Championship Ultimate Guide 2026/27: Everything You Need To Know

Talking points for the 2026/27 Championship season?

• Play-Off places expanded to six (3rd to 8th)

• Southampton begin with a four point deduction

• A quarter of Championship clubs start with a new manager

• Welsh trio of Cardiff, Swansea and Wrexham in same league for first time in 35 years

• Hammers 7/42.75 favourites to finish top come May

• Four new feisty derbies to relish

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When does it all kick off and how to watch?

The 2026/27 EFL season will consist of 33 weekend rounds, nine midweek rounds, and four Bank Holiday rounds and amounts to 552 matches. It really is a marathon, not a sprint.

The opening gambit is a televised Friday night clash between Wolves and Blackburn on August 14th while the Saturday lunchtime kick-off is an all-Lancashire affair featuring Bolton and Preston.

On Sunday, August 16th, Burnley host West Ham, both teams strongly backed to make a quick return to the top-flight.

Their meeting in the capital last term produced a five-goal thriller so a repeat of that would be welcomed. Over 3.5 goals offers up 7/42.75

A full fixture schedule across the opening weekend culminates with a feisty Welsh skirmish between Cardiff and Wrexham on the Monday.

All four of these games will be screened live on Sky Sports while televised matches are also available on the streaming service NOW.

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The Championship 2026/27 Odds - At A Glance

Team	To Win Title	Top 2	Promotion	Top 8	Relegation
West Ham	7/42.75	4/51.80	1/21.50	1/251.04	66/167.00
Wolves	11/26.50	15/82.88	13/82.63	1/111.09	66/167.00
Burnley	9/110.00	4/15.00	11/43.75	4/91.44	40/141.00
Middlesbrough	9/110.00	4/15.00	3/14.00	7/201.35	40/141.00
Southampton	12/113.00	6/17.00	4/15.00	7/101.70	33/134.00
Birmingham	12/113.00	7/18.00	4/15.00	1/12.00	40/141.00
Sheff Utd	14/115.00	15/28.50	9/25.50	6/52.20	28/129.00
Norwich	14/115.00	15/28.50	5/16.00	1/12.00	28/129.00
Wrexham	18/119.00	17/29.50	9/25.50	13/102.30	20/121.00
Millwall	25/126.00	11/112.00	15/28.50	7/42.75	20/121.00
Stoke	28/129.00	14/115.00	13/27.50	9/43.25	16/117.00
Derby	28/129.00	14/115.00	15/28.50	9/43.25	15/28.50
West Brom	33/134.00	18/119.00	9/110.00	5/23.50	12/113.00
Bristol City	33/134.00	22/123.00	17/29.50	5/23.50	12/113.00
Swansea	40/141.00	22/123.00	8/19.00	7/24.50	13/27.50
Blackburn	50/151.00	28/129.00	12/113.00	9/25.50	9/25.50
Watford	50/151.00	20/121.00	12/113.00	3/14.00	11/26.50
QPR	50/151.00	28/129.00	16/117.00	5/16.00	11/26.50
Portsmouth	80/181.00	28/129.00	16/117.00	9/25.50	9/25.50
Cardiff	80/181.00	33/134.00	16/117.00	13/27.50	6/52.20
Preston	100/1101.00	33/134.00	16/117.00	15/28.50	4/15.00
Bolton	100/1101.00	33/134.00	16/117.00	6/17.00	11/102.11
Charlton	100/1101.00	33/134.00	20/121.00	13/27.50	6/52.20
Lincoln	150/1151.00	50/151.00	25/126.00	17/29.50	4/61.67

Meet the newbies

In the last five seasons Burnley have experienced only promotions and relegations, making them the ultimate modern-day yo-yo club.

Do the Clarets have more bouncebackability in them? It bodes well that their squad contains 11 players who made 10 or more appearances in the Championship in 2024/25 when they reached 100 points.

They are joined in the second-tier by West Ham United who were widely viewed as too good to go down last season, until they weren't.

With a squad packed with internationals - not least their captain Jarrod Bowen who should make hay at this level - the Hammers are understandable favourites to top the pile come May.

