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Championship fixtures 2025/26, including season start date as Birmingham City and Ipswich Town kick things off

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While the summer transfer window is fun, we can’t wait for the new season to start. Thankfully, the Championship fixtures for 2025/26 are now in, and we’ve got all the details you need to plan ahead.

The 2024/25 campaign was one of the best yet, with a two-way title race, a stunning end to the play-offs, and a Championship relegation battle that included as many as seven teams right down to the wire.

We’ve a feeling the 2025/26 Championship campaign could be even better, with the likes of Wrexham and Birmingham joining the party, Leicester and Southampton returning, and lots of clubs making big moves in the transfer market already.

The Championship fixtures for the season ahead have finally dropped, so let’s take a look at those opening day games, how each matchweek will play out, and when to expect the play-offs.

A detailed view of the EFL logo on a football before a Championship game
Photo by David Watts | MI News/NurPhoto via Getty Images

Opening day fixtures for the Championship

Clubs across the Championship now know their opening day fixtures with the season set to start again on August 8th with a brilliant clash between newly-promoted Birmingham and recently-relegated Ipswich.

Here are the opening round of Championship fixtures for matchweek 1:

The pick of the ties sees another relegated side, Southampton, take on Wrexham in the lunchtime kick-off on the Saturday. Ruben Selles will take charge of Sheffield United for the first time by taking on Bristol City, the side the Blades beat in last season’s play-off semi-finals.

On the Sunday, a tasty tie between Leicester City and Sheffield Wednesday will be the main event.

The entire fixture list for the Championship 2025/26

Brace yourself, here’s the rundown of all 46 matchweeks in the Championship fixtures list for 2025/26:

Matchweek 1

Matchweek 2

Matchweek 3

Matchweek 4

Matchweek 5

Matchweek 6

Matchweek 7

Matchweek 8

Matchweek 9

Matchweek 10

Matchweek 11

Matchweek 12

Matchweek 13

Matchweek 14

Matchweek 15

Matchweek 16

Matchweek 17

Matchweek 18

Matchweek 19

Matchweek 20

Matchweek 21

Matchweek 22

Matchweek 23

Matchweek 24

Matchweek 25

Matchweek 26

Matchweek 27

Matchweek 28

Matchweek 29

Matchweek 30

Matchweek 31

Matchweek 32

Matchweek 33

Matchweek 34

Matchweek 35

Matchweek 36

Matchweek 37

Matchweek 38

Matchweek 39

Matchweek 40

Matchweek 41

Matchweek 42

Matchweek 43

Matchweek 44

Matchweek 45

Matchweek 46

Please note, all fixtures are subject to change. Cup games could cause fixture clashes, while Sky Sports could well move some ties to coincide with TV coverage.

Chris Davies after defeat in Birmingham City v Peterborough United: Vertu EFL Trophy Final
Photo by Catherine Ivill – AMA/Getty Images

When does the 2025/26 Championship campaign begin?

The 2025/26 Championship season will kick off on the weekend of 9th and 10th August, a week after the League One and League Two campaigns start, and a week before the Premier League fixtures begin.

When does the 2025/26 Championship campaign end?

All of the final round of Championship fixtures will be played on the same day at the same time, on May 2nd 2026.

What are the Championship play-off dates for 2025/26?

The Championship play-off dates have not been announced yet, but we can take an educated guess based on this year’s games.

The 2024/25 campaign ended on May 3rd, with play-off games starting in the week following. The final took place on May 24th.

If the EFL follows a similar pattern, we’re likely to see ties played on the 7th May, 11th May, and the final will probably be on the 23rd May in 2026.

New Southampton Manager Will Still
Photo by Matt Watson/Southampton FC via Getty Images

How to watch Championship fixtures

The good news is, all the Championship fixtures from matchweek 1 will be shown live on Sky Sports. As per a report from The Guardian, even the usual 3pm Saturday blackout will be lifted for those games.

From there onwards, you’re likely to find the bigger fixtures given airtime on Sky Sports throughout the season, as long as they don’t clash with Premier League matches.

As per last season, fans will also be able to access matches via the Sky Sports+ service. Again, this will be for games outside the blackout, and you’ll need to be a Sky Sports customer to gain access.