The Football League fixtures have been announced and 72 of England’s clubs now know how their season will pan out.
In the Championship recently relegated Burnley travel to play-off finalists Huddersfield Town as Vincent Kompany looks to get his team off to a flying start in the second tier. That game will be the curtain raiser, shown live on Sky Sports, on Friday 29th July.
Meanwhile Norwich City will be looking to bounce straight back up to the Premier League and they begin their season away at a Cardiff City side that could feature Gareth Bale. Watford have got a home opening day fixture as Rob Edwards’ new side take on Sheffield United, who lost in the play-off semi-final on penalties to Nottingham Forest last season.
Newly promoted Wigan host Preston, Rotherham face Swansea and Sunderland’s return to the Championship sees them take on Coventry City. Chris Wilder’s Middlesbrough will host West Brom on the opening weekend in another match that will be shown on Sky on Saturday afternoon.
Elsewhere John Daal Tomasson’s Blackburn host Michael Beale’s QPR as two new managers face off against each other, Blackpool host Reading and Birmingham travel to Luton Town. Nathan Jones will be desperate to continue the good form his team showed last term, which resulted in a narrow play-off semi-final loss to Carlos Corberan’s Huddersfield.
In League One, the standout opening day ties see Sheffield Wednesday host Portsmouth and Ipswich Town host Bolton Wanderers. Meanwhile Derby County's life in the third tier begins at home to Oxford United.
Championship opening day fixtures
Middlesbrough vs West Brom
Huddersfield vs Burnley
Rotherham vs Swansea
Watford vs Sheffield United
Cardiff vs Norwich
Blackpool vs Reading
Luton vs Birmingham
Sunderland vs Coventry
Millwall vs Stoke
Hull vs Bristol City
Wigan vs Preston
Blackburn vs QPR
League One opening day fixtures
Accrington Stanley v Charlton
Bristol Rovers v Forest Green
Cambridge United v MK Dons
Cheltenham v Peterborough
Derby County v Oxford United
Ipswich Town v Bolton
Lincoln City v Exeter
Morecambe v Shrewsbury
Plymouth Argyle v Barnsley
Port Vale v Fleetwood
Sheffield Wednesday v Portsmouth
Wycombe v Burton
League Two opening day fixtures
AFC Wimbledon v Gillingham
Bradford City v Doncaster Rovers
Carlisle v Crawley
Harrogate v Swindon
Leyton Orient v Grimsby
Northampton v Colchester
Rochdale v Crewe
Salford City v Mansfield Town
Stockport County v Barrow
Sutton United v Newport County
Tranmere v Stevenage
Walsall v Hartlepool United
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