EFL journalist and pundit Gab Sutton has provided his 1-24 predictions for the 2026/27 Championship campaign.
The upcoming season has all of the ingredients to be one of the most competitive in recent memory as West Ham United, Wolverhampton Wanderers and Burnley drop into the second tier following their relegation from the Premier League.
Lincoln City, last season's League One title winners, are back in the second tier of English football for the first time since 1961. Cardiff City made an immediate return to the Championship under Brian Barry-Murphy, while Bolton Wanderers ended their seven-year absence from the division by winning the League One play-off final.
Our man Gab Sutton has analysed the Championship in full and delivered his eagerly anticipated 1-24 predictions - which includes an intriguing title winner selection and relegation shout!
1. Southampton
The last three months at Southampton are far more likely to further galvanise the club, than they are to tear it apart.
Last year, two relegations in three seasons had natives asking all the big questions of Sport Republic, and chairman Dragan Šolak.
This time around, Spygate has influenced local discourse, yet not adversely: the fanbase broadly acknowledge the club’s wrongdoing, but feel they’ve been given punishments – primarily the ban from the play-off final last year - that don’t fit the crime.
So, perversely, the issues have almost worked in their favour politically: now, the dynamics are a little less Southampton fans against Sport Republic, and more Southampton against the world.
It probably helps, too, that Tonda Eckert delivered astonishing form after taking over caretaker responsibilities in November, before earning the full-time job, with his side finishing with a whopping 47 points from an unbeaten 19 league games.
So, it’s a case of taking that form and a spirit of defiance into this campaign, to quickly overcome the four-point deficit for starters, and the south-coast outfit have a side capable of doing just that.
Defenders Taylor Harwood-Bellis and Ryan Manning, midfielders Flynn Downes and Casper Jander, plus creators Tom Fellows, Finn Azaz and star man Leo Scienza all remain at St Mary’s.
Crucially, so do January loans Daniel Peretz and Cyle Larin, who had a transformative impact last year, prior to signing permanently.
Goalkeeper Peretz distributed superbly, and demonstrated some astonishing shot-stopping at key moments, most notably the goalless play-off semi-final first leg at Middlesbrough, while target man Larin acted as a vital release valve in open play, and made big contributions from set pieces.
Like Eckert or not, he’s an outstanding young coach with an insatiable drive to push every last boundary to try and win.
The German has a kind of borderline madness, a bad-loser petulance about him that, while far from palatable at times, is also a characteristic that can sometimes be attributed to the top managers.
As such, the 33-year-old has, potentially, a huge future in the game if he can just learn to curtail certain parts of his management.
So, with an exciting young manager, a squad with great depth but also a largely settled best XI and a siege mentality around the club, Southampton could take some stopping.
2. Norwich City
2025-26 was a season of two extremes for Norwich City.
A paltry nine points from the first 15 games saw the Canaries four points adrift of safety in November which, after a summer of much optimism, put pay to Liam Manning’s Carrow Road stay.
While some of the early criticism was levelled at sporting director Ben Knapper, the same recruitment that was questioned in a certain light now looks infinitely smarter, due to how the players performed under Phillippe Clement.
After the 52-year-old took charge, the Canaries took 56 points from 31 games, which would translate to 83 points if extrapolated over a full campaign.
Some of the improvement under the Belgian has been tactical but, perhaps primarily, it’s been the authority with which he leads the team that’s the key: famously, he doesn’t ask things of his players, he demands them.
Those demands have been met, too, by a core of “Big mad Vlad” goalkeeper Vladan Kovačević, dynamic full-back Kellen Fisher then, in central defence and midfield, a blend of Championship reliables in Harry Darling and Kenny McLean respectively, alongside the uncompromising José Córdoba and the industrious Pelle Mattson.
On the other hand, they also have rotation options in the attacking spots of a 4-2-3-1 formation, which will allow them to keep things fresh across the campaign.
Clement can rotate between the pace and/or power of Jovon Makama, Paris Maghoma, Pape Amadou Diallo and Mo Toure, plus Ali Ahmed when the winger returns from a long-term injury, and the creative instincts of Anis ben Slimane, Mathias Kvistgaarden, and Oscar Schwartau.
They’ve added to that by snaffling Andre Brooks from under the noses of Sheffield United, highlighting their financial clout under Mark Attanasio’s ownership.
Norwich are in a far stronger position they used to be: they can attract a more developed version of the same profile of player, while they don’t have to sell at the first offer, which is why they’ve not lost a single player they would’ve wanted to retain this summer.
That’s great news, considering the age profile of the squad: 22 players in the group are aged between 20 and 25, making them perfectly poised for a major upturn in their respective developments.
So, in theory, for players to be going into the state-of-the-art training facilities at Colney every day feeling as though they, and everyone around them, is constantly getting better, could make for a special environment to be part of.
A full summer to recruit and prepare for the Clement blueprint, then, carries plenty of excitement.
3. West Ham United
2026 hasn’t been kind to West Ham United.
Not only have the club been relegated from the Premier League, but the off-field ownership saga drags on, compromising any sense of starting afresh.
Supporters went into the summer hoping Daniel Kretinsky would take on Vanessa Gold’s 25.1% stake, taking his own, through 1890s Holdings, making him a majority shareholder to bring clarity and stability at a crucial stage – but it hasn’t been as simple as that.
Firstly, there’s been the revelation that if Kretinsky were to become majority shareholder, he would have to buy out David Sullivan’s 38.8% stake at a price agreed back in 2021, when the shares were worth a lot more, and that seems to have caused some hesitancy in the Czech businessman.
Secondly, the emergence of a consortium led by Amanda Staveley, who have bid for Gold’s stake to trigger a pre-emption process, and throw things up in the air at a crucial stage.
Off-field politics doesn’t always directly impact on-field performance, but it’s worth noting that West Ham are unlikely to kick-off their first home game against Charlton with the sense of a fresh start that would come from an end to the much-maligned GSB regime.
They do have plenty going for them: after making £150m worth of player sales this summer, keeping a top manager for the level in Nuno Santo and retaining star forward Jarrod Bowen, it’s hardly surprising that the Hammers are the common neutral title pick.
