Birmingham and Ipswich to open Championship campaign with Friday night clash | OneFootball

Birmingham and Ipswich kick off the new Sky Bet Championship campaign on August 8 with a Friday night game under the St Andrew’s lights.

Two divisions separated the clubs last term as Birmingham won the League One title and Ipswich were relegated after just one season in the Premier League.

The season-opener pits ex-NFL quarterback Tom Brady against singer-songwriter Ed Sheeran, the two men being respective minority owners of Birmingham and Ipswich.

Birmingham’s start before the September international break also includes trips to Blackburn and Leicester and a visit from Oxford, while their so-called ‘Hollywood derbies’ with Wrexham are away on October 4 and at home on April 11.

Wrexham, under the ownership of Hollywood A-lister Ryan Reynolds and fellow actor Rob McElhenney, begin at Southampton, which will be Will Still’s first as Saints boss, on Saturday, August 9 with a 12.30pm kick-off.

The Red Dragons, back in the second tier of English football for the first time in 43 years after winning three successive promotions, follow their opener at St Mary’s with home games against West Brom and Sheffield Wednesday and a trip to Millwall.

Sheffield United and Bristol City start at Bramall Lane on August 9 in a repeat of last season’s Championship play-off semi-final, West Brom host Blackburn and promoted Charlton welcome Watford to The Valley.

Frank Lampard’s Coventry start at home to Hull, Stoke entertain Derby, Oxford play Portsmouth and Liam Manning’s first game in charge of Norwich will be at home to Millwall.

New Middlesbrough manager Rob Edwards also opens at home against Swansea and Julien Stephan’s first game at QPR is a visit from Preston.

Relegated Leicester and Sheffield Wednesday are the last two teams in action on the opening weekend, with a 4.30pm kick-off on Sunday, August 10.

Leicester’s first away game is at Preston and the second weekend of action sees Ipswich and Southampton, both back in the second tier after relegation, meet at Portman Road.

The two Sheffield derbies take place on November 22 at Hillsborough and at Bramall Lane on February 21.

The Championship season will consist of 33 weekend rounds, nine midweek rounds and four bank holiday rounds, finishing on Saturday, May 2, 2026.

Boxing Day highlights include Birmingham at home to Derby, Leicester entertaining Watford, Norwich hosting Charlton and Wrexham meeting Sheffield United.

Leicester travel to Sheffield United on New Year’s Day, with Southampton at home to Millwall and Swansea greeting West Brom.

League One and League Two start a week earlier than the Championship, with relegated Luton and promoted AFC Wimbledon getting things under way at Kenilworth Road on Friday, August 1 at 8pm.

Cardiff and Plymouth start out with home games the next day after dropping into League One, against Peterborough and Barnsley respectively.

Promoted pair Bradford and Doncaster are at home to Wycombe and Exeter, while Port Vale mark their return to the division away to Rotherham.

Barnet and Oldham are back in the EFL after winning promotion from the Vanarama National League.

The Bees open their League Two campaign at home to Fleetwood on Saturday, August 2, while Oldham make the trip to MK Dons.

Salford, now owned by a new consortium which includes Sir David Beckham and Gary Neville, have a home opener against Crewe.