John Brewin is in action today with a MBM blog of Southampton v Wrexham. Will Hollywood-led new boys make their mark? Or will Saints come marching back into the Championship with something to prove? Keep up with all the updates here.
This blog will remain open until 5.30pm BST so feel free to continue discussing the day’s action below the line. Thanks for tuning in!
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We are halfway through our Premier League previews. John Brewin writes on Fulham whose inactivity in the summer is hopefully not a gloomy sign.
Stay tuned as we release the rest in the build-up to the opening day of the season.
Barcelona says Ter Stegen will return as captain
Barcelona says Marc-André ter Stegen will return as first-team captain after announcing that the goalkeeper had authorised the club to send his medical report to the Spanish league.
The announcement came after Ter Stegen rejected suggestions he was to blame for Barcelona’s inability to register new players, insisting that his back surgery and recovery timeline were fully approved by the club.
The disagreement led to the 33-year-old Ter Stegen being stripped of the club’s captaincy on Thursday. But that changed Friday when Barcelona said the disciplinary case had been closed and “the player is captain of the first team once again.” AP
As we wait for the EFL to kick-off Will Unwin is at Manchester United.
Good morning from Old Trafford. The fans were here from early on desperate to get a glimpse of their heroes, putting last season’s failures to the back of their minds, returning with renewed optimism. They will get a first look at new signings of Matheus Cunha and Bryan Mbeumo on the pitch, while Benjamin Sesko will be paraded in front of the supporters before the match. Fiorentina will have a familiar face to locals in net, as David De Gea is back at Old Trafford for the first time since leaving, offering a reminder of slightly better times.
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League Two team news
Tranmere XI: McGee, Norman, Brough, Smith, Smallwood, Whitaker, Davison, Patrick, O’Connor, Harris, Kenneh
Shrewsbury XI: Savin, Hoole, Anderson, Boyle, Clucas, Biggins, Scully, Gilliead, Nurse, Stubbs, Marquis
Notts County XI: Roos, Bedeau, Platt, Norburn, Jones, Iorpenda, Dennis, Aljofree, Cotter, Bennets
Salford XI: Young, Turton, Grant, Nmai, Bird, Harris, Austerfield, Cesay, Oluwo, Garbutt, Longelo
League One team news
Reading XI: Pereira, Abrefa, Stickland, Burns, Garcia, Kyerewaa, Wing, Savage, Lane, O’Mahony, Jacob
Huddersfield XI: Goodman, Sorenson, Whatmough, Low, Wallace, Kane, Ledson, Miller, Wiles, Roosken, Taylor
Peterborough XI: Bilokapic, Johnston, Okagbue, Wallin, Mills, Khela, Collins, Hayes, O’Brien-Brady, Odoh, Ihionvien
Luton Town XI: Keely, Walters, Makosso, Andersen, Naismith, Alli, Saville, Baptistem, Clark, Wells, Yates
Championship team news
Southampton XI: Bazunu, Sugawara, Edwards, Stephens, Quarshie, Welington, Downes, Charles, Fraser, Robinson, Armstrong
Wrexham XI: Ward, Cleworth, Coady, Brunt, Barnett, Dobson, M James, O’Brien, Cacace, Windass, Moore
Coventry XI: Rushworth, Van Ewijk, Thomas, Kitching, Dasliva, Grimes, Torp, Rudoni, Sakamoto, Thomas-Asante, Mason-Clark
Hull City XI: Pandur, Drameh, Ajayi, Hughes, Giles, Lundstram, Crooks, Slater, Kamara, Ndala, Joseph
Charlton XI: Kaminski, Ramsay, Jones, Bell, Apter, Coventry, Carey, Docherty, Edwards, Kelman, Campbell
Watford XI: Selvik, Abankwah, Baah, Bola, Doumbia, Keben, Kjerrumgaard, Kyprianou, Louza, Ngakia, Sissoko
Thanks for all your questions! Keep an eye out for Ben Fisher’s report from Southampton later in the day. And now … team news!
Sam via email: What do you think the biggest story of League Two will be this season?
It will be interesting to see if Ian Holloway, who transformed Swindon after taking over in October last season, can add a fourth promotion to his CV. Holloway celebrated 1,000 games in charge last season and was typically great company.
Elsewhere, Darrell Clarke is back at Bristol Rovers and despite a disappointing opening day defeat to Harrogate, he will surely re-galvanise the club.
Martin via email: Is Wrexham’s rise sustainable? Is there a chance they come crashing down?
