampton Wanderers as the front‑runners for an immediate return to the top flight. West Ham, back in the second tier after a fourteen‑year absence, have retained manager Nuno Espírito Santo and retained the services of key forward Jarrod Bowen. Both individuals are well‑versed in Championship football—Nuno guided Wolves to the division title in 2018, while Bowen previously plied his trade with Hull City before moving to London.
Their experience should prove invaluable as the Hammers aim to bounce straight back to the Premier League. Wolves, on the other hand, have taken a more radical approach by appointing Cesar Peixoto, a relatively unknown figure, to replace Rob Edwards.
Peixoto’s tenure began with a modest 2‑2 draw at home against Blackburn Rovers, a result that hinted at the need for further adaptation under his leadership. Burnley presents a slightly different narrative. The Clarets have hired Belgian coach Nicky Hayen, a 45‑year‑old who has previously overseen Club Brugge and Genk.
While there is some uncertainty surrounding his appointment, Burnley’s recent history offers reassurance: they secured promotion in each of the last two Championship campaigns, both times amassing over 100 points, demonstrating a proven capacity to dominate at this level. Sky Sports’ predictive model currently places West Ham and Wolves as the top two favorites, with Burnley sitting in fourth place, just behind Middlesbrough.
The latter endured a turbulent previous season, spending more weeks in the top two than any other side but ultimately finishing 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 to Hull City via an Oli McBurnie stoppage‑time goal at Wembley. Middlesbrough’s off‑season activity suggests they have moved past any lingering hangover. Owner Steve Gibson has opened the club’s coffers, bringing in striker Will Lankshear—who netted the decisive goal against Wrexham in the Carabao Cup and scored 11 times for Oxford United last season—from Tottenham Hotspur.
Additionally, midfielder Sebastian Berhalter, fresh from representing the United States at the World Cup, and goalkeeper Radek Vitek, a former Manchester United loanee who impressed at Bristol City, have bolstered the squad. These acquisitions have reignited optimism among Boro supporters, who now anticipate a serious promotion push.
Southampton’s saga dominated headlines last season when the club was expelled from the play‑offs due to the Spygate scandal. Despite the setback and an ongoing FA charge against manager Tonda Eckert, the Saints have acted swiftly to rebuild. They have retained Eckert, signed goalkeeper Daniel Peretz and striker Cyle Larin on permanent deals after successful loan spells, and have mitigated fears of a mass player exodus, with only midfielder Shea Charles departing so far. However, the team must also contend with a four‑point deduction, making their quest for a top‑two finish all the more challenging.
Several other managerial changes are worth noting. Tony Mowbray returns to Blackburn Rovers after a four‑year hiatus, while Watford have appointed Alessio Dionisi to steer their campaign.
Lincoln City’s successful promotion boss Michael Skubala has left for Bristol City, prompting Lincoln to adopt a joint‑manager model with Chris Cohen and Tom Shaw at the helm. Leicester City’s misfortune continues as they find themselves in League One for only the second time in their history, a decade after lifting the Premier League trophy. Russell Martin has been tasked with halting a run of back‑to‑back relegations, despite a mixed managerial record at Southampton and Rangers.
The club has already added seasoned professionals such as Liam Cullen, Conor Chaplin and Wes Burns to aid the promotion push. Sheffield Wednesday has entered a new era under owner David Storch following the departure of the Chansiri family. Henrik Pedersen, who guided the Owls through a difficult 2025/26 season, remains in charge and now has the chance to extract more from a squad built with promotion ambitions.
Notable signings include promising youngster Louie Barry—who impressed at Stockport County despite injury setbacks—and the return of veteran midfielder Barry Bannan from Millwall. In the lower divisions, Luton Town are regarded as strong contenders under Jack Wilshere after a solid second‑half run last season, while Plymouth Argyle have already demonstrated consistency in 2026, narrowly missing out on the play‑offs. Oxford United made a headline‑grabbing appointment by naming former Arsenal midfielder Aaron Ramsey as manager, his first permanent role. However, Ramsey has been hampered by a transfer embargo that prevents him from strengthening the relegated side.
Other notable appointments include Daniel Stendel’s return to Barnsley, Martin Drury taking charge at Huddersfield Town, and Jimmy McNulty moving from Rochdale to Stockport following Dave Challinor’s exit. Bromley, who earned promotion to the EFL for the first time in 2024, have now secured a rapid ascent to League One after just two seasons, while former National League champions Hayes Lane (Bromley) are tipped as relegation favorites but remain determined to defy expectations under Andy Woodman.
York City celebrate a return to the EFL after a decade away, yet their start has been rocky. Long‑time manager Stuart Maynard, who guided them to a 100‑plus‑point promotion, left shortly before the season began. His successor, Scott Lindsey, has struggled to win over supporters, with a disappointing Carabao Cup exit and vocal fan criticism.
Rochdale, another club that earned automatic promotion from the National League, have also seen their manager depart for Stockport. Ian Watson, previously of South Shields in the National League North, steps in to lead the side.
Salford City, ten years after their entry into League Two, remain eager to break the glass ceiling. After a narrow play‑off final defeat to Notts County last season, manager Karl Robinson has been replaced by Peter Cklamovski, formerly of the Malaysia national team.
The club has made high‑profile signings, including Macaulay Langstaff and Luke Molyneux, fueling speculation that this could be the season Gary Neville and David Beckham finally guide Salford to League One. Additional managerial movements 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 opening weekend will see Wolves travel to Blackburn in the Championship opener on Friday night, kicking off a season that promises over 1,000 live matches across the EFL, Carabao Cup and EFL Trophy on Sky Sports.
Fans can also enjoy free highlights via the Sky Sports app after each round, and stay engaged with analysis on the Essential EFL podcast and The EFL Show, a new weekly slot on Sky Sports News airing every Monday at 2 pm. Finally, a reminder for fans: the Saturday 15th fixtures start at 3 pm, and there is a chance to enter the Play Super 6 competition for a £1 million prize, with free entry available for all supporters.