Exclusive: What Don Goodman thinks about Bradford City's shock League One promotion push | OneFootball

Sky Sports pundit Don Goodman spoke exclusively to Football League World about Bradford City's stunning start to the 2025/26 League One campaign

Bradford City have enjoyed an electrifying start to the 2025/26 League One campaign after ending their six-year exile from English football's third-tier by finishing third in League Two, and are swiftly emerging as contenders to achieve consecutive promotions under popular boss Graham Alexander.

The Bantams finally sealed a long-awaited return to League One last season as promotion was achieved on the final day, ensuring their escape from tier four alongside Doncaster Rovers, Port Vale and later AFC Wimbledon, too.

Bradford, however, have started the season in a richer vein of form than not only those three teams, but indeed, the rest of League One.

Alexander's side raced to the summit of the league table on Saturday afternoon by ending the unbeaten run of title favourites Cardiff City with a commanding 3-1 victory in the Welsh capital, which came just one week on from their triumph of the same scoreline against another promotion hopeful in West Yorkshire rivals Huddersfield Town.

Back-to-back wins over Luton Town and Stockport County last month, two sides with credible promotion ambitions in their own right, have only further underlined the notion that Bradford are not simply back in League One to make up the numbers and have every chance of competing for Championship football in 2026/27, with City's red-hot form showing no signs of being extinguished after nine matches - of which they have only tasted defeat in one.

What Don Goodman thinks about Bradford City's shock League One promotion push

Speaking exclusively to Football League World, Sky Sports pundit and EFL expert Don Goodman expressed both surprise and praise towards Bradford for the side's stunning start to the season.

Goodman believes that most people will be shocked at the Bantams' early-season form, particularly given that they only finished third in League Two back in May. However, the pundit noted Bradford's attacking prowess, with the Yorkshire-based outfit topping League One for goals per match (1.90) and xG (15.8), while also ranking third for big chances created with 23.

The likes of Bobby Pointon, Antoni Sarcevic and Will Swan have all displayed formidable productive form in the final third, helping Bradford to the top of the table with a blitzing, high-octane counter-attacking approach.

"I think most people are going to be shocked at the incredible start Bradford City have made," Goodman explained to FLW.

"You've got to remember this is a team that finished third last season and scrambled themselves into an automatic promotion spot with the final kick of the season. Just 78 points, that really isn't a lot of points, so this really wasn't an extraordinary League Two team.

"So for them to come up to League One and start the way they have is just incredible, really. And it's the goals, they're scoring for fun at the top-end of the pitch, all the forwards are well off the mark now.

"They've generated, according to Opta, the highest xG which means they're creating the most chances. It's all looking good, I'm surprised but long may it continue.

Perhaps the most impressive factor of Bradford's third-tier ascent to date is that they have already managed to overcome some of their toughest tests of the campaign with flying colours, winning away at both Stockport and Cardiff and putting two pre-season title favourites to the sword on home soil in newly-relegated Luton and Huddersfield.

Bradford's home form is a particular source of strength, and Alexander's men have won each of their four matches at Valley Parade — where they only lost twice from 23 matches in League Two last year.

Saturday's home clash against 22nd-placed Blackpool, then, represents yet another strong chance of three points and they will be eyeing up victory with a trip across Yorkshire to face lowly Rotherham United at the start of October, too.

Subsequent tests against Lincoln City and Barnsley, both of whom are current occupants in the top-six, are sure to throw up sterner challenges, but with the home advantage in Bradford's favour for those two clashes, there is little to suggest that the upwardly-mobile Bantams will be slowing down anytime soon.