The 2026/27 EFL season kicks off this weekend, with every team in the Championship, League One and League Two in action. A total of 36 matches will be played across the three leagues, all broadcast live on Sky Sports.
Championship opener and key fixtures
On Friday, August 14, Wolverhampton Wanderers host Blackburn Rovers in the first Championship fixture, with Cesar Peixoto taking charge for the first time. Blackburn finished 20th last season and will be looking to improve. The match kicks off at 8pm on Sky Sports Football.
Saturday, August 15 sees nine Championship games, including Bolton Wanderers vs Preston North End at 12.30pm and Sheffield United vs Birmingham City at 5.30pm. Sunday features Watford vs Southampton and Burnley vs West Ham United, while Monday, August 17, closes the round with Cardiff City vs Wrexham.
League One and League Two action
All League One teams play on Saturday, with Leicester City travelling to Barnsley for their opener, following reports the club's owners are looking to sell after back-to-back relegations. Other notable ties include Notts County vs Leicester City and Reading vs Luton Town.
League Two also has a full Saturday schedule, with York City hosting Bristol Rovers in their first game since promotion from the National League. All matches are available on Sky Sports+.
How to watch on TV
Sky Sports is the main broadcaster, showing over 1,000 live EFL matches, including every Carabao Cup game. New customers can get the Essential TV and Sky Sports bundle from £35 per month, which includes the Premier League, F1, darts and golf. Existing customers can add Sky Sports from £22 a month.
Virgin Media also offers Sky Sports channels, with its Sport bundle reduced to £52.99. However, both broadcasters will increase prices during the contract term, and neither shows Champions League or Europa League games, requiring a TNT Sports subscription for those matches.