In Kyle Walker-Peters, Max Kilman, James Ward-Prowse and Tomáš Souček, among others, they boast names that jump right off the page at this level.
They’ve added international experience to that in the shape of cultured defender Joel Veltman, a World Cup Semi-Finalist with Holland and Europa League Finalist with Ajax, in 2014 and 2017 respectively.
Meanwhile, the lesser-established Academy of Football talents of Oli Scarles, Kaelen Casey and Ezra Mayers are not to be underestimated, with each boasting England youth representation.
Which begs the question, why do we not have West Ham in our top two?
Well, when players have scaled certain heights in their careers, and enjoyed certain salaries, it can influence their perspective on playing at a lower level, or accepting a smaller wage as a result of relegation clauses.
There may be players in the group who will think themselves to be above the Championship, who might be spending all summer trying to force through a move.
As such, it’s plausible that some good players will go, with Aaron Wan-Bissaka, Jean-Clair Todibo, El Hadji Malick Diouf, Niclas Füllkrug and Edson Álvarez, plus many others, being among the candidates, but we don’t know who.
So, whereas their competitors know the bulk of their squad when they turn up to pre-season in late June, West Ham are almost starting in September, in terms of building a group dynamic, and that can get disrupted again in January.
There’ll be players who can’t get a move over the line, and then find it hard to respect and embrace the challenge in front of them – and that challenge might be a lot more arduous than anticipated, in terms of both home games and aways.
It could be a frosty environment at the London Stadium, with Sullivan is set to attend games against security advice, while every host will raise atmosphere and performance levels for the Irons – both sets of scenarios could be a real test of character and temperament, and we don’t know if some of their players have what it takes.
We know that West Ham will have the quality, but are they going to have those extra ingredients?
4. Middlesbrough
Last season’s Middlesbrough side could thrill and frustrate in equal measure.
After Rob Edwards’ acrimonious October departure for Wolves, Boro played fantastic football under Kim Hellberg, demonstrating the ability to carve their opponents open at will.
Yet, even as Hellberg beautifully blended the solidity under Edwards with the creativity under Carrick, and some of his own advanced ideas mixed in, his side just couldn’t finish.
Much criticism was levelled at strikers Tommy Conway and David Strelec for only scoring 13 and eight goals respectively, but arguably the bigger problem was that, besides enigmatic 14-goal man Morgan Whittaker, nobody else scored more in the league than Hayden Hackney and Riley McGree’s five apiece.
Of those two, Hackney will be a huge loss after his £17m move to Everton, while McGree is the most underrated player in the Championship when fit – but last year’s 18 league starts was the most the Aussie has managed in three seasons due to injury.
As such, for the Teessiders to make that next step this season, they either need a killer number nine in the building, or the ability to spread the goals out better: preferably both.
No surprise, then, that the big money signing has been on a striker, and Boro have invested in talent.
Rather than going for a proven, peak-aged or experienced goalscorer, who may not be able to press with the level of ferocity that Hell-ball entails, they’ve looked to anticipate development.
Will Lankshear managed to score 11 goals in 44 games for Oxford last season, which doesn’t scream difference-maker on it’s own, but considering he’s a 21-year-old recent England youth international, it’s a fair bet he’s on an upward curve.
Last season, the 6’2” striker demonstrated pace getting in behind, and was praised for his stylish finishing in a U’s team that lumped balls up to him and didn’t create much at all in open play.
Whereas, at the Riverside Stadium, he’ll have McGree, Conway and Leo Castledine putting chances on a plate for him, along with recruits Jeremy Sarmiento, who joins on an obligation to buy, midfield technician Sebastian Berhalter, and the more advanced Myles Peart-Harris.
With selfless forward Kyle Joseph also joining the attacking options from Hull, perhaps to offer what’s seen as a rotation option for Conway, Middlesbrough should have greater squad depth than last year.
So, with a dependable defensive core in Callum Brittain, Adilson Malanda, Alfie Jones and Aidan Morris, the only real question mark lies in goal.
Will the proposed signing of Radek Vitek help Boro get over the line? We might be about to find out…
5. Millwall
Millwall aren’t historically used to spending a summer batting off interest from Premier League clubs for their international talents, but that just shows how far they’ve come this past year.
Although the Lions had challenged for the play-offs, since their Championship return in 2017, under Neil Harris, Gary Rowett, and Alex Neil in his first season, they hadn’t made the top six at this level since 2002.
Not only did the South Bermondsey outfit achieve that in 2025-26, however, they were right in the race for automatic promotion with Ipswich and others until the very end.
When you significantly outperform your budget, with nine of your best XI being younger than 26, you can expect to take a few calls, but Millwall are yet to sell any of their first-team assets this summer.
The ones at the front of what’s now a conveyor belt of talent in SE16 - versatile defender Tristan Crama, lively winger Femi Azeez, creator Camiel Neghli and aggressive striker Mihailo Ivanovic – all remain at the Den for now, and could all be key deciders in a promotion race.
What’s great about the club’s recruitment, however, is that they seem to be prepared in advance for departures, with every signing fitting a specific need, which is the mark of the best squad-planning.
For example, the signing of attacking midfielder Mathis Servais and relentless wide forward Kyrell Lisbie not only significantly raise the value of the squad, but they also allow Neil to be flexible with where he uses Neghli – on the left or in the #10 – which adds to the multi-functionality of the squad.
They lost Millwall lad Billy Mitchell to Sheffield Wednesday, perhaps to some surprise, but the tenacious Jenson Metcalfe, poached from Bradford, looks a terrific long-term replacement.
Elsewhere, they’ve signed 23-year-old Elkan Baggott, a towering left-footed defender, who the club think can come into his prime in tandem with 31-year-old Jake Cooper reaching his twilight years in a couple of seasons.
They’ve gone for investments, whom they can make some money on, but they’ve also gone for Championship stalwarts like Danny Batth, Mark Sykes and Lyndon Dykes who can balance the squad out, and set an example for the younger ones.
These are exciting times for Millwall – another play-off finish should be on the cards.
6. Derby County
When lifelong fan David Clowes first stepped up in Derby County’s hour of need, in summer 2022, he may not have expected that the club would finish within four points of the Championship play-offs four years later.
The mess left by the financial mismanagement of Mel Morris, meant the club needed an enormous rebuild from top to bottom.
