The 2026–27 EFL Championship (referred to as the Sky Bet Championship for sponsorship purposes) will be the 11th season of the EFL Championship under its current title and the 35th season under its current league division format. This will be the first season following the expansion of the post season play-offs from four teams to six.[1]
| Season | 2026–27 |
|---|---|
| Dates | 14 August 2026 – May 2027 |
← 2025–26 2027–28 → | |
The 2026–27 season will consist of 46 matchdays in total with the fixture list set to be released on 25 June 2026 at 12:00 BST.[2] The opening round of the league will take place between 14 and 16 August.[3]
Team changes
editThe following teams will change division after the 2025–26 season:
To ChampionshipPromoted from League One Relegated from the Premier League |
From Championship |
Stadiums and locations
edit
Personnel and sponsoring
edit| Team | Manager(s) | Captain | Kit manufacturer | Shirt sponsor(s) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Main | Other(s) | ||||
| Birmingham City |  Chris Davies |
 Christoph Klarer |
Nike | Undefeated[4] | List
|
| Blackburn Rovers |  Tony Mowbray |
Todd Cantwell |
Macron | Watson Ramsbottom Solicitors[5] | |
| Bolton Wanderers | Steven Schumacher |
 Eoin Toal |
Macron | Victorian Plumbing[6] | List
|
| Bristol City | Michael Skubala |
 Jason Knight |
O'Neills | Victorian Plumbing[7] | List
|
| Burnley | TBC | Josh Cullen |
Castore | TBC | List
|
| Cardiff City | Brian Barry-Murphy |
Calum Chambers |
Castore | Visit Malaysia | List
|
| Charlton Athletic | Nathan Jones |
 Greg Docherty |
Reebok | RSK Group | List
|
| Derby County | John Eustace |
Lewis Travis |
Puma | Loaded[8] | List
|
| Lincoln City | Chris Cohen & Tom Shaw |
 Tendayi Darikwa |
Oxen | TBC | List
|
| Middlesbrough |  Kim Hellberg |
Dael Fry |
Castore[9] | TBC | List
|
| Millwall | Alex Neil |
Jake Cooper |
Erreà | Wiggett Group[10] | List
|
| Norwich City |  Philippe Clement |
Kenny McLean |
Joma | Blakely Clothing[11] | List
|
| Portsmouth | John Mousinho |
Marlon Pack |
Nike | University of Portsmouth | List
|
| Preston North End | Paul Heckingbottom |
Benjamin Whiteman |
Castore | SpudBros[12] | List
|
| Queens Park Rangers |  Julien Stéphan |
Jimmy Dunne |
Erreà | MrQ[13] | List
|
| Sheffield United | Chris Wilder |
Japhet Tanganga |
Adidas[14] | TBC | List
|
| Southampton |  Tonda Eckert |
Jack Stephens[15] |
Puma[16] | TBC | List
|
| Stoke City | Mark Robins |
Ben Gibson |
Macron | bet365 | List
|
| Swansea City |  Vítor Matos |
Ben Cabango |
Joma | TBC | List
|
| Watford |  Alessio Dionisi |
 Imrân Louza |
Kelme | BOXT[17] | List
|
| West Bromwich Albion | James Morrison |
Jed Wallace |
Macron | Ideal Heating[18] | List
|
| West Ham United | Nuno Espírito Santo |
Jarrod Bowen[19] |
New Balance | TBC | List
|
| Wolverhampton Wanderers | César Peixoto |
Toti Gomes |
Sudu | Midnite[20] | List
|
| Wrexham | Phil Parkinson |
Dominic Hyam |
Macron | United Airlines[21] | List
|
Managerial changes
edit| Team | Outgoing manager | Manner of departure | Date of vacancy | Position in the table | Incoming manager(s) | Date of appointment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Blackburn Rovers | Michael O'Neill |
End of contract | 2 May 2026[22] | Pre-season | Tony Mowbray |
5 June 2026[23] |
| Bristol City | Roy Hodgson |
End of interim spell | Michael Skubala |
29 May 2026[24] | ||
| Watford | Edward Still[25] |
Sacked | 3 May 2026[25] | Alessio Dionisi |
15 June 2026[26] | |
| Burnley | Mike Jackson |
End of interim spell | 24 May 2026 | TBD | TBD | |
| Lincoln City | Michael Skubala |
Signed by Bristol City | 29 May 2026[27] | Chris Cohen & Tom Shaw |
29 May 2026[28] | |
| Wolverhampton Wanderers | Rob Edwards |
Sacked | 11 June 2026[29] | César Peixoto |
15 June 2026[30] |
League table
edit| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Promotion, qualification or relegation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Birmingham City | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | Promotion to the Premier League |