Completing the relegated trio there is Wolves, who last competed in the Championship back in 2017/18.

The three clubs who come up from League One have a very different mandate, with safety their immediate priority.

Cardiff City make a swift return after a year's absence, and come back revitalised, placing their trust in youth and possession-based fare.

Bolton Wanderers secured their ticket for the Championship via the Play-Offs, thus ending a seven-year stint in the lower leagues.

Lincoln City are a slender 4/6 to go straight back down next spring, but will revel in their underdog status, after reaching the second tier for the first time in 65 years.

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Four new derbies

Ask any Championship aficionado to espouse the virtues of the division and it won't be long before compelling derbies come up in conversation.

This time out, there are four new ones to anticipate.

In mid-September, we will be treated to the first Dockers Derby for 14 years when West Ham travel to the New Den. It will be the 100th fixture between the Hammers and Millwall, but don't expect much bunting.

Soon after, the first Black Country league derby for five years takes place at Molineux with West Brom the visitors. Back in 2021 it was a Premier League fixture.

On November 22nd the East Lancs derby resumes hostilities after a season's break. Burnley have had the better of it in recent years, last losing to their neighbours Blackburn in 2010.

A week later an all-Welsh affair between Swansea and Cardiff promises fireworks.

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Championship trends in recent years

It used to be an occasional oddity when clubs endured relegation from the top-flight, then immediately struggled anew in the Championship.

In happened to Huddersfield six years ago, who flirted with back-to-back relegations, but ultimately survived.

In 2017/18, Sunderland took this to the extreme, finishing rock-bottom of both divisions in consecutive seasons.

That aside though, it was a rarity, with parachute payments and squads sprinkled with Premier League-quality players ensuring at least a play-off push after dropping.

That was until Luton and Leicester both experienced relegations, in 2024/25 and 2025/26 respectively. Now it's starting to feel like the norm.

Still, West Ham, Wolves and Burnley should be reassured when looking at their situation from a historic standpoint.

In the last decade, 18 of the 30 relegated sides have finished sixth or higher in the Championship the following season.

As for sides coming up from League One, they can absolutely be encouraged by the data.

The last side to go straight back down was Wigan in 2022/23. Indeed, only seven of the last 30 teams promoted from League One have suffered this fate. There have been some close shaves, mind.

The average league finish from these sides has been 17th.

Another stat of interest is the average points haul of the eventual champions. Across the last decade that amounts to a lofty 96 points.

The average number of points needed to ensure safety meanwhile is 45.9.

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Championship Golden Boot contenders

Interested clubs continue to 'monitor' Swansea's Žan Vipotnik, who fired 23 Championship goals last term. The tall Slovenian, however, signed a contract extension last March and appears to be staying in South Wales for the time being.

Can the 24-year-old repeat his prolificacy, that saw him convert at least once in 43% of his outings?

Vipotnik is a generous 16/117.00 to finish as the league's top goalscorer again, trailing in the betting to Jarrod Bowen who last played at this level for Hull City in 2020. The England international blasted 52 goals across three seasons for the Tigers and is a far more complete player now.

Will Lankshear is an interesting option should you be so inclined.

The 21-year-old became Middlesbrough's record signing this summer despite having never scored a Premier League goal for Spurs.

He did though convert 11 times for Oxford last term on loan.

• Jarrod Bowen (West Ham) 6/17.00

• Raul Jimenez (Wolves) 7/18.00

• Will Lankshear (Middlesbrough) 10/111.00

• Valentin Castellanos (West Ham) 12/113.00

• Zan Vipotnik (Swansea) 14/115.00

• Adam Armstrong (Wolves) 16/117.00

• Jay Stansfield (Birmingham) 16/117.00

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Managers to note

Some of the new appointments genuinely intrigue, not least Michael Skubala's switch to Bristol City after leading Lincoln to the League One title last term. The Imps were unbeaten from late November to May.

Nicky Hayen and César Peixoto meanwhile - incoming bosses at Burnley and Wolves - both feel like risky choices. Neither have any previous experience of English football.

The same goes for Alessio Dionesi, another underwhelming new face in the dug-out at Watford.