So, to win promotion in Clowes’ second season, under Paul Warne, and challenge in the division above in his fourth, under John Eustace, shows the Rams are ahead of schedule.
At Birmingham and Blackburn, Eustace demonstrated fantastic people management to bring a group of players together and get a fanbase onside but, for different reasons, didn’t have the time to get them into the play-offs.
At Pride Park, however, the 46-year-old is much more valued than he was at those two clubs, and his relationship with ownership should give him the stability to carry out the job to maximum effect.
That stability extends to player retentions, no more notably than Bobby Clark, with the club paying Salzburg £6M for the elusive midfielder’s services.
The 21-year-old can function effectively as a number 10, but he can also be so dangerous playing behind a more established attacking quartet, as an eight, because he can pick up some wonderful positions between units in latter phases of moves that opposing defences, by then, simply aren’t resourced to deal with.
Sammie Szmodics, who also returns to Pride Park, on loan from Ipswich, is great at facilitating those sorts of movements from Clark because of his relentless pressing and stretching defensive lines that forces them back.
So, in those two, plus goalkeeper Jacob Widell Zetterstrom, defenders Sondre Langås and Matt Clarke as well as target man Carlton Morris, they have a trusty core that will get stronger when the likes of Derry Murkin and Patrick Agyemang return from injury.
Meanwhile, absences may lend opportunities to talent in a resurgent academy, from which forward-thinking midfielder Owen Eames will be keen to build on some bright substitute appearances last season, with the 19-year-old showing a certain fearlessness in running at opponents and some nice creative qualities.
Moreover, Derby have a takeover in the pipeline, and the prospect for Eustace of strengthening the group with three or four big additions.
The indications seem to be that the new owners are sensible, and willing to trust the right people, of whom Eustace is unquestionably one.
7. Birmingham City
The level of success or otherwise of Birmingham’s 2025-26 campaign depends whether you judge logically, or based on the lived experience.
On paper, it was another fantastic season. In their first year back in the Championship, the Blues achieved a top-10 berth with 64 points: their highest finish in 10 years, and their best points return at the level in 14.
In practice, however, it didn’t always feel that way. After smashing the Football League record with a whopping 111 points in League One in 2024-25, the second city outfit came up with confidence that they could challenge for a second successive promotion.
Whereas elsewhere, the fanbase dictates the expectation for the club to try and live up to, at St Andrews, it’s the other way around: owner Tom Wagner sets the expectation in B9, with his sky-high ambitions, and the fanbase is almost catching up with him.
That’s a clear net positive, though, because Wagner’s grand plans have lit a fire within a club that’s embers had been dying for a long time; it can be harder to appreciate small steps forward when big ones were promised, but only because the bar’s been raised.
This time around, though, a minimum of the play-offs has to be classed as an expectation rather than a mere target, with the club feeling as though they’ve improved in key areas.
Luis Vázquez could be the well-rounded target man the Blues missed last season, and his work rate, hold-up play and aerial prowess could help yield the best out of speedy goalscorer Jay Stansfield, who has untapped potential in B9.
Kristoffer Lund, meanwhile, should bring some all-action qualities at left-back and, at 6’0”, might make the team stronger when defending crosses at the back post, while Dael Fry should forge a more settled defensive partnership with Christoph Klarer.
It’s by no means guaranteed that spending money will equal a cohesive team, but the signs lean positive.
Klarer, Stansfield, Carlos Vicente, Paik Seung-Ho and Tomoki Iwata are a group of players that, if the right combinations and partnerships can be found, are more than good enough to be challenging at the top of this division.
The same applies to Chris Davies: the 41-year-old has worked at the top level, he has an elite mentality and he knows what the best entails.
So, with recruitment looking hopeful, and the hunt for a Director of Football progressing positively, Davies should now be surrounded by more people who are on his wavelength, on and off the pitch.
8. Queens Park Rangers
Progress is in the eye of the beholder.
On the face of things, QPR finished in the exact same position, 15th, last season as they did the year before, with just two extra points to their name in Julien Stéphan’s first term in charge – hardly a notable transformation.
Delve deeper, though, and things feel more optimistic: the club offloaded veteran high-earners, reduced their reliance on loans, and invested in high-potential and peak-aged players who could grow with the club – and they’ve seen the rewards of that.
In aggressive defender Amadou Mbengue, cultured centre-back Ronnie Edwards, the tenacious midfield pairing of Nicolas Madsen and Jonathan Varane, and the athletic front-two of Rumarn Burrell and Richard Kone, they’ve got players who can continue to improve.
Meanwhile, they’ve established a clear style of play, demonstrating a willingness to go wide early, put crosses in the mixer, where Kone with his physical presence can be a real handful, and then recycle if the ball comes back into midfield.
The R’s do miss some extra creativity through the centre at times, but the intensity with which they press, in their 4-4-2 shape, can really stop opponents implementing their natural game.
They’ve strengthened their side further, this summer, with the loan signing of goalkeeper Pierce Charles from Manchester City, after the 21-year-old showed promise in tough circumstances at Sheffield Wednesday last year, and the acquisition of attacking left-back Boy Kemper from NAC Breda.
And, while the age profile of the best XI is one that could translate really nicely to a strong season this year, the Hoops also have the next generation jumping through.
Sweden Under-21 international Isak Alemayehu will be one to watch in midfield, should opportunities fall his way, while versatile Ireland international Harvey Vale enjoyed a positive debut season at Loftus Road and could really kick on.
So could QPR…
9. Wolverhampton Wanderers
The last 10 years of Wolverhampton Wanderers ownership has been a Fosun of two halves.
In the first five years, Fosun International’s relationship with ‘super agent’ Jorge Mendes was a huge net positive, because it helped them attain star players like Ruben Neves, win the Championship title in 2017-18, and secure successive 7th-placed finishes.
More recently, the costs have outweighed the benefits: financial mismanagement, poor communication, and too much of the club’s independent decision-making taken up by people who’s interests aren’t squarely attached to the club’s success.
The issues culminated in a bottom-placed finish last season, as Wolves amassed a meagre 20 points, one of the nine lowest tallies reached in English football’s top flight, since the introduction of three points for a win in 1981-82.
