Wolves start EFL season against Blackburn
The EFL fixtures have been announced
Relegated Wolves will launch the 2026-27 English Football League season at home to Blackburn in an 8pm kick-off on Friday, August 14.
The EFL fixture list was released on Thursday and Wolves will play their first Sky Bet Championship fixture since 2018 under new boss Cesar Peixoto at Molineux, with Tony Mowbray back for a second spell in charge of Blackburn.
West Ham and managerless Burnley were relegated alongside Wolves and they face each other in their opening match at Turf Moor on the Sunday.
The Hammers will start a new season outside the top flight for the first time in 14 years, while Burnley are back in the second tier for the third time since 2023.
The London Stadium, West Ham’s home since 2016, will host Championship football for the first time the following Saturday when Nuno Espirito Santo’s side face capital rivals Charlton.
Southampton play their opening fixture on the Sunday and will bid to put last month’s play-off saga behind them after being expelled for spying against Watford at Vicarage Road.
Promoted Cardiff and Wrexham will bring the curtain down on the Championship’s opening fixtures in a derby clash in the Welsh capital on the Monday.
Beaten play-off finalists Middlesbrough begin their new season at The Riverside against Lincoln, back in the second tier for the first time in 65 years.
That is one of eight Saturday games, which include a lunchtime Lancashire derby at the Toughsheet Community Stadium between Bolton and Preston.
The opening-day fixtures in Leagues One and Two all take place on Saturday, August 15.
Leicester, back in League One just 10 years after being crowned Premier League champions, start at Notts County in a 1230 kick-off and Sheffield Wednesday play their first match under new owners Arise Capital Partners at Leyton Orient.
Bromley will begin their first season in the third tier at Barnsley and relegated Oxford have a lunchtime start at home to newly-promoted MK Dons.
In League Two, York will play their first game back in the EFL after a 10-year absence at home against Bristol Rovers, with promoted Rochdale travelling to Newport for a 1230 kick-off.
Relegated Rotherham will play their first game back in the fourth tier since 2013 at Cheltenham.