Of more interest perhaps are the managers who came in mid-way through last season and improved their team's fortunes.

Norwich's Philippe Clement stands out in this regard. The Canaries were a lost cause when he took charge last November, subsequently overseeing 1.8pts per game. Extend that return to a whole campaign and Norwich would have finished fourth.

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Team-by-team previews and predictions

Birmingham City - Can Blues take the next step?

Last 5 Championship finishes: 10 - n/a - 22 - 17 - 20
Ground/Capacity: St Andrews (29,409)
2025/26 record (League One): W17 - D13 - L16 (GD +1)
Manager: Chris Davies
Promotion: 4/15.00
To finish top 8: 1/12.00
Ste's prediction - 12th

Big things were expected of Brum last season, after winning League One at a cantor and making a plethora of shrewd summer signings.

In the event, they acquitted themselves well at a higher level but failed to pull up many trees, a mid-table finish the inevitable consequence.

The ambitious Midlands outfit will be dead-set on propelling themselves into the promotion mix this time out but they will have to up their fighting spirit if so. Last term the Blues managed to turn-around only one deficit after going behind on 24 occasions.

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Blackburn Rovers - Does third tier await?

Last 5 Championship finishes: 20 - 7 - 19 - 7 - 8
Ground/Capacity: Ewood Park (31,367)
2025/26 record: W13 - D13 - L20 (GD -14)
Manager: Tony Mowbray
To finish top 8: 9/25.50
Relegation: 9/25.50
Ste's prediction: 22nd

Rovers have flirted with relegation twice in the last three years. This could be the year that sees them drop.

The second worst chance conversion rate in the Championship last term was reflected in their meagre tally of 42 goals scored, their lowest number since 2010. They actually took on 64 more shot attempts than promoted Hull.

To this point in the transfer window the Lancashire club has done very little to rectify this shortcoming and unless they do it will prove costly.

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Bolton Wanderers - Trotters just popping in

Last 5 Championship finishes: n/a - n/a - n/a - n/a - n/a
Ground/Capacity: Toughsheet Community Stadium (28,723)
2025/26 record (League One): W19 - D18 - L9 (GD +18)
Manager: Steven Schumacher
Relegation: 11/102.11
Ste's prediction - 23rd

The Trotters were the only team in League One to top 1,000 shots last season so attacking impetus is not a problem. Moreover, they have the efficiency of a well-put-together Steven Schumacher side in a similar vein to what we saw at Plymouth.

But Amario Cozier-Duberry returning to Brighton after his successful loan spell is a big loss while their high volume of last-gasp goals will be hard to replicate.

So many of them were equalisers too. No team drew more than Bolton across the four divisions.

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Bristol City - Skubala can be the difference

Last 5 Championship finishes: 12 - 6 - 11 - 14 - 17
Ground/Capacity: Ashton Gate (27,000)
2025/26 record: W17 - D11 - L18 (GD 0)
Manager: Michael Skubala
Promotion: 11/112.00
To finish top 8: 5/23.50
Ste's prediction: 4th

Skubala's first season-and-a-half at Lincoln was impressive enough but last term he hit upon a winning formula that bigger teams in the third tier couldn't contain.

There wasn't a great deal of innovation in his approach either. The Imps pressed well as a collective. They utilised their strengths and targeted weaknesses. It was good, sensible coaching, plain and simple.

Should the 43-year-old successfully transfer this acumen to the West Country it will be with a squad primed to take a giant leap forward.

City have made mid-table their residence for nigh-on a decade, bar the odd exception, but there is genuine quality in their ranks. Scott Twine is an excellent playmaker. Emil Riis is a reliable finisher at this level, twice reaching double figures.

A positive transfer window and the Robins can fly.

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Burnley - Yo-yoing to end for Clarets

Last 5 Championship finishes: n/a - 1 - n/a - 2 - n/a
Ground/Capacity: Turf Moor (21,994)
2025/26 record (Premier League): W4 - D10 - L24 (GD -37)
Manager: Nicky Hayen
To win Championship title: 9/110.00
Top two finish: 4/15.00
Ste's prediction: 9th

Admittedly, tipping a club that only seems to deal in extremes to be middling is a bold shout, but several factors point to an inability this time to transform their fortunes.