By the end of that grim campaign, boss Rob Edwards, having kept his powder dry previously in the name of relationship management, was making his feelings known, declaring the need for a major clear-out.
That, though, is not what’s transpired, and in fact it’s been Edwards who’s carried the can with his dismissal in mid-June, and Ceisar Peixoto inherits a group of 30 players, of whom 23 contributed to last season’s mess.
That’s not to say there aren’t some players in there who have the ability to perform among the best in the Championship, even if goalkeeper José Sá departs.
Ladislav Krejčí, André, David Møller Wolfe and Jean‐Ricner Bellegarde could all thrive at this level, as could Mateus Mané, who earned opportunities with Portugal Under-21s for his sensational dribbling talents at just 18.
Meanwhile, the likes of Sam Johnstone, Ki-Jana Hoever, Tommy Doyle and Adam Armstrong have proven to be consistent, reliable Championship performers in recent years: the latter was top goalscorer with Blackburn in 2020-21, and second-top with Southampton three years later.
Plus, the acquisitions of 35-year-olds Kieran Trippier and Raúl Jiménez should both complement Peixoto’s crossing-heavy style, with the potential for goals those two provide by the former picking out the latter at the back-stick, but also bringing some high-end professionalism to the building.
There are a lot of unknowns, though, and players Wolves would ideally have chosen to offload that they’ll have to work with.
There’s such a thing as too many players sometimes, too: when you have 30 to work with, it can be harder to get to the bottom of the cultural challenges, and keep everyone happy.
Wolves might not be the top-eight lock many assume…
10. Wrexham
It’s been an astonishing journey for Wrexham.
Just three years ago, the club were playing National League football, but back-to-back-to-back promotions saw the Red Dragons not only in the Championship last year, but missing out on the play-offs at that level by just two points.
While it may be true that the Welsh outfit couldn’t have achieved what it has without the money spent, that shouldn’t get confused with the notion that the money spent made the success inevitable.
There are a lot of facets, besides budget, that the club have got right, which has been primarily down to Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney running it with so much humility, buying into the cultural ethos of the club, and trusting the people best qualified to make decisions, to make them.
From an achievement perspective, what Wrexham have accomplished under boss Phil Parkinson, who has been in charge for the whole of the above journey, is phenomenal.
Whereas, from a performance perspective, some question marks remain. Parkinson often favours destructive number 10s like Oli Rathbone and Lewis O’Brien, over the better footballers like Nathan Broadhead and Josh Windass, and the team doesn’t always play with a level of fluency that reflects the quality on the pitch.
It will help, though, that they’ve added Ben Whiteman in midfield, who can bring elements of both Matty James’ footballing qualities and George Dobson’s destructive instincts, as the team looks to become better-rounded.
Elsewhere, left centre-back Callum Doyle and flying wing-back Danny Imray will look to provide more of those footballing moments, with the former’s intelligent, subtle link-up forays, and the latter’s smooths ball-carries and sharp deliveries.
So, with Kieffer Moore on the end of them, Wrexham certainly have the quality to be in the mix again – yet, as extraordinary a job as Parkinson and Steve Parkin have done in so many ways - there might be more advanced coaching setups elsewhere in the Championship.
11. Burnley
After five consecutive seasons of comfortable Premier League survival, the previous half-decade for Burnley has been more dramatic than the last – and primarily for the wrong reasons.
After the successful pragmatism that Sean Dyche brought, the Clarets sought idealism in Vincent Kompany that proved fun in the Championship, but unsuccessful in the top flight, followed by ultimately unsuccessful pragmatism under Scott Parker.
Kompany’s 2022-23 title-winners will be fondly remembered, and the record-breaking defensive numbers set by the class of 2024-25 were extremely impressive, but neither formula translated to the top flight.
Balance is needed, and the East Lancashire club seek that happy medium that’s proved elusive under Alan Pace’s ownership in Nicky Hayen.
The Belgian arrives with rave reviews from Haverfordwest County, where a spokesperson believes he will “100% go to the very top”, is “an outstanding human, cares about his players, and tactically one of the best out there” and is “the perfect appointment” for the phase the Clarets are in.
Part of Hayen’s success at Bridge Meadow, was somewhat innovative methods, like sending daily questionnaires to players asking how they slept and how they were feeling, then calling them later if the score wasn’t great – which is a really admirable way of giving players the space to give real answers without feeling like they might be perceived negatively for them.
And, while it’s slightly different managing players of a greater profile, Hayen has shown he can do it on a bigger stage, winning the Belgian Pro-League with Club Brugge in 2023-24.
If the cultural side can come together, they do have a group of players who have shown they can deliver at this level before, in the 2024-25 promotion-winning contingent of Connor Roberts, Bashir Humphreys, Lucas Pires, Josh Cullen, Josh Laurent, Hannibal Mejbri, Zian Flemming and Marcus Edwards.
As Luton and Leicester have demonstrated in the last two seasons, however, it’s not always enough to have remnants of the team that went up when you go back down, if you’ve not renovated the squad accordingly.
In Burnley’s case, their recruitment of new players hasn’t worked out at all, certainly in the Premier League, while this summer so far has been quiet in terms of incomings.
The Clarets have recouped £86M in terms of player sales, and effectively their only first-team acquisitions are defensive midfielder Ugo Raghouber from Lille for £4.28M, and 19-year-old Spanish winger Lluc Castell from Espanyol.
It doesn’t exactly scream a club ready to push for an instant return.
12. Cardiff City
Often, when you pair a club with structural issues with a top coach, the gravitational weight of the club pulls him down with them – but at Cardiff it’s been almost the opposite.
In Brian Barry-Murphy’s first interview with the Bluebirds, he inspired the hierarchy about a more modern, forward-thinking way of doing things and, most unusually, that’s almost what’s come to fruition.
City began to be run more like a Championship club, ironically when they were in League One, and while still imperfect, they return to the second-tier a stronger proposition on and off the pitch.
Key to the rebuild has been Barry-Murphy’s zest for youth development, particularly in the absence of a single signing up to the opening day off the back of a post-relegation summer.
Where most managers would see a scarcity of senior depth, the Irishman saw an abundance of opportunity for his top talent, and the result was 13 homegrown players featuring in the league.