| 2 | Blackburn Rovers | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 3 | Bolton Wanderers | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | Qualification for Championship play-offs semi-finals |
| 4 | Bristol City | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 5 | Burnley | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | Qualification for Championship play-offs quarter-finals |
| 6 | Cardiff City | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 7 | Charlton Athletic | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 8 | Derby County | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 9 | Lincoln City | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 10 | Middlesbrough | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 11 | Millwall | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 12 | Norwich City | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 13 | Portsmouth | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 14 | Preston North End | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 15 | Queens Park Rangers | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 16 | Sheffield United | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 17 | Stoke City | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 18 | Swansea City | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 19 | Watford | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 20 | West Bromwich Albion | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 21 | West Ham United | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 22 | Wolverhampton Wanderers | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | Relegation to EFL League One |
| 23 | Wrexham | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 24 | Southampton | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | −4[a] |
First match(es) will be played: 14 August 2026. Source: EFL Official Website
Rules for classification: 1) Points; 2) Goal difference; 3) Number of goals scored; 4) Head-to-head results; 5) Wins; 6) Away goals; 7) Penalty points (sec 9.5); 8) Number of 12-point sending off offences; 9) Play-off (only if needed to determine promotion/relegation)[32]
Notes:
Rules for classification: 1) Points; 2) Goal difference; 3) Number of goals scored; 4) Head-to-head results; 5) Wins; 6) Away goals; 7) Penalty points (sec 9.5); 8) Number of 12-point sending off offences; 9) Play-off (only if needed to determine promotion/relegation)[32]
Notes:
- ↑ Southampton were deducted four points due to multiple breaches of EFL regulations related to the unauthorised filming of other clubs' training.[31]
Results
editPlay-offs
editBracket
edit| Eliminators | Semi-finals | Final | ||||||||||||||
| 3 | ||||||||||||||||
| 5 | TBC | Lowest-ranked winner | ||||||||||||||
| 8 | TBC | |||||||||||||||
| 4 | ||||||||||||||||
| 6 | TBC | Highest-ranked winner | ||||||||||||||
| 7 | TBC | |||||||||||||||
Season statistics
editAwards
editMonthly
edit| Month | Manager of the Month | Player of the Month | Ref | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| August | |||||
| September | |||||
| October | |||||
| November | |||||
| December | |||||
| January | |||||
| February | |||||
| March | |||||
| April | |||||
See also
editReferences
edit- ↑ "Sky Bet Championship Play-Off Format". EFL. 5 March 2026. Retrieved 12 April 2026.
- ↑ "EFL fixture release day confirmed for 2026/27 season". EFL. 10 April 2025. Retrieved 12 April 2026.
- ↑ "EFL kick-off dates confirmed for 2026/27 season". English Football League. 12 January 2026. Retrieved 25 May 2026.
- ↑ "Undefeated named Blues' new principal partner and sponsor". Birmingham City Football Club (Press release). Birmingham. 26 July 2023. Retrieved 28 July 2023.
- ↑ "Rovers renew Watson Ramsbottom partnership". Blackburn Rovers F.C. 13 June 2025. Retrieved 23 April 2026.
- ↑ "Victorian Plumbing Commits Its Future to Bolton Wanderers with New Deal" (Press release). Bolton: Bolton Wanderers Football Club. Retrieved 24 May 2026.
