Top 5 Thrilling Matches in the EFL this Season
The 2025/26 Championship season is shaping up to be an exciting one, with several key fixtures promising to make a significant impact on the title race, promotion battles, and local rivalries.
The season will kick off on the weekend of 8-10 August 2025, with Birmingham City, the newly promoted League One champions, hosting Ipswich Town, who were relegated from the Premier League in 2024/25. This match is notable as Birmingham aims to achieve consecutive promotions, while Ipswich looks to bounce back immediately.
Another highly anticipated fixture is Wrexham vs Southampton, which will take place on the opening day. Wrexham, another promoted club with high-profile backing, will face Southampton, a Premier League regular recently relegated. This fixture is significant as it tests Wrexham against experienced Championship opposition right away.
The rematch between Sheffield United and Bristol City, who faced off in last season's play-off semi-finals, is another game to watch. Sheffield United defeated Bristol City in their last encounter, and this game has potential implications for play-off qualification again.
Leicester City vs Sheffield Wednesday is another game that could set the tone for their promotion push, while West Brom vs Blackburn Rovers, managed by Ryan Mason and Valérien Ismaël respectively, promises a managerial storyline and a competitive fixture on Matchday 1.
Wrexham will also face important local derbies against Swansea just before Christmas and Sheffield United on Boxing Day. These matches will be crucial for fans and could potentially affect league positions and momentum during the season.
The season will conclude its regular season by 2-3 May 2026, with the play-off final scheduled for 23 May 2026. This final is crucial as it determines the last team promoted to the Premier League.
Meanwhile, in League One, the season will kick off with Stockport County vs Bolton Wanderers on Sunday, 3 August, 2025, at 12:00 BST. The history of rivalry between these two teams intensified in 2021 when Stockport signed Bolton's captain Antoni Sarcevic.
In other League One news, Shrewsbury Town was relegated to League Two at the end of the 2024/25 season. The match between Shrewsbury and Gillingham will mark the first time these two teams have faced each other since Shrewsbury's relegation. The fixture will not be a welcome occasion for Ainsworth at The Croud Meadow due to his previous association with Shrewsbury.
Charlton Athletic, who spent the last five seasons in League One, will face Millwall on Saturday 13 September, 2025. This will be their first meeting since November 2019. Notably, Millwall has not been defeated by Charlton Athletic since 1996.
Wrexham, promoted to the Championship thanks to the investment of actors Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney, will play their first Championship game against Birmingham City on a date to be determined in April 2026. Southampton, relegated from the Premier League last season, will play their first Championship game after their encounter with Wrexham against Birmingham City.
Gareth Ainsworth, who managed Shrewsbury but failed to prevent their relegation from League One, later took over as manager of Gillingham, who finished in 17th place in League Two during the 2024/25 season. Shrewsbury and Gillingham will face each other in League Two on Saturday, 29 November, 2025, at 15:00 BST.
The 2025/26 EFL fixtures have been released, promising an exciting season of football across England and Wales.
In the bustling world of sports entertainment, football enthusiasts are particularly excited about the upcoming Championship season. While Birmingham City and Southampton prepare for their engaging encounter, there's also the high-stakes Aston Villa vs Manchester United fixture in store, offering a mix of local rivalry and mesmerizing play-off debates. Moreover, the Premier League regular, Southampton, will not only face the newly promoted Wrexham but will also take on fellow Championship contenders, Birmingham City, in a double-edged challenge.
