Wrexham will kick off their first season in English football’s second tier for 43 years away at Southampton on Saturday, Aug. 9, the day when Birmingham City will begin their Championship season against Ipswich Town. These two newly promoted teams are set for challenging starts, while relegated Leicester City aims to gain momentum as they take on Sheffield Wednesday on Aug. 10.
The Championship is set to start a week after the 2025-26 season in League One kicks off. The opening match is scheduled for Friday, August 1, featuring Luton taking on AFC Wimbledon at Kenilworth Road. Additionally, the highlight match in League Two may include Barnet’s return to the Football League with a match against Fleetwood the following day.
Attention will soon shift to the Championship, particularly towards Wrexham, who has become a worldwide sensation after being purchased by stars Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney. The club’s climb from National League to the Championship began in 2022 and they are now set for a notable matchup against Southampton, a top contender for promotion.
Not far behind in the betting odds are Ipswich and Birmingham, the latter co-owned by Tom Brady, who ascended from League One with an impressive 111 points. The involvement of Brady, Reynolds, and McElhenney adds an exciting flavor to this season, promising to be full of ‘Hollywood derbies’ that will catch the attention of neutrals.
Wrexham is scheduled to face Birmingham City at St. Andrew’s on October 4, before the return leg in Wales on April 11.
CBS Sports will be airing at least 250 matches throughout the season, covering the Championship, League One, League Two, as well as the Carabao Cup and Vertu Trophy. Watch matches on Paramount+.
Five EFL fixtures to watch out for
- Luton Town vs. AFC Wimbledon – August 1, 3 p.m. ET
A fantastic match to kick off the new season. - Leicester City vs. Sheffield Wednesday – August 10, 11:30 a.m. ET
The start of a potentially difficult season for Leicester under Ruud van Nistelrooy. - Southampton vs. Portsmouth – September 13, 10 a.m. ET
A significant rivalry returns after a hiatus of nearly six years. - Ipswich Town vs. Norwich City – October 4, 10 a.m. ET
A regular fixture that brings high stakes this season. - Wrexham vs. Middlesbrough – May 2, 7:30 a.m. ET
The season finale possibly having playoff implications.
EFL opening day fixtures in full
Championship
- Friday, Aug. 8
Birmingham City vs. Ipswich Town, 3 p.m. ET - Saturday, Aug. 9
Southampton vs. Wrexham, 7:30 a.m. ET
League One
Friday, Aug. 1
- Luton Town vs. AFC Wimbledon, 3 p.m. ET
League Two
Saturday, Aug. 2
- Barnet vs. Fleetwood Town, 10 a.m. ET
