What happened: The English Football League will release its 2026-27 fixtures at 12:00 BST on Thursday, June 25, with the Championship, League One and League Two schedules all confirmed together. The competitive calendar opens the weekend of August 14-16, while the season's first action arrives a week earlier with the opening round of the Carabao Cup.

Why it matters: West Ham United, Wolverhampton Wanderers and Burnley headline the new Championship after dropping out of the Premier League, and each will be measuring its promotion push against the fixture run it draws. Early scheduling shapes momentum and travel load for clubs determined to bounce straight back to the top flight.

What to watch: The Carabao Cup first-round draw and the Vertu Trophy draw both follow on the same day as the fixture release, with the Carabao Cup itself getting the competitive season under way on August 7-9.