EFL fixture release: Sheffield Wednesday host Southampton in opener
Southampton will take on Sheffield Wednesday at Hillsborough live on Sky Sports in the opening match of the new Sky Bet EFL season on Friday, August 4.
Beginning life under new boss Russell Martin, the relegated Saints face a Wednesday outfit back in the second tier after winning the League One play-offs last month and currently managerless after parting company with Darren Moore.
Leicester, under new boss Enzo Maresca, and Leeds – the two other clubs to have dropped down from the Premier League – kick off their campaigns two days later at home against defeated play-off finalists Coventry and Cardiff respectively.
The other game that day sees Sunderland entertain promoted Ipswich, while League One champions Plymouth open by hosting Huddersfield the day before.
Southampton’s first home game of the campaign will be against Norwich the following Saturday, when Leicester travel to Huddersfield and Leeds are at Birmingham.
The final day of the regular Championship season on May 4 will see Leeds and Southampton go head to head at St Mary’s, while Leicester host Blackburn.
The opening round of League One fixtures on August 5 includes Wigan, who finished bottom of the Championship last term, playing at Derby as they start their season on minus eight points after being penalised over payment of wages.
Fellow relegated sides Reading and Blackpool begin at home against Peterborough and Burton respectively, while Barnsley, who missed out on promotion to Wednesday, welcome Port Vale to Oakwell.
In League Two, the return of Wrexham – owned by Hollywood duo Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney – to the Football League, starts with a home clash against MK Dons.
Thursday’s release of the new season’s EFL fixtures also shows National League play-off winners Notts County beginning their own comeback campaign by playing Sutton away.
The opening weekend games - Sky Bet Championship
Here's the first round of fixtures for the 2023/24 EFL season:
Friday August 4
- Sheffield Wednesday vs Southampton, 8pm - Live on Sky Sports
Saturday August 5
- Blackburn vs West Brom, 3pm
- Bristol City vs Preston, 3pm
- Middlesbrough vs Millwall, 3pm
- Norwich vs Hull, 3pm
- Plymouth vs Huddersfield, 3pm
- QPR vs Watford, 3pm
- Stoke vs Rotherham, 3pm
- Swansea vs Birmingham, 3pm
Sunday August 6
- Leicester vs Coventry, 12pm - Live on Sky Sports
- Leeds vs Cardiff, 2.30pm - Live on Sky Sports
- Sunderland vs Ipswich, 5pm - Live on Sky Sports
Sky Bet League One
Saturday August 5
- Barnsley vs Port Vale - kick-off 3pm
- Blackpool vs Burton Albion - kick-off 3pm
- Bolton Wanderers vs Lincoln City - kick-off 3pm
- Cambridge United vs Oxford United - kick-off 3pm
- Carlisle United vs Fleetwood Town - kick-off 3pm
- Charlton Athletic vs Leyton Orient - kick-off 3pm
- Derby County vs Wigan Athletic - kick-off 3pm
- Northampton Town vs Stevenage - kick-off 3pm
- Portsmouth vs Bristol Rovers - kick-off 3pm
- Reading vs Peterborough United - kick-off 3pm
- Shrewsbury Town vs Cheltenham Town - kick-off 3pm
- Wycombe Wanderers vs Exeter City - kick-off 3pm
Sky Bet League Two
Saturday August 5
- Accrington Stanley vs Newport County - kick-off 3pm
- Colchester United vs Swindon Town - kick-off 3pm
- Crawley Town vs Bradford City - kick-off 3pm
- Crewe Alexandra vs Mansfield Town - kick-off 3pm
- Doncaster Rovers vs Harrogate Town - kick-off 3pm
- Forest Green Rovers vs Salford City - kick-off 3pm
- Grimsby Town vs AFC Wimbledon - kick-off 3pm
- Morecambe vs Walsall - kick-off 3pm
- Stockport County vs Gillingham - kick-off 3pm
- Sutton United vs Notts County - kick-off 3pm
- Tranmere Rovers vs Barrow - kick-off 3pm
- Wrexham vs Milton Keynes Dons - kick-off 3pm
MOST READ FOOTBALL
FOOTBALL TIPS