Most notably, was centre-back Dylan Lawlor, who demonstrated some wonderful, progressive qualities in an astonishing passing range, and delightful ball-carrying ability, which extended to a mazy run in February’s 4-0 victory at Doncaster in which the 20-year-old managed to get one-on-one and finish.
If Lawlor can stand up to the physical demands of the Championship this year, his valuation could skyrocket and Premier League clubs could be queuing up to pay eight-figure fees for the Wales international next summer.
Right-back Ronan Kpakio and attacking midfielder Joel Colwill also came on leaps and bounds under BBM, who not only showed great strength in his coaching, but also in his adaptability.
When star striker Yousef Salech got injured, the 48-year-old adapted and deployed Omari Kellyman as a false nine, and J Colwill as a second striker to bring the penetration, and the team’s return got even better as they stormed to a top two finish.
So, Cardiff are a club rejuvenated, with potentially one of the top coaches in the league, and they’ll attack the Championship challenge with some optimism, especially after getting goalkeeper Nathan Trott back permanently from Copenhagen, and attacking midfielder Jack Moylan from Lincoln.
Replace Ryan Wintle’s place in the number six role effectively and the Bluebirds could be a top half proposition.
13. West Bromwich Albion
The last 10 years of Championship football haven’t been kind to internally appointed managers.
Since Paul Warne at Rotherham set the example for how they can work, in 2016, there’s been 11 of them, managing an average nine months in charge, and 87 wins between them in 317 games.
Not a single one, bar the ongoing case that is Henrik Pedersen at Sheffield Wednesday, would look back on their tenure and say they achieved what they set out to when they got handed the contract.
The question is, then, will James Morrison be any different?
Perhaps. Firstly, a lot of those internally appointed bosses have struggled because they’ve taken on poor squads or mismanaged clubs, whereas West Brom have some appeal about them as a rebuild under Shilen Patel’s ownership.
Secondly, it’s not just that Morrison finished the season with one defeat in 11 that impressed Baggies fans, but that he did so with such a stark shift in performance levels.
The Albion didn’t have a strong enough pre-season under Ryan Mason, and it was widely believed that insufficient physical training was a factor behind how gung-ho starts under him often waned dramatically within 10 minutes.
When Mason was dismissed with the club languishing in 18th in January, it got even worse, with Eric Ramsey coming in with unrealistic stylistic ideals that there just wasn’t the time, or the personnel, to implement.
Yet when Morrison came in, and suffered a 2-1 loss at Oxford in his first game, he was brave and he called out the players who had let down two different managers, and it got the response.
The former midfielder switched to 4-4-2, and the simplicity of the formation made it perfect for the crunch point of the season, as the likes of defender George Campbell and midfielder Ousmane Diakite finished the season in rock-solid form.
West Brom’s performance levels shot up exponentially, as the team created lots for industrious aerial front-man Aune Heggebø, and they’re hoping that formula can translate into a new campaign with further additions.
They’ve strengthened their attack with the acquisition of Jimmy-Jay Morgan, who looks the perfect foil for Heggebø with his boundless energy, delightful touch and sharp link-up play, and getting the 20-year-old England youth international on a four-year deal was a fantastic coup.
So, Albion have momentum on their side, and optimism is fair – but it should be balanced by some caution around whether Max O’Leary is a top half standard goalkeeper, and whethher some of the players will slip into old habits once the freshness of Morrison’s in-season impact fades.
14. Swansea City
Swansea have made a home for themselves in the Championship’s midtable.
Since successive play-off defeats to Brentford under Steve Cooper in 2019-20 and 2020-21, the Swans have spent five years finishing between 10th and 15th.
Through that time, they had a core of stalwarts sufficiently dependable to ensure they steered well clear of any relegation danger, but any ambitions of troubling the play-offs were undermined by a lack of investment, along with some infrastructural question marks.
Since majority ownership changed hands to Andy Coleman, Brett Cravatt and Jason Cohen in November 2024, however, under the investment vehicle of Swansea Football LLC, things are looking up on both counts.
Firstly, the club spent north of £16.5M on transfer fees alone last summer, on top of the approximate £1.3M they’d spent on Melker Widell the previous January, and then another £4.3M on winger Moussa Yeo this summer.
So, it’s £22.1M and counting: throw in free Cameron Burgess and loan Manuel Benson, who would have both commanded sizeable wages due to their recent promotion-winning Championship pedigree, and LLC are clearly willing to push the boat out on King’s Dock.
Secondly, the infrastructure looks much improved with the club partnering with Jamestown Analytics, building a fanzone, looking to buy the stadium – they’re even getting celebrities like Snoop Dogg and Luka Modric involved!
So, things are looking up, then, under Vitor Matos, who is keen to build an aggressive, high-pressing style of play, and did so with a degree of success last season, delivering a return of 47 points from 30 games in charge: form that, if extended an extra 16 games, would have got them a point off the play-offs.
The Swans have a core in Lawrence Vigouroux, Josh Tymon, Gonçalo Franco, Marko Stamenić and Žan Vipotnik who could be capable of getting them into the top half.
One of Ben Cabango or Cameron Burgess could come into that bracket, too, in central defence, although as a pairing they lack some ball-playing finesse, which could be the motivation for the signing of Stephen Welsh from Celtic.
Elsewhere, right-back looks an exciting position, as Sam Parker continues his promising development at Wycombe, allowing Fillip Lissah to challenge regular Josh Key for a spot after an excellent loan at Falkirk, where he gained rave reviews from manager John McGlynn.
Much depends, then, on whether the club’s faith in their big summer investments in attacking midfield and wide areas – Moussa Yeo, Elijah Just and Joseph Opoku – prove well-placed.
15. Bristol City
This stage of Bristol City’s trajectory is about learning from the past.
After Steve Cotterill’s memorable double-winning side of 2014-15, came four years of continual Championship progression, primarily under Lee Johnson, which led up to a summer 2019 of overspending that then wasn’t justified the following season.
The financial backlog necessitated a three-year financial and cultural rebuild, mainly under Nigel Pearson, which gave them the foundations for three successive top half finishes – including a play-off campaign under Liam Manning.