- ↑ "Victorian Plumbing to become Bristol City Principal Partner" (Press release). Bristol: Bristol City Football Club. 8 January 2026. Retrieved 7 June 2026.
- ↑ "CLUB PARTNER: Derby County announce Loaded as Front of Shirt (Principal) Partner". Derby County Football Club (Press release). Birmingham. 15 May 2026. Retrieved 16 May 2026.
- ↑ "Castore announced as official technical kit supplier". Middlesbrough Football Club. 9 June 2025. Retrieved 9 June 2025.
- ↑ "Millwall announce Wiggett Group as new front-of-shirt sponsor". Millwall Football Club. Millwall Football Club. Retrieved 24 December 2025.
- ↑ "Blakely named as new front-of-shirt sponsor". Norwich City Football Club. Norwich City Football Club. Retrieved 15 June 2026.
- ↑ "PNE Team Up With Spud Bros In New Partnership". Preston North End Football Club. 25 June 2025. Retrieved 25 June 2025.
- ↑ "QPR join forces with MrQ". Queens Park Rangers Football Club. Queens Park Rangers Football Club. Retrieved 15 June 2026.
- ↑ "adidas and Blades link up again". Sheffield United FC. 22 April 2026. Retrieved 22 April 2026.
- ↑ "Russell Martin on James Ward-Prowse and club captaincy". Southampton Football Club (Press release). Southampton. 11 August 2023. Retrieved 13 August 2023.
- ↑ "PUMA officially becomes a Saint". Southampton Football Club (Press release). Southampton. 24 April 2024. Retrieved 27 May 2024.
- ↑ "Official: BOXT Confirmed As New Front-Of-Shirt Sponsor". Watford FC. 12 May 2026. Retrieved 12 May 2026.
- ↑ "Ideal Heating sign-up for record-breaking extension as Principal Sponsor". West Bromwich Albion FC. 21 December 2023. Retrieved 23 April 2026.
- ↑ "Jarrod Bowen appointed West Ham United Club captain" (Press release). London: West Ham United Football Club. 15 August 2024. Retrieved 15 August 2024.
- ↑ "Midnite become principal partner of Wolves". Wolverhampton Wanderers FC. 3 June 2026. Retrieved 3 June 2026.
- ↑ "United Airlines Debuts New, Limited-Edition Wrexham AFC Amenity Kits and Pajamas". United.com. 21 May 2024. Retrieved 21 May 2024.
- ↑ "Club Statement: Michael O'Neill". www.rovers.co.uk. 12 May 2026. Retrieved 12 May 2026.
- ↑ "Tony Mowbray returns to Rovers". rovers.co.uk. 5 June 2026. Retrieved 5 June 2026.
- ↑ "Skubala appointed City manager". www.bcfc.co.uk. 29 May 2026. Retrieved 29 May 2026.
- 1 2 "Club Statement: Ed Still". www.watfordfc.com. 3 May 2026. Retrieved 3 May 2026.
- ↑ "Official: Dionisi Appointed As Head Coach". www.watfordfc.com. 15 June 2026. Retrieved 15 June 2026.
- ↑ "Skubala leaves Imps to join Bristol City". www.weareimps.com. 29 May 2026. Retrieved 29 May 2026.
- ↑ "Cohen and Shaw take over as Head Coaches". www.weareimps.com. 29 May 2026. Retrieved 29 May 2026.
- ↑ "Wolves part ways with Rob Edwards". www.wolves.co.uk. 11 June 2026. Retrieved 11 June 2026.
- ↑ "Cesar Peixoto appointed Wolves head coach". www.wolves.co.uk. 15 June 2026. Retrieved 15 June 2026.
- ↑ Johnson, Dale (19 May 2026). "Southampton expelled from play-offs for spying on Middlesbrough who have been reinstated to the play-off Final". BBC Sport. Retrieved 19 May 2026.
- ↑ "Section 3 - The League". EFL Official Website. subsection 9 – Method of Determining League Positions. Archived from the original on 19 October 2021. Retrieved 31 May 2026.