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Nuno Espirito Santo volition look to pb West Ham to promotion to the Premier League successful their archetypal play successful the EFL since 2011-12
ByIan Woodcock
BBC Sport England
Relegated Burnley and West Ham volition conscionable connected the opening play of the Championship play connected Sunday, 16 August.
The Clarets, whose bid to name Wales manager Craig Bellamy arsenic brag looks to person fallen through, finished 19th successful the apical formation past play and volition big the the Hammers, who went down connected the last day.
Fellow relegated broadside Wolves volition play the league's curtain-raiser against Blackburn astatine Molineux connected Friday, 14 August.
Elsewhere, Southampton, who volition commencement the play connected minus 4 points aft the Spygate scandal, question to Watford connected the opening play and promoted Cardiff invited Welsh rivals Wrexham connected Monday, 17 August.
League One champions Lincoln commencement the play astatine beaten play-off finalists Middlesbrough connected Saturday, 15 August and 3rd tier play-off last winners Bolton statesman the run with a location crippled against Preston connected the aforesaid day.
The Championship play starts a week aft clubs play their archetypal competitory fixture successful the archetypal circular of the Carabao Cup and 1 week earlier the Premier League gets nether way.
Championship archetypal circular fixtures successful full
Friday, 14 August
Wolverhampton Wanderers v Blackburn Rovers (20:00)
Saturday 15 August
Bolton Wanderers v Preston North End (12:30)
Bristol City v Millwall (15:00)
Charlton Athletic v Derby County (15:00)
Middlesbrough v Lincoln City (15:00)
Norwich City v West Bromwich Albion (15:00)
Portsmouth v Queens Park Rangers (15:00)
Sheffield United v Birmingham City (15:00)
Stoke City v Swansea City (15:00)
Sunday, 16 August
Watford v Southampton (13:30)
Burnley v West Ham United (16:00)
Monday, 17 August
Cardiff City v Wrexham (20:00)
All times BST
Can relegated Premier League sides bounce back?
Burnley, West Ham and Wolves volition each beryllium looking to unafraid Premier League promotions astatine the archetypal clip of asking.
The Clarets person present been relegated from oregon promoted to the apical formation successful each of the past 4 seasons.
However, present little than 2 months retired from the commencement of the play they stay without a manager pursuing the departure of Scott Parker successful May.
West Ham brag Nuno Espirito Santo has remained contempt them dropping retired of the apical formation aft 14 seasons.
The Portuguese led Wolves to the Championship rubric successful his 1 erstwhile play managing astatine this level successful 2017-18.
Wolves finished bottommost of the Premier League successful 2025-26 and sacked brag Rob Edwards earlier this period to bring successful Cesar Peixoto.
They person bolstered their squad with erstwhile England defender Kieran Trippier and returning Mexico striker Raul Jimenez.
However, each 3 volition beryllium alert that successful some of the past 2 seasons a squad relegated from the apical tier has suffered a 2nd successive demotion to League One.
Former Premier League champions Leicester City went the aforesaid mode arsenic Luton Town had successful 2024-25.
New rivalries and acquainted foes
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Southampton brag Tonda Eckert (left) is acceptable to conscionable Middlesbrough and brag Kim Hellberg (right) for the archetypal clip since the Spygate incidental connected 28 November
Southampton were expelled from the play-offs successful May aft a subordinate of unit was recovered spying connected Middlesbrough grooming earlier their Championship play-off semi-final.
Saints admitted to besides watching grooming sessions astatine Oxford United and Ipswich Town successful the regular play and arsenic good arsenic being removed from the play-off last and replaced by Boro, who they bushed 2-1 connected aggregate, were deducted 4 points for the 2026-27 campaign.
They big the Teessiders connected Saturday, 28 November successful the archetypal league gathering betwixt the sides.
Among the stand-out derby fixtures successful the part determination is simply a immense time connected Saturday, 19 September.
Millwall invited East London rivals West Ham for the archetypal crippled betwixt the 2 since February 2012 and Wolves big West Brom successful the archetypal league fixture betwixt the 2 successful beforehand of fans successful 14 years.
Elsewhere, southbound seashore rivals Southampton and Portsmouth conscionable astatine St Mary's connected Saturday, 10 October and the archetypal eastbound Lancashire derby of the play volition beryllium played astatine Turf Moor connected Saturday, 21 November erstwhile Blackburn sojourn Burnley.
Say hullo to the caller boss(es)
Burnley mightiness inactive beryllium connected the hunt for their caller manager but six Championship sides person appointed a caller brag this summer.
Bristol City brought successful Michael Skubala arsenic Gerhard Struber's replacement aft Skubala led Lincoln to the League One rubric and a archetypal play successful the 2nd tier of English shot successful 65 years.
The Imps person replaced him with Chris Cohen and Tom Shaw, who were connected the unit nether Skubala.
Tony Mowbray has returned for a 2nd spell astatine Blackburn aft Northern Ireland brag Michael O'Neill chose not to widen his abbreviated spell with Rovers.
Alessio Dionisi has taken implicit astatine Watford aft Ed Still's little and unsuccessful play astatine Vicarage Road.
West Brom person fixed James Morrison the managerial relation connected a imperishable ground aft helium led them to information past play and Black Country neighbours Wolves volition beryllium hoping that Peixoto tin bash what Portuguese compatriot Nuno did past clip they were astatine this level and usher them to promotion.
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