An increasing disconnect between fan-base and board is an issue, as too the appointment of a coach who boasts a decent track-record in Belgium but who is unproven amidst the ferociously competitive environs of the Championship.

And even if he implements a tactical reset let's not forget how hopeless Burnley's defence was last season, shipping in just shy of two goals per 90 from August to May.

A period of consolidation awaits until their yo-yoing can resume.

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Cardiff City - Revived Bluebirds can avoid drop

Last 5 Championship finishes: n/a - 24 - 12 - 21 - 18
Ground/Capacity: Cardiff City Stadium (33,316)
2025/26 record (League One): W27 - D10 - L9 (GD +40)
Manager: Brian Barry-Murphy
To finish top 8: [13/2]
Relegation: [6/5]
Ste's prediction: 17th

With the second youngest squad in League One, a revived Cardiff accrued 91 points last term, comfortably securing promotion via attractive, possession-based fare.

The Bluebirds registered a league-high number of shots on target. Strung together the most passes. They looked a cut above.

The imminent signing of Jack Moylan from Lincoln is a further step in the right direction but of course all of this positively must be tempered by some cliched truths.

It's a big step-up in quality they now face, and youth doesn't always best handle adversity.

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Charlton Athletic - Addicks slow out of the blocks

Last 5 Championship finishes: 19 - n/a - n/a - n/a - n/a
Ground/Capacity: The Valley (28,875)
2025/26 record: W13 - D14 - L19 (GD -14)
Manager: Nathan Jones
To finish top 8: 13/27.50
Relegation: 6/52.20
Ste's prediction: 18th

Quicker starts would certainly help the Addicks. No team scored fewer first-half goals last season. Unsurprisingly, only Sheffield Wednesday took on fewer first-half shots.

Indeed, scoring in general has proven to be a problem in the Championship and, with the best will in the world, will re-signing Karlan Grant as a free agent properly address that?

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Derby County - Rams seek greater consistency

Last 5 Championship finishes: 8 - 19 - n/a - n/a - 23
Ground/Capacity: Pride Park (33,597)
2025/26 record: W20 - D9 - L17 (GD +8)
Manager: John Eustace
Promotion: 15/28.50
To finish top 8: [9/4]
Ste's prediction: 13th

Though last season as a whole can be viewed as a plus it has to be acknowledged that inconsistency cost the Rams a memorable campaign.

From February, Eustace's men won eight and lost eight. They started out by drawing far too often. They really could have done with eking out a couple more stalemates towards the business end.

Securing a permanent deal for midfielder Bobby Clark is a big tick. The 21-year-old was equally as effective as a DM or pushed further forward last term.

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Lincoln City - High-achieving Imps face swift return

Last 5 Championship finishes: n/a - n/a - n/a - n/a - n/a
Ground/Capacity: Sincil Bank (10,669)
2025/26 record (League One): W31 - D10 - L5 (GD +48)
Manager: Chris Cohen & Tom Shaw
Relegation: 4/61.67
Ste's prediction: 24th

One-hundred and three League One points is not to be sniffed at but Michael Skubala - the architect of the Imps' brilliance last season - has moved on. That matters a lot.

Current strong rumours of Jack Moylan transferring to Cardiff is another concern. His 11 goals from midfield proved vital in their title charge.

Lincoln's quick, vertical transitions and aggressive pressing will unseat a few in 2026/27 but frankly they don't possess enough quality to string results together.

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Middlesbrough - Has Boro's time come?

Last 5 Championship finishes: 5 - 10 - 8 - 4 - 7
Ground/Capacity: Riverside Stadium (33,746)
2025/26 record: W22 - D14 - L10 (GD +25)
Manager: Kim Hellberg
Promotion: [3/1]
To finish top 2: 4/15.00
Ste's prediction: 1st

Boro have knocked at the promotion door several times since coming down in 2017. In good shape and with a highly motivated squad, this could well be their time.

The motivation derives from the much publicised play-off shenanigans but prior to that drama they spent 35 matchweeks in the top two, a late batch of draws and losses depriving them of automatic promotion.

