The EFL fixtures for the 2019/20 season have been released this morning. Teams from the Championship, League One and League Two were made to wait an extra week over the Premier League announcement but these sides can now fully begin their preparations with the full season’s schedule in mind.
EFL Fixtures 2019/20
Opening Day
Championship
Promoted side Luton Town’s return to the second tier sees them open their campaign at home to Middlesbrough on Friday, August 2. This suggests the game will be picked up for live television coverage. Other promoted sides Barnsley and Charlton Athletic will be at home to Fulham and away to Blackburn Rovers respectively.
Meanwhile, the two standout fixtures take place later on in the weekend. Bristol City host Leeds United on Sunday, August 5 while the next day, relegated Huddersfield Town will welcome Derby County to the John Smith’s Stadium.
League One
Two of the promoted sides will face each other on the opening day as MK Dons make the visit to Greater Manchester for the first match for the second season in a row – this time playing Bury. Lincoln City, who come into League One as League Two champions, will host Accrington Stanley, while play-off winners Tranmere Rovers are at home to Rochdale.
Big boys Sunderland and Portsmouth will open their campaigns at home to Oxford United and away to Shrewsbury Town respectively, while relegated Bolton Wanderers will travel to Buckinghamshire to visit Wycombe Wanderers.
League Two
Salford City, who won the National League play-offs to compete in the Football League for the first time, will open their first season at this level at home to Stevenage, while Leyton Orient, who won the league below, are also at home to Cheltenham Town.
Mansfield Town, who came so close to automatic promoted last term, will visit beaten play-off finalists Newport County, while Forest Green Rovers, who secured their highest league finish in history in 2018/19, will be at home to Oldham Athletic.
Boxing Day
Championship
While league tables will usually determine what a big game is at that point of the season, Leeds’ Boxing Day fixture at home to Preston North End currently looks to be the stand-out so far.
Luton’s game at home to Fulham could also provide adequate festive entertainment while Stoke City will be at home to Sheffield Wednesday in what could be an exciting match.
League One
Ipswich Town are expected to have an excellent season in League One and if they match those expectations, they could be pulling away at the top of the league by the time they host Gillingham in the middle of the Christmas period.
Sunderland will welcome Bolton Wanderers to the Stadium of Light in what, at the beginning of the decade, will have been a mid-table Premier League battle.
League Two
New boys Leyton Orient and Salford will host Colchester and Crewe Alexandra respectively, while the biggest of the games in League Two sees two of the relegated sides square up as Scunthorpe United welcome Walsall to Glanford Park.
Final Day
Championship
Leeds’ final day fixture at home to Charlton could be pivotal if they are to match the expectations against them of securing promotion.
Birmingham City will welcome Derby in probably the closest game between two teams in terms of distance, while Jan Siewert’s Huddersfield close their campaign in East London against Millwall.
League One
Ipswich will finish their season at home to MK Dons, with Sunderland away at Rotherham United.
Meanwhile, Bolton close the campaign away at Oxford and Portsmouth will end away at Burton.
League Two
Finally, the biggest final day battle could be Colchester’s home game against Forest Green, with both expected to be pushing at the higher end of the table.
There is also a good-looking fixture between Bradford City and Walsall, while Scunthorpe will end away at Morecambe.
To view the full fixture lists for all three divisions, click here.
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