Well, as long as Wrexham’s revenues continue to build, then they are probably a more sustainable entity than most. Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney foot the bills but the sideshows – the Disney+ documentary series, the overseas pre-season tours –fuel their ambitions. To a point.
The Championship is still a bit of a wild west in terms of wages despite some clubs introducing wage caps – the jump in numbers from League One is something to which Phil Parkinson recently alluded – and they are undoubtedly having to hand out some handsome contracts to attract players. Their net spend is about £11m this summer and they have a bloated squad as a result of relatively overnight success. This summer Shaun Harvey, the former EFL chief executive who is a director at Wrexham, said: “Our wage bill per month now will be more than we paid for the whole time we were in the National League.”
Acunnane under the line:
Yes, MK Dons have been super-aggressive in the summer window and therefore Paul Warne is naturally under pressure to win promotion. If anyone can change the culture at the club, I’d fancy Warne, who is a brilliant character as well as a manager with a solid track record. His endearing personality may actually help given they are going to be expected to win every week – I always remember how he told me he was dressed as an elf the day he was asked to step up to become the manager at Rotherham. Aaron Collins, Callum Paterson, Nathaniel Mendez-Laing are probably League One players.
Diego via email: To keep it a bit lighthearted before what will inevitably be a season of gloom for me as a Blackburn fan: what is your favourite and least favourite kit across the leagues this season?
Newport County surely take this prize, for their striking Athletic Bilbao-inspired away kit. It commemorates the 36 children who relocated to Caerleon from Bilbao after fleeing the Spanish civil war in 1937. The shirt is modelled on Athletic’s red-and-white stripes and on the label, beneath the flags of the Basque Country and Wales, a message reads: “In 1937, when the Basque people needed help, Wales responded.”
Birmingham’s Nike strips look worthy of a team gunning for the top flight, while Leicester are currently without a front-of-shirt sponsor, so naturally their strip looks better than it did with a cryptocurrency firm plastered over it. Jeremy Monga, who made his Premier League debut at 15 years old last season, is one of those used to that, given rules preventing players under 18 from advertising betting companies. Down non-league, Forest Green, now under the guidance of Robbie Savage, have a garish – and recyclable – pink leopard-print number.
Simone via email: What is really happening at Sheffield Wednesday? How do you see it all shaping up?
The reality is Dejphon Chansiri, who acquired the club in 2015, is struggling to meet his day-to-day obligations to fund the club. At the same time Chansiri is not subject to any disqualifying conditions, so the English Football League are semi-powerless to anything, except regular dialogue with Chansiri’s advisers to encourage him to accelerate a sale. The EFL are of the belief Chansiri is trying to sell the club.
Solidarity and basic payments from the Premier League and EFL dropped this week to help pay wages and ease cashflow but Wednesday are up against it in terms of creditors and HMRC. They are banned from paying fees for players until June 2027 owing to financial breaches.
Chris Powell, assistant manager to Danny Rohl last season, recently described Wednesday as the “most functional dysfunctional club” he’s ever been at. Wednesday will fulfil their fixture at Leicester on Sunday but the fear is that the problems run and run. Then there will be more questions about boycotts. And will the North Stand, which homes 9,000 fans, reopen in time for their Hillsborough opener against Stoke next weekend? The stand was closed last month owing to structural concerns.
James asks via email: Can we expect any big name signings in the EFL to come from now until the end of the window? Or have most clubs done the majority of their business?
I think there is more to come. The start of the season is always a bit of a strange time for managers because many will be banking on new players arriving before the 1 September deadline. Headline departures at the relegated clubs will likely have a domino effect.
Ipswich, for example, have a fight on to keep Leif Davis, who is wanted by Nottingham Forest and Nathan Broadhead, a target for Wrexham, who are certain to ruffle feathers on their return to the second tier. Tyler Dibling is unlikely to be a Southampton player too much longer, the same goes for Bilal El Khannouss at Leicester.
And the Premier League elite will soon decide which youngsters they are willing to loan. Moments ago confirmation that Joe Gelhardt has rejoined Hull City on loan from promoted Leeds.
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I’m on the final descent to St Mary’s for Southampton v Wrexham and have just encountered a Saints fan – presumably on a stag do – in full kit, including goalkeeper gloves and a headband. And my train was delayed by almost an hour. Yes, the season is very much back.
Q&A time! Let’s go.
The conclusion to the Sesko saga (is it fair to call it a saga?) comes to a close. With so much noise around the player as two Premier League teams battled for his signature a lot of eyes will be certainly be on if he – alongside the rest of United’s summer signings – can perform.