Not possessing a clinical and reliable finisher was ultimately the weakness attributed to this shortfall but in truth it was from not adequately sharing the goals around.

Morgan Whittaker and Tommy Conway accrued 37 goal involvements between them last term. Beyond that pair, too many chances were spurned by the rest of Boro's attacking arsenal.

The arrival of Will Linkshear could remedy that nicely.

There are no problems at the back - Boro conceding the second fewest goals in the division last term - while going forward they boasted the most possession, best passing accuracy, and the second highest number of shots on target.

Simply put, they just need to press repeat, but this time keep the button down for longer.

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Millwall - Can the Lions roar a second time?

Last 5 Championship finishes: 3 - 8 - 13 - 8 - 9
Ground/Capacity: The Den (20,146)
2025/26 record: W24 - D11 - L11 (GD +15)
Manager: Alex Neil
Promotion: 15/28.50
To finish top 8: 7/42.75
Ste's prediction: 11th

To claim that Millwall overachieved last season does a disservice to an excellent side coached to get the very best out of them.

Take Femi Azeez as a prime example of this. Not only did the tricky winger contribute 19 goal involvements but he also has a devilish cross in him, so Alex Neil encouraged the Nigerian intentional to ping over a league-high 316 of them.

Josh Coburn in particular benefited from such reliable service, the forward prolific from March on.

Boasting the best away form in the Championship last season, the Lions were a revelation at times, inventive on the break and always full of endeavour.

The only reason they're tipped for mid-table here is because it feels like 2025/26 was their shot, a return to the top-flight denied them via a poor second half performance in their play-off semi.

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Norwich City - Canaries are chirping again

Last 5 Championship finishes: 9 - 13 - 6 - 13 - n/a
Ground/Capacity: Carrow Road (27,244)
2025/26 record: W19 - D8 - L19 (GD +7)
Manager: Philippe Clement
To finish top 2: 15/28.50
To finish top 8: 1/12.00
Ste's prediction: 7th

So highly did Club Brugge rate Philippe Clement they gave him a contract of indefinite length. Norwich may consider doing likewise if the meticulous coach continues his fine work in East Anglia.

The Canaries were second from bottom when the Belgian took charge back in November. They went on to win 17 of their next 31 league fixtures, just two fewer than champions Coventry did in that same period.

The January purchases of Ali Ahmed and Mohamed Toure proved pivotal in this transformation, the latter scoring nine goals in 11 outings.

This summer's luring of Andre Brooks - outstanding for Sheffield United last term - is further proof that Norwich's recruitment is very much back on point.

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Portsmouth - Survival name of the game for Pompey

Last 5 Championship finishes: 18 - 16 - n/a - n/a - n/a
Ground/Capacity: Fratton Park (20,688)
2025/26 record: W14 - D13 - L19 (GD -15)
Manager: John Mousinho
To finish top 8: 9/25.50
Relegation: 9/25.50
Ste's prediction: 21st

Last season was problematic in many ways for Pompey but it did unquestionably finish on a high, Mousinho's men losing only one of their last eight.

Adrian Segečić ending his campaign with five goals in three ensured the Fratton Park faithful went into the summer with some degree of optimism, the Aussie number 10 bagging a fifth of his team's goals in 2025/26.

Once again money issues have prevented serious squad investment but bargains have been picked up, nonetheless. Roco Shein looks a steal at £2m, a midfielder with as much physicality as guile.

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Preston North End - Lilywhite are too hit, then miss

Last 5 Championship finishes: 14 - 20 - 10 - 12 - 13
Ground/Capacity: Deepdale (23,408)
2025/26 record: W15 - D15 - L16 (GD -7)
Manager: Paul Heckingbottom
Promotion: 16/117.00
To finish top 8: 15/28.50
Ste's prediction: 14th

2025/26 was a game of two halves for the Lilywhites who accrued 1.6 pts per game up to Christmas, then just a slender point per game thereafter. Their dramatic slump cost them any hope of a play-off shot - ultimately, they finished 13 points adrift of sixth - and more worrying still, it's a habit that precedes the arrival of Heckingbottom in August 2024.

