Lincoln City will begin their 2026-27 Championship season away at Middlesbrough as the season’s fixtures were released.
Now under joint management of Chris Cohen and Tom Shaw following Michael Skubala’s move to Bristol City, Lincoln City will mark their return to the second tier after a 65-year absence with an away clash against last season’s losing play-off finalists, Middlesbrough on Saturday 15 August at 3pm BST.
Skubala meanwhile will begin life with the Robins with a home match against Millwall at the same time on that date.
West Ham mark their return to the second-tier after 14 years with a trip to Burnley at 4pm on Sunday 16 August, in the second part of a live double-header which sees Southampton visit Watford at 1:30pm that day.
Cardiff face a huge return to the Championship after just one season in League One as they host Wrexham in a Welsh derby on Monday 17 August at 8pm.
| Date | Match | Time |
| Friday 14 August | Wolves vs Blackburn | 8pm |
| Saturday 15 August | Bolton v Preston | 12:30pm |
| Saturday 15 August | Bristol City v Millwall | 3pm |
| Saturday 15 August | Charlton vs Derby | 3pm |
| Saturday 15 August | Middlesbrough v Lincoln City | 3pm |
| Saturday 15 August | Norwich v West Brom | 3pm |
| Saturday 15 August | Portsmouth v QPR | 3pm |
| Saturday 15 August | Stoke v Swansea | 3pm |
| Saturday 15 August | Sheffield Utd v Birmingham | 5:30pm |
| Saturday 15 August | Watford v Southampton | 1:30pm |
| Saturday 15 August | Burnley v West Ham | 4pm |
| Monday 17 August | Cardiff v Wrexham | 8pm |
After last season’s spygate fiasco between Southampton and Middlesbrough, the pair will first meet this season at St Mary’s Stadium on weekend of 27-30 November, before the return leg at the Riverside Stadium is scheduled for weekend of 12-14 March
Boxing Day sees Sheffield United play host to Middlesbrough in the stand-out tie, as both teams look to mount a promotion challenge this season.
| Home Team | v | Away Team |
| Blackburn | v | Birmingham |
| Bolton | v | Burnley |
| Cardiff | v | Millwall |
| Charlton | v | Southampton |
| Lincoln City | v | West Brom |
| Portsmouth | v | Watford |
| Preston | v | Derby |
| QPR | v | Bristol City |
| Sheffield Utd | v | Middlesbrough |
| Stoke | v | Wrexham |
| West Ham | v | Norwich |
| Wolves | v | Swansea |
The final round of matches to be played in 2026 will take place on Tuesday 29 December, in which Southampton’s home match against West Ham looks set to be the big tie.
| Home Team | v | Away Team |
| Birmingham | v | Cardiff |
| Bristol City | v | Stoke |
| Burnley | v | Lincoln City |
| Derby | v | Sheffield Utd |
| Middlesbrough | v | Bolton |
| Millwall | v | Portsmouth |
| Norwich | v | Charlton |
| Southampton | v | West Ham |
| Swansea | v | QPR |
| Watford | v | Wolves |
| West Brom | v | Preston |
| Wrexham | v | Blackburn |
2027 will kick off with a round of matches on New Year’s Day, with 2024-25 promotion rivals – Burnley and Sheffield Utd set to lock horns at Turf Moor in the blockbuster pick.
| Home Team | v | Away Team |
| Birmingham | v | Portsmouth |
| Bristol City | v | West Ham |
| Burnley | v | Sheffield Utd |
| Derby | v | Blackburn |
| Middlesbrough | v | Preston |
| Millwall | v | Wolves |
| Norwich | v | Lincoln City |
| Southampton | v | Cardiff |
| Swansea | v | Charlton |
| Watford | v | QPR |
| West Brom | v | Stoke |
| Wrexham | v | Bolton |
The regular season will conclude on Saturday 1 May at 12:30pm, with Wolves facing a Midlands derby trip to Derby at Pride Park in the stand-out tie.
| Home Team | v | Away Team |
| Birmingham | v | Burnley |
| Blackburn | v | Portsmouth |
| Derby | v | Wolves |
| Lincoln City | v | Charlton |
| Millwall | v | Stoke |
| Preston | v | Cardiff |
| QPR | v | Norwich |
| Southampton | v | Sheffield Utd |
| Swansea | v | Middlesbrough |
| West Brom | v | Bolton |
| West Ham | v | Portsmouth |
| Wrexham | v | Bristol City |