You can track all the latest transfers across Europe with our men’s and women’s interactives.
Sesko had been among Newcastle’s summer transfer targets, making a higher offer in transfer fee and wages, only for the player to say Old Trafford was his preferred move.
Newcastle’s failure to date to land potential signings – they have recruited Anthony Elanga and Aaron Ramsdale but have missed out on Hugo Ekitike, Sesko, James Trafford and Joao Pedro – has prompted suggestions that Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund, which owns an 85% stake, is not as engaged as it once was. The club’s manager, Eddie Howe, strongly rejects such speculation but has admitted the Isak situation has unsettled his squad.
Man United announce signing of Benjamin Sesko
Manchester United have confirmed the signing of Benjamin Sesko from RB Leipzig. The striker will join on a five-year deal and become Ruben Amorim’s fourth summer signing. The 22-year-old Slovenia international scored 13 times in the Bundesliga last season.
Sesko passed his medical at Old Trafford on Saturday morning and will be unveiled as a United player at the lunchtime before the pre-season friendly against Fiorentina. Sesko’s arrival takes United’s spending to around £214m after the signings of Matheus Cunha, Diego León and Bryan Mbeumo. Sesko is expected to be the fulcrum of Amorim’s attacking trident, along with Cunha and Mbeumo.
The new signing said:
The history of Manchester United is obviously very special but what really excites me is the future. When we discussed the project, it was clear that everything is in place for this team to continue to grow and compete for the biggest trophies again soon. From the moment that I arrived, I could feel the positive energy and family environment that the club has created. It is clearly the perfect place to reach my maximum level and fulfil all of my ambitions. I cannot wait to start learning from Ruben and connecting with my teammates to achieve the success that we all know we are capable of together.
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Lots of eyes will be on Wrexham today in their season debut. In November 2020, the American actor Rob McElhenney and Canadian actor Ryan Reynolds, through their RR McReynolds Company LLC, bought the Welsh club. From there it has been a steady rise. From a television series to a boost on all platforms on social media, the club has received unprecedented attention and a massive financial boost due to their Hollywood owners.
And as mentioned earlier back-to-back-to-back promotions, the first club in the history of England’s top five football divisions, means they are back in the second division for the first time since 2003–04.
But how will they fare this season? Is it true the Championship is a whole other ballgame? Here is Dominic Booth’s verdict from a few months ago.
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Some of your early predictions:
Football Weekly. You know it, you love it. But what is better than Max Rushden, Barry Glendenning and a host of your regular Football Weekly favourites in your ears wherever you get your podcasts? Max Rushden, Barry Glendenning and a host of your regular Football Weekly favourites live on stage.
After almost two years since Football Weekly’s last live show, they are returning for one night only to Troxy in east London on 11 September. You can find more information and buy tickets in-person or for the livestream below.
Just another reminder that Ben Fisher will be online soon for a Q&A on all things Football League. Send him in your questions below the line or via the email at the top of the blog.
Our 12.30pm kick-offs in League One are Peterborough v Luton and Reading v Huddersfield.
Peterborough United v Luton Town
Peterborough have won just one of their last nine league games against Luton (D4 L4), a 3-1 home victory in August 2018.
Peterborough have failed to win any of their last eight league games (D3 L5), losing each of their last three in succession.
Luton have won three of their last five away league games (D1 L1), as many as across their prior 39 matches on the road combined (W3 D8 L28).
Reading v Huddersfield Town
Reading have won each of their last two home league games against Huddersfield and will be looking to claim victory in three in succession for the first time since April 1989.
Huddersfield have won three of their last six league games against Reading (D1 L2), although they were winless in both games last season (D1 L1).
Huddersfield have lost each of their last six away league games in a row, last losing more in succession between February and April 2019 (seven).
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Just over three hours to go until the 12.30pm kick-offs around the grounds. In League Two that is Notts County v Salford City and Tranmere Rovers v Shrewsbury Town. Let’s crunch some numbers with the help of Opta.
Notts County v Salford City
Notts County have won just one of their last 15 Football League games against sides from Greater Manchester (D5 L9), losing their last five in succession.
Salford City have won each of their last three Football League games against Notts County, scoring three goals in both of their victories last term.
Notts County lost all of their final three home matches of the 2024-25 league season and could lose four on the bounce at home for the first time since March 2024 – a run of five.