Compile together the concluding five games of each season going back to the pandemic and Preston have won just four of the 25.

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QPR - Hoops veer to both extremes

Last 5 Championship finishes: 15 - 15 - 18 - 20 - 11
Ground/Capacity: Loftus Park (18,360)
2025/26 record: W16 - D10 - L20 (GD -12)
Manager: Julien Stephan
To finish top 8: 5/16.00
Relegation: 11/26.50
Ste's prediction: 19th

The Hoops had the youngest squad in the second tier last term and boy did it show at times. On occasion, when everything clicked they were sensationally good. The following week they would be comprehensively thumped.

This is not a team to include in your weekend acca.

Notably, their losses tended to occur against the promotion-chasing sides, losing nine of their ten meetings with the eventual top five. The aggregate scoreline from these games amounted to 33-7.

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Sheffield United - Blades not sharp enough

Last 5 Championship finishes: 13 - 3 - n/a - 2 - 5
Ground/Capacity: Bramall Lane (32,702)
2025/26 record: W18 - D6 - L22 (GD 0)
Manager: Chris Wilder
Promotion: 9/25.50
To finish top 8: 6/52.20
Ste's prediction: 10th

It took a while for Chris Wilder to sort out the Blades' mess of Ruben Selles' making last season. When he did it became apparent that United fell well short of play-off material anyway.

Will a pre-season make a difference? Maybe, but the board brought him back out of necessity, not want, while the departure of Wilder's number two Alan Knill could see him double down on old-school methods. The Yorkshire club will likely be hard to beat and committed throughout, but limited.

They need to rein in their poor discipline too, picking up the most red cards last term in the second tier (6).

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Southampton - Unpopular sinners a cert to compete

Last 5 Championship finishes: 4 - n/a - 4 - n/a - n/a
Ground/Capacity: St Marys (32,384)
2025/26 record: W22 - D14 - L10 (GD +26)
Manager: Tonda Eckert
To win title: [12/1]
Promotion: 4/15.00
Ste's prediction: 3rd

Southampton won't be on many club's Christmas card list this year after 'Spygate', a situation that continues to rumble on.

Not only will the Saints begin the season with a four-point deficit but there is a misconduct charge hanging over Tonda Eckert's head.

The marginal gains that came from their espionage, however, should not detract from what the German has accomplished at St Marys, transforming a flailing side into a formidable proposition that remained unbeaten from late-Jan on.

If a siege mentality takes hold on the South Coast then another promotion charge is almost a given.

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Stoke City - Slight improvement beckons

Last 5 Championship finishes: 17 - 18 - 17 - 16 - 14
Ground/Capacity: Bet365 Stadium (30,089)
2025/26 record: W15 - D10 - L21 (GD -5)
Manager: Mark Robins
Promotion: 13/27.50
To finish top 8: 9/43.25
Ste's prediction: 15th

To date, Stoke are the second highest spenders this summer (after Burnley) and Mark Robins has done well to address long-standing shortfalls, all while fighting off other interested parties to land their ideal target.

A few clubs were monitoring Dundee's highly-rated fender Luke Graham. A few more too coveted Ethan Galbraith after the midfielder excelled for Swansea last season.

These additions improve the Potters. To what degree remains to be seen.

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Swansea City - Swans can make the jump

Last 5 Championship finishes: 11 - 11 - 14 - 10 - 15
Ground/Capacity: Swansea.com Stadium (21,088)
2025/26 record: W18 - D10 - L18 (GD -2)
Manager: Vitor Matos
Promotion: 12/113.00
To finish top 8: 7/24.50
Ste's prediction - 8th

If the Swans manage to retain the goalscoring services of Zan Vipotnik - which is easier said than done - they have every chance of pushing on past the midtable berth that has been their comfortable residence now for several seasons.

They have an excellent coach in Vitor Matos who improved them on taking charge last November. Prior to his arrival the Welshmen accrued 1.1 pts per game. Thereafter, they picked up 1.5.

Additionally, Josh Tymon is one of the best full-backs around while the purchase of Elijah Just is a superb bit of business. The attacking midfielder scored three goals at the World Cup with the All Whites and was a revelation at Motherwell last season.

