Leeds will restart life in the Championship against Cardiff at Elland Road, while Wrexham’s first Football League match since 2008 will be at home to Milton Keynes Dons. Those were among the eye-catching elements of the EFL fixture release for a season that kicks off on Friday 4 August, with promoted Sheffield Wednesday hosting relegated Southampton in the Championship.
Both teams will be under new managers when they get the ball rolling, with Darren Moore having left Hillsborough and Russell Martin in at St Mary’s. Other opening-weekend Championship fixtures include Plymouth v Huddersfield on Saturday 5 August, pitting the 74-year-old Terriers manager Neil Warnock against one of his former clubs.
Championship (see all fixtures)
Friday 4 August: Sheffield Wednesday v Southampton, 8pm
Saturday 5 August (3pm): Blackburn Rovers v West Bromwich Albion; Bristol City v Preston North End; Middlesbrough v Millwall; Norwich City v Hull City; Plymouth Argyle v Huddersfield Town; Queens Park Rangers v Watford; Stoke City v Rotherham United; Swansea City v Birmingham City
Sunday 6 August: Leicester City v Coventry City, noon; Leeds United v Cardiff City, 2.30pm; Sunderland v Ipswich Town, 5pm
League One (see all fixtures)
Saturday 5 August (3pm): Barnsley v Port Vale; Blackpool v Burton Albion; Bolton Wanderers v Lincoln City; Cambridge United v Oxford United; Carlisle United v Fleetwood Town; Charlton Athletic v Leyton Orient; Derby County v Wigan Athletic; Northampton Town v Stevenage; Portsmouth v Bristol Rovers; Reading v Peterborough United; Shrewsbury Town v Cheltenham Town; Wycombe Wanderers v Exeter City.
League Two (see all fixtures)
Saturday 5 August (3pm): Accrington Stanley v Newport County; Colchester United v Swindon Town; Crawley Town v Bradford City; Crewe Alexandra v Mansfield Town; Doncaster Rovers v Harrogate Town; Forest Green Rovers v Salford City; Grimsby Town v A.F.C. Wimbledon; Morecambe v Walsall; Stockport County v Gillingham; Sutton United v Notts County; Tranmere Rovers v Barrow; Wrexham v Milton Keynes Dons.
On Sunday 6 August, Leicester begin their second-tier campaign with a derby game against the beaten playoff finalists, Coventry. Sunderland welcome promoted Ipswich to the Stadium of Light that day, with the game kicking off at 5pm. The Leeds game is also on Sunday and they too will have a new manager, with Patrick Vieira top of their shortlist.
Reading, facing a possible points deduction for failing to pay wages on time, start their first League One season since 2002 at home to Peterborough, who blew a four-goal lead against Wednesday in the playoffs. Blackpool host Burton Albion while Wigan travel to Derby for their opening match.
Two of the promoted clubs begin against each other, with Northampton hosting Stevenage, while last term’s League Two champions, Leyton Orient, go to Charlton and playoff winners Carlisle play at home to Fleetwood.
In League Two, Notts County, promoted via the playoffs, start away at Sutton. Stockport – who lost the playoff final to Carlisle – host Gillingham. Forest Green, relegated back to the fourth tier after one season, entertain Salford while the other teams dropping from League One – Accrington and Morecambe – host Newport and Walsall respectively.