Salford City are unbeaten when playing their first away match of a league season in each of their last three campaigns (W1 D2), all without conceding a single goal
Tranmere Rovers v Shrewsbury Town
Tranmere have won four of their last six league games against Shrewsbury (L2), with each victory during that time coming via a one-goal margin.
Shrewsbury have won two of their last four away league games against Tranmere (L1), as many victories as across their prior 15 visits to Prenton Park in the EFL beforehand combined (D3 L10).
Shrewsbury Town won their last league away match, a 2-1 win over Barnsley on MD45 last season, and could win back-to-back league matches on the road for the first time since February 2023 – a run of three.
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Man City's Rodri may not be 'really fit' until mid-September
Manchester City’s Rodri, who missed most of last season after rupturing anterior cruciate ligament injury last September, is unlikely to be “really fit” until after this September’s international break, says manager Pep Guardiola.
The midfielder’s fitful comeback was interrupted at the Club World Cup in the United States when a substitute appearance at the last-16 stage against Al-Hilal was curtailed in extra time by an unspecified injury. “Rodri is getting better but he had a big injury in the last game against Al-Hilal,” said Guardiola. “He has trained better in the last few days. Hopefully after the international break, he will be really fit.”
City travel to Wolves on 16 August and then face Tottenham and Brighton before the September break. Guardiola added: “Hopefully in these games, he can play some minutes, but what is important is that he doesn’t have pain because we don’t want Rodri coming back injured. We will try desperately to avoid that.” Guardian Sport
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See that there is a bit of discussion below the line on my use of football being back in the preamble. That it never went away especially with Euro 2025, that the league season started last weekend, etc. All points I agree with but the saying felt right to use given that this is our first matchday live of the season, which I mentioned in the first sentence in my preamble. “Football … you never left us” certainly does not have that same je nais se quois. But I digress, for who am I to not listen to the masses.
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Q&A? Q&A! We have spoiled you rotten with our very first matchday live Q&A of the season, if I do say so myself. Our Midlands, south-west England and Wales football correspondent Ben Fisher will be around later today to answer some of your Football League questions. Send them in below the line or via email which you can find at the top of this blog. Go, go, go!
And, of course, the rest of the EFL continues to storm on. It was a good start for Luton in League One last weekend as Wimbledon’s Ryan Johnson became one of the first victims of the own goal this season.
Wimbledon will hope to bounce back against Lincoln today. Also in action: Reading v Huddersfield, Leyton Orient v Wigan.
And in League Two it was a opener to forget for Plymouth while Cardiff and Huddersfield made hay under new managers Brian Barry-Murphy and Lee Grant.
Away from the Championship, the second week of the Scottish Premiership makes way with Livingston v Falkirk, St Mirren v Motherwell and Rangers v Dundee. It is, of course, too early to call a title winner but if the opening weekend was anything to go by …
Leicester – also relegated from the top-flight last season – face Sheffield Wednesday tomorrow. Dejphon Chansiri’s reign at Wednesday is facing a boiling point. Protests and a fly-over are planned and the chair of the supporters’ trust, Ian Bennett, says the feeling around the club is ‘despair’. He speaks to Will Unwin and what could be a pivotal moment for the 158-year-old club.
So what are the big Championship matches to look out for today then? Southampton, who finished bottom of last season’s Premier League by quite are in action at 12.30pm. They host Wrexham, a small Welsh club became the first team in EFL history to be promoted in three straight seasons and have been on quite a journey since their Hollywood owners Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney came in. Will they make an appearance tonight?
The 5.30pm kick-off sees Bristol City take on Sheffield United. Two sides that made the playoffs last season but could not quite get over the line. Which of the two will put aside their hurt first tonight?
You can see all of today’s upcoming fixtures here and stay tuned here as we bring you team news and updates as they come.
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Today 10 more Championship matches kick-off. Anyone a shoo-in for promotion? Play-off contenders? Youngsters to look out for? Ben Fisher has you covered.
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In last night’s Championship opener Ipswich, relegated from the Premier League last season, left it late for a 1-1 draw at Birmingham. George Hirst’s 94th minute penalty did was the visitors’ only shot on target in a tricky night for Kieran McKenna’s men. Read Ben Bloom’s report from St Andrew’s.
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Preamble
Good morning and welcome to our very first matchday live of 2025-26! Here you can get all the latest news and updates from me and our correspondents as we countdown to the start of the Football League season.
We want you to get involved too so get in touch either below the line or via email and let me know what your football plans are for the day, your hopes and dreams for the season (and how realistic they may or may not be) and any personal pre-season rituals.
Football … we are so back.
