EFL Championship fixtures: Sheffield Wednesday & Southampton set for opening weekend curtain-raiser

The EFL Championship fixtures list for the forthcoming 2023/24 season has been announced with Sheffield Wednesday and Southampton set for a Friday night curtain-raiser at Hillsborough, whilst Leicester City and Leeds United have been handed home openers.

The Saints will travel to Yorkshire looking to get life under new manager Russell Martin off to a perfect start in front of the live television cameras against Wednesday, who make their return to the second-tier, after winning promotion last season, back on home soil.

Meanwhile, 6/4 Championship promotion favourites Leicester City will kick off their campaign against Midlands rivals Coventry City at the King Power Stadium on Sunday 6th August (12:00), and Leeds United - still to appoint a new manager following relegation last term - are set to take on Cardiff City at Elland Road on the same day (14:30).

Plymouth Argyle, fresh from their League One title winning campaign, will start life back in the Championship against Huddersfield Town and Ipswich Town, who are being well-backed to enjoy another profitable season, are on the road at Sunderland.
 

EFL Championship opening weekend fixtures:

Friday 4th August:

Sheffield Wednesday (2/1) v Southampton (5/4) (20:00)

Saturday 5th August:

Blackburn Rovers (13/10) v West Bromwich Albion (2/1) (15:00)
Bristol City (13/10) v Preston North End (2/1) (15:00)
Middlesbrough (10/11) v Millwall (3/1) (15:00)
Norwich City (4/5) v Hull City (7/2) (15:00)
Plymouth Argyle (13/10) v Huddersfield Town (2/1) (15:00)
Queens Park Rangers (23/10) v Watford (23/20) (15:00)
Stoke City (8/11) v Rotherham United (4/1) (15:00)
Swansea City (10/11) v Birmingham City (3/1) (15:00)

Sunday 6th August:

Leicester City (8/13) v Coventry City (4/1) (12:00)
Leeds United (4/9) v Cardiff City (11/2) (14:30)
Sunderland (6/5) v Ipswich Town (11/5) (17:00)
 

Steve Freeth's Thoughts:

Here we go then, the fixtures for the new season are released and Championship promotion favourites Leicester City, 6/4, who we've had more slips on than any other side in the division, will get life underway in the second-tier against last season's beaten playoff finalists Coventry City.

The Foxes have gone from winning the Premier League and the FA Cup to relegation in a short space of time, but they’ve employed a well-regarded manager in Enzo Maresca and he might be calling on his former club Manchester City for a few favours in the transfer market.

Yes, we know that every team plays each other twice, but there is always that intrigue surrounding those opening weekend of fixtures, and whilst Leicester's stands out, there's also bound to be a lot of interest around both Leeds United and Southampton, both of whom fell through the Premier League trap door in May.

Well Leeds, 2/1 for promotion this season, have been handed an opening weekend showdown at home to Cardiff City whilst Southampton, 5/2, to bounce back up to the top-flight, travel to Hillsborough for a tricky looking tie with newly-promoted Sheffield Wednesday.

It's going to be another pulsating campaign in the Championship, so strap yourselves in, whoever you support! 
 

EFL Championship Boxing Day fixtures:

Tuesday 26th December 2023:

Birmingham City v Stoke City (15:00)
Cardiff City v Plymouth Argyle (15:00)
Coventry City v Sheffield Wednesday (15:00)
Huddersfield Town v Blackburn Rovers (15:00)
Hull City v Sunderland (15:00)
Ipswich Town v Leicester City (15:00)
Millwall v Queens Park Rangers (15:00)
Preston North End v Leeds United (15:00)
Rotherham United v Middlesbrough (15:00)
Southampton v Swansea City (15:00)
Watford v Bristol City (15:00)
West Bromwich Albion v Norwich City (15:00)
 

EFL Championship final day fixtures:

Saturday 4th May 2024:

Birmingham City v Norwich City (15:00)
Coventry City v Queens Park Rangers (15:00)
Ipswich Town v Huddersfield Town (15:00)
Leeds United v Southampton (15:00)
Leicester City v Blackburn Rovers (15:00)
Middlesbrough v Watford (15:00)
Plymouth Argyle v Hull City (15:00)
Rotherham United v Cardiff City (15:00)
Stoke City v Bristol City (15:00)
Sunderland v Sheffield Wednesday (15:00)
Swansea City v Millwall (15:00)
West Bromwich Albion v Preston North End (15:00)
 

View all 2023/24 Championship odds

Odds displayed within this article were correct at the time of writing and are subject to fluctuation.