Yet, now City are back broadly to where they were in terms of being a good side at the level with eyes on the top six each season, and it does seem as though the club has grown based on key summer appointments.
With an experienced CEO in Charlie Boss running the non-football side of the club, and a high-profile Sporting Director in James Ellis running the football side, mistakes of previous eras become less likely.
Meanwhile, the club has appointed an exciting, up-and-coming head coach in Michael Skubala, fresh from winning the League One title with 103 points with Lincoln last season, as well as picking an excellent technical coach to assist him in Ian Burchnall.
Skubala has used his third-tier knowledge to good effect in recruitment, with Sam Tickle poached from Wigan to replace star goalkeeper Radek Vitek, and Lorent Tolaj and Dom Ballard – two of the league’s four top goalscorers – bringing the firepower.
Tolaj and Ballard are not only great finishers, but they’re also constantly on their bike looking for passes in behind, and it’s that sort of brisk approach that the 43-year-old will want to implement at Ashton Gate.
With a tenacious midfield in, potentially, Gibson Yah, Adam Randell and Jason Knight playing simultaneously, Bristol City may have the capacity to upset some top teams this season, but then struggle to break down the lower blocks that are able to deny space for Tolaj and Ballard.
As such, it could be a season of plenty of promise, but ultimately midtable.
16. Sheffield United
Compatibility is a question mark for Chris Wilder and Sheffield United, as odd as that might sound.
The advantage of having a Blade-by-birth in charge of the club is the connection between management and fans, which makes the successes feel extra sweet – but that dimension can complicate things as well.
In Wilder’s second spell, he was sacked after the play-off final defeat to Sunderland, with differences in recruitment preferences contributing to the parting.
Ruben Selles’ five-game losing streak in charge might have made chairmen Steven Rosen and Helmy Eltoukhy regret that decision, but that doesn’t mean their respective visions are the same: COH Sports will still want to move forward with continental, AI-led recruitment, and Wilder will still want established domestic names.
The 58-year-old might be more willing to compromise, now, in order to preserve a working relationship that enables him to manage the club that he loves, but that might be different from wholeheartedly believing in what the owners are trying to do.
Similarly, Rosen and Eltoukhy have been willing to back Wilder with the signing of Matt Doherty from Wolves, this window, but how long can two parties work together on a policy that neither of them really wants?
Plus, the United squad is in rebuild.
They do have some top players for this level as things stand, to different extents, in Japhet Tanganga, Sydie Peck, Gustavo Hamer, Callum O’Hare, Femi Seriki, Oli Arblaster and Michael Cooper, if he can recapture his 2024-25 form, but some of those could be looking elsewhere.
Meanwhile, there’s a lot of players that need to be offloaded for different reasons, but time is running out on the club to have the big rebuild it needs.
A play-off push is plausible with some retentions, resurgences and a strong end to the window, but a drop-off feels likelier.
17. Watford
Watford spent large swathes of their 2025-26 campaign as one of the most exciting teams in the division, so 16th-placed finish didn’t quite reflect the nature of their campaign.
The Hornets thrilled on individual talent last season, with Imran Louza establishing himself as one of the top midfielders in the Championship, while a series of wingers and attacking midfielders starred at different times.
It seems astonishing to think that Nestory Irankunda started fewer than half the league games, given the Australian’s powerful running and thunderous shooting ability.
Othmane Maamma, on the other hand, demonstrated his international prospects with Morocco on the flank, offering a combination of some foundational principles of your traditional winger infused with some lovely stylish touches.
Wide forward Kwadwo Baah thrived as an impact sub, with his sumptuous dribbling ability, but only managed to start six league games, likewise Rocco Vata, who demonstrated more selfless, one-touch link-up qualities before seeing his season curtailed by injury.
Even with Giorgi Chakvetadze leaving for Udinese, and Irankunda linked with a move to Sporting, Watford boast a squad with immense potential, player-for-player, in withdrawn attacking areas.
The problem, however, has been that they’ve not quite been able to put those pieces together, which comes down to several.
One, that outsiders mention a lot, in the lack of managerial stability, with three permanent bosses taking the touchline last year only to be sacked.
Another, that outsiders mention less, in that they’ve not always got the managerial choices right.
Paulo Pezzolano had a mixed record in Brazil, without the language barrier, and with him it was always likely to be difficult for him, and the worry is that the club has made a similar mistake in Alessio Dionisi, who doesn’t exactly come with rave reviews in Italy.
Plus, they’ve struggled to find a clinical edge: the Hornets were wasteful last season, particularly under Ed Still, so not recruiting a centre-forward yet this summer.
In refraining, they may be trusting Luca Kjerrumgaard to build on the nine goals he scored last season, and Vivaldo Semedo to demonstrate more of the talent that has him starting for Portugal Under-21s.
If football was about simply collecting the best individual talent, with the highest sell-on value, Watford would do very well – but it’s not, and they often miss those extra ingredients.
18. Stoke City
It’s been a challenging nine years for Stoke City.
Since relegation from the Premier League in 2017-18, the Potters have endured eight successive bottom half finishes in the Championship, with nine different permanent managers, so it’s fair to say they’ve not quite had the outcomes they were looking for, for the money spent.
The stability of the club remains unaffected, and they’re hoping manager Mark Robins can bring the structural nous he demonstrated in far more adverse circumstances at Coventry, to get them on an even keel.
Results, however, have been a mixed bag: Robins kept the Potters up in the second half of the 2024-25, then had them in the play-off conversion by November of the following season, but a mere 28 points from the final 32 games weren’t fun.
By February, Robins side were seven points off the play-offs and 13 points clear of the drop zone, giving the last third of the season a somewhat beachy feel.
Nonetheless, Stoke have been keen to renovate the squad to ensure old habits don’t slip back in, and they’ve spent big money once again, most notably in the form of playmaker Ethan Galbraith, who signs from Swansea.
In Galbraith, Viktor Johansson, Bae Jun-Ho, Tatsuki Seko, Ben Wilmot, Eric Bocat, Junior Tchamadeu, and Million Manhoef, they do have a players capable, in theory, of getting the Staffordshire outfit back into the top half.
The problem they’ve had in recent years, however, has not been the ability of the players on paper, but sometimes having too many players, especially with one of the best academies in the league.