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Watford - Same again from Hornets

Last 5 Championship finishes: 16 - 14 - 15 - 11 - n/a
Ground/Capacity: Vicarage Road (21,577)
2025/26 record: W14 - D15 - L17 (GD -12)
Manager: Alessio Dionisi
To finish top 8: 3/14.00
Relegated: 11/26.50
Ste's prediction - 19th

A handful of signings of varying repute from Udinese. Another new face in the dug-out, with a decidedly mixed CV. It's business as usual at Vicarage Road.

What they wouldn't give for a reliable goal-scorer. The last player to bag 20+ goals for the Hornets in a league campaign was Troy Deeney in 2015.

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West Brom - Baggies will be fine

Last 5 Championship finishes: 21 - 9 - 5 - 9 - 10
Ground/Capacity: The Hawthorns (26,850)
2025/26 record: W13 - D14 - L19 (GD -10)
Manager: James Morrison
To finish top 8: 5/23.50
Relegated: 12/113.00
Ste's prediction: 16th

James Morrison was the right man at the right time in the spring, the Baggies legend stepping in and guiding a seemingly doomed side to safety courtesy of some highly impressive results.

Handed a permanent role, he now must prove himself anew, not as a unifying firefighter, but as a coach of genuine merit.

The former midfielder certainly has a platform from which to build, not least via the goals of Aune Heggebo and the promise of Jimmy-Jay Morgan, a summer recruit from Chelsea's academy who could make his mark in the coming months.

The Baggies will be fine, but their promotion push in 2023/24 feels like an awfully long time ago.

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West Ham - Hammers primed for success

Last 5 Championship finishes: n/a - n/a - n/a - n/a - n/a
Ground/Capacity: London Stadium (62,500)
2025/26 record (Premier League): W10 - D9 - L19 (GD -19)
Manager: Nuno Espirito Santo
To win title: 7/42.75
Promotion: 1/21.50
Ste's prediction: 2nd

Both manager and captain have thrived with different clubs at this level (Santo with Wolves, Bowen with Hull) and even before they have made any significant moves in the transfer market their squad looks primed for promotion.

Yet every fixture will be a cup final for opponents and it doesn't necessarily translate that household names and excellent facilities leads to success in the Championship.

The Hammers will occupy the top six throughout but champions? Too many underdogs will put in season-best performances against them.

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Wolves - Can Peixoto write a new chapter?

Last 5 Championship finishes: n/a - n/a - n/a - n/a - n/a
Ground/Capacity: Molineux (31,750)
2025/26 record (Premier League): W3 - D11 - L24 (GD -41)
Manager: Cesar Peixoto
To win title: 11/26.50
Promotion: 13/82.63
Ste's prediction: 5th

Even if Wolves manage to turn over a new leaf this August it's impossible to forget how badly written their last chapter was. The plot-holes in defence led to just two clean sheets being kept. Their lead characters up front were sketchily drawn which is why Wolves scored a meagre 24 goals all campaign.

They were in grave danger of breaking all manner of unwanted records until they mustered a mediocre month last spring.

Peixoto comes in, a manager who has failed upwards into the job, but at least the signings of Kieran Trippier and Raul Jimenez bode well.

Elsewhere, the Gold and Black possess enough individual quality to win more matches than they lose.

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Wrexham - Dragons to make progress

Last 5 Championship finishes: 7 - n/a - n/a - n/a - n/a
Ground/Capacity: STōK Cae Ras (13,341)
2025/26 record: W19 - D14 - L13 (GD +4)
Manager: Phil Parkinson
Promotion: 9/25.50
To finish top 8: 13/102.30
Ste's prediction: 6th

After achieving back-to-back-to-back promotions, last season was always going to be a period of necessary consolidation for the Dragons. Factor in too, a squad overhaul that amounted to 13 new signings and Phil Parkinson did well to get his side challenging for a play-off berth throughout.

In the event, the Welshmen missed out on the final day, but with greater stability - and feeling more at home at this level - they are fancied to go one better.

The manager's insistence on playing three at the back, however, continues to be a hindrance as much as it suits his personnel.

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