They’ve been keen to assemble squads that have the depth to last the course, sometimes at the expense of the harmony and synergy of the group, and everyone feeling involved.
The club needs to strip things back, condense the squad, build a more clearly defined style and culture, and then subsequently add depth to those foundations.
19. Bolton Wanderers
It was relief, as much as jubilation, that engulfed the sea of white at Wembley in May, when Ruben Rodrigues’ injury-time penalty finished the play-off final as a contest.
The previous decade had given Bolton Wanderers four years of financial unrest and existential dread, before Football Ventures and Sharon Brittan saved the club in 2020, then six years of itchy expectancy, as the club tried to get out of the lower leagues.
They can breathe a little easier now, then, back at a more natural level, and steady growth is on their mind – but attention has turned to the squad, and the question of whether it’s up to Championship standard.
In midfield, the answer to that is yes: Xavier Simons, Josh Sheehan, Ethan Erhahon, Ruben Rodrigues and recruit David Watson, who has earned stylistic comparisons to Gerrard in Scotland, represent the strongest area of the group, with the quintet bringing a valuable variety of qualities.
In central defence, meanwhile, Ben Davies looks a sensible acquisition, bringing intelligence, organisational nous and left-footed balance to complement the more athletic and aggressive Chris Forino.
Concerns lie, however, in the goalkeeping department, where any one of Jack Bonham, Nathan Broome or David Harrington would be the weakest starting stopper in the Championship as things stand, and at left-back.
Max Conway has made enormous strides in the last two years, but was not trusted in that position in the Play-Offs because of his defensive shortcomings, which saw boss Steven Schumacher deploy George Johnston there.
Johnston, himself, has departed to be replaced by a defender in Akin Famewo to cover a similar spot in the squad, but a natural, Championship standard left-back looks a must.
Then, there’s the attacking areas, where the club have to replace the numbers of Brighton loanee Amario Cozier-Duberry on the right hand side, and the alternative striker option that was Mason Burstow, who was on loan from Hull, and is now at Sheffield Wednesday.
Kyliane Dong and Gaizka Larrazabal bring pace and energy in the wider positions, but a strong end to the window is a must.
20. Charlton Athletic
Careful evolution is the name of the game for Charlton this summer.
In their first season back in the Championship, after winning the League One play-offs the year before, the Addicks stayed up on one of the lowest budgets with a respectable 53 points, conceding just 58 goals – eight fewer than promoted Hull.
As such, retaining defensive foundations will be key for the South Londoners, and after each started 32+ league games last season, goalkeeper Thomas Kaminski, athletic right-back Kayne Ramsay, towering centre-back Lloyd Jones, powerful left-back Amari’i Bell remain.
Charlton need major surgery, however, as an in-possession entity, after scoring just 44 goals last season, with only Sonny Carey (eight) and Charlie Kelman (seven) notching more than three in the league.
In that regard, they’ve added finishing ability to the side, with Karlan Grant hitching up at the Valley with 58 Championship goals to his CV, but the question mark of how he’s going to fit in.
If Grant starts over a target man, that may get poached to replace Lyndon Dykes, there’s the risk of the ball not sticking for Jones’ side when they’re forced long.
Whereas, if he starts over Tyreece Campbell, his presence could come at the cost of a key line-stretching outlet, while three forwards may affect balance in other areas.
The other question, meanwhile, is whether Charlton can create chances for Grant. Left wing-back Josh Edwards and withdrawn forward Harvey Knibbs, when fit, might help in this regard, Campbell can draw space while Carey can pick a pass – but it may still be a challenge for forwards in this team to have impact, without a stand-out physical attribute.
Micah Mbick has two of them, in pace and strength, and so may end up having the more impactful season, despite starting it on the sidelines.
The 19-year-old had a wonderful campaign on loan at Colchester, scoring seven goals in 22 and making huge contributions in his all-round performances, and could be ready for the step up, which may partly explain why three of the five summer additions so far are defenders.
Dan McNamara brings regular Championship experience in a similar setup at Walsall, Ivan Mesík should bring battling qualities from Heracles, while powerful 6’5” defender Billy Koumetio could be the perfect foil for Jones.
Provided the right target man and creative options arrive between now and the end of the window, Charlton’s defensive organisation and siege mentality at the Valley should see them to safety..
21. Lincoln City
It’s been the dream decade for Lincoln City.
10 years ago, the Imps finished 13th in the National League, but then poached Danny and Nicky Cowley from Braintree to initiate one of the greatest golden eras of the club’s history.
The LN5 outfit won two titles and an EFL Trophy in three glorious seasons with the management brothers, before managing a play-off final under Michael Appleton, and then a five-year rebuild culminating in last season’s astonishing 103-point haul that saw them crowned champions of League One under Michael Skubala.
Alas, Skubala won’t be the one to lead them into the second tier of English football – a level they grace for the first time since 1961 – after moving to Bristol City, but the loss, while challenging, may not be quite as fatal as outsiders assume.
As supremely talented a coach as he is, having brought a new level of tactical and technical nous to Sincil Banks, and delivering outstanding results on a modest budget, it was the whole club that won a title, not just one man.
Tom Shaw and Chris Cohen were the ones leading most of the training sessions last season, and with Paul McShane coming in to support the internally promoted management team, it won’t take much for the trio to settle on a comparable dynamic.
In terms of player retention, they may have lost attacking midfielder Jack Moylan to Cardiff, the attacking midfielder is the only unwanted departure, while Ryan One is possibly the one of last season’s loanee the club would choose to keep if they could.
Otherwise, 18 first-team players remain and, in strong shot-stopper George Wickens, converted centre-back Tom Hamer, dependable midfielder Conor McGrandles, his more creative partner Ivan Varfolomeev, and energetic forward Rob Street, they have players who have richly deserved their opportunity at this level.
They’ve added to that, too, in the progressive Romania international Andrei Coubiș, who may partner Hamer in defence, and in 18-year-old Ireland international Mason Melia, who looks to demonstrate his sensational forward talents on loan from Tottenham.
Elsewhere, left-back recruit Callum Elder gets up and down with terrific endurance, and brings a much-needed sprinkling of Championship knowhow to a young squad.
So, do Lincoln City have a bottom three squad on paper? Perhaps, but the group deserves a lot more respect for last season’s achievements than they’ve had from neutrals.
The club has the lowest budget by far, but they also make their money go further by having extremely smart people involved their scouting department, including Director of Football, Jez George and Head of Recruitment, Joe Hutchinson.
Plus, with 617 Squadron around, they’ll also create the best home atmosphere by far at Sincil Bank, and the novelty factor could go a long way.
Forget ‘Fortress Fratton’ – they’ve got the Sincil Stronghold factor.
22. Preston North End
Since winning promotion to the Championship in 2015, Preston North End have spent nine seasons out of 11 between ninth and 14th, with one year apiece either side.
On a bottom six budget, the Lilywhites have not had the quality or resources to sustain play-off challenges, but enough reliability in a long-serving core to keep themselves upright in midtable.
That reliability may get eroded, however, as the financial demands of the division intensify.
North End did brilliantly to retain star midfielder Alfie Devine on a permanent deal, but they’ve lost three key players in the last two windows, in loanees Lewis Dobbin and Harrison Armstrong, and now midfield stalwart Ben Whiteman.
Meanwhile, the only new addition this summer that could conceivably improve them is striker Jusef Erabi, who does look promising on loan from Genk, with the 23-year-old having won Player of the Year at Hammarby IF in 2023.
Conversely, Lee Nicholls is a solid pick to back-up one of the best goalkeepers in the Championship in Daniel Iverson, but he’ll only replace Jack Walton or Dai Cornell on the bench.
Boss Paul Heckingbottom admitted to BBC Radio Lancashire that he thinks his squad is ‘miles away’ from the group he would like, which is almost more worrying in terms of the optics than in the practical.
In practice, it’s probably an exaggeration to say that North End’s squad is ‘miles away’ from being good enough for the Championship, even if it’s short on start quality.
They still have some good players for the level, in the likes of Odel Offiah and Ali McCann, along with Iversen and Devine, and another five or six of whom two or three could be slotted in around that to complete what, with a strong August, could secure a best XI good enough to survive with everyone fit.
In some ways, the bigger problems come from the relationship management challenges Heckingbottom has inflicted on himself by speaking his mind.
The 49-year-old is right in some respects, but not to the extent that a board who have just shelled out a record transfer fee of £6m on Devine wouldn’t feel slightly indignant at his comments.
And what of the players he now has to motivate? When Hecky last cut loose in the media, it was at the end of 2024-25, when he implied he wished he could overhaul nearly the whole squad - but the timing was favourable.
The players had six weeks to go away on holiday and cool off, so could the manager, and both parties came back fresh which, combined with his impressive man management qualities, helped the Lancashire outfit start last season far better than expected.
This time around, there isn’t time for the players to process any offence they may have taken, nor for the manager to reflect, and it’s straight into the competitive action, which makes those team talks a little more awkward.
23. Portsmouth
Since winning the League One title in 2023-24, Portsmouth’s first two seasons back in the Championship, after 12 years away, have followed similar patterns.
A mixed bag of summer recruitment and injury crises has led to slow starts, with improved winter business and returnees seeing them finish in excellent form, lifting them a few places above the dotted line.
On the one hand, the fact Pompey excel when it matters most speaks to excellent man management and motivational qualities from their talented head coach, John Mousinho, and it helps that they have stability on their side.
At the same time, the club has probably already hit the maximum number of seasons in which it can have below-par summer recruitment, and rely on a strong January to pull away.
So, with 2026 being the first summer in which the Eisner’s have been willing to dig deep in terms of investment, it feels like now or never territory.
The club has dropped £3m on striker Marko Milovanović from Almería, and £2.1m on midfielder Rocco Shein from Fredrikstad, with the club backing the former’s height, intelligent movement and link-up play, and the latter’s creative ball-carrying.
So, with those two hoping to come into a core of decent Championship players in goalkeeper Nicolas Schmid (at his best), all-action right-back Terry Tevlin, defensive leader Regan Poole, midfield pressers Adrian Segecic and Ebou Adams, and dangerous winger Josh Murphy, there’s a chance they could be looking up.
There are concerns, however: do Pompey possess that discipled, athletic, destructive midfield partner for Shein, if Adams proves to be too cavalier in the press? Can Poole stay fit to start 40 league games again this year? Can Connor Ogilvie hold his own against quick wingers?
The big question, meanwhile, is whether the recruitment model fits the objective. Yes, they have a bit more investment behind them this summer, but they’re still up against it financially at this level, and having 31 senior players arguably isn’t the best distribution of those resources.
24. Blackburn Rovers
Up until last season, Blackburn had been something of a Championship anomaly.
Despite being run badly, with a lack of communication from the Venky ownership, poor contract handling and questionable recruitment processes, they managed four top half finishes in their first seven seasons, after promotion from League One in 2017-18.
A lot of structural issues got masked, because they were able to land on good managers like Tony Mowbray, Jon Dahl Tomasson and John Eustace, and individual goalscorers like Adam Armstrong, Ben Brereton-Diaz and Sammie Szmodics.
Last season’s 20th-placed finish, though, highlights where Rovers’ structural neglect lands them without those either of those things: bang in trouble, and needing to call upon Michael O’Neill’s organisational nous to get them home and dry.
For the club to subsequently only sign one new player, this summer, then, that being bit-part Stockport winger Jayden Fevrier, as well as taking up the option to buy midfielder Moussa Baradji, seems highly questionable.
The club are hoping the shortage of incomings can be offset partially by youth development, with centre-back Tom Atcheson expected to have a big season, and 18-year-old forward Igor Tyjon hoping to showcase his England youth potential.
In terms of Championship reliability, however, the Lancashire outfit are limited to a modest group of Balázs Tóth, Ryan Alebiosu, Ryōya Morishita, Andri Guðjohnsen, Yuki Ohashi, as well as Atcheson – but with the spine of the squad looking highly questionable.
In the dugout, meanwhile, the hierarchy have opted for the familiar face of Tony Mowbray, who may remain an excellent man manager but might not be exactly at the peak of his powers, and could rely on talented coach Mike Dodds for technical details on the grass.
The pairing might work out, but squad concerns mean a season of struggle looks in the offing.
