Hammers & Boro to go up? Championship club-by-club preview
BBC Sport correspondents take a closer look at the 24 teams taking part in the 2026-27 Championship season.
As the 2026-27 Championship season commences, 24 teams are set to embark on a nine-month journey, filled with twists and turns that have made this division notorious for its unpredictability. Only four clubs, West Ham, Wolves, Burnley, and Southampton, are guaranteed parachute payments upon their return to the second tier. Lincoln City, Cardiff, and Bolton, however, make their Championship debuts after previous stints in the lower divisions.
BBC Sport correspondents across England and Wales assess the 24 teams, with BBC's dedicated EFL podcast 72+ offering predictions for the final table standings. Jobi McAnuff predicts a top eight finish as the minimum expectation for new Wolves and Blackburn managers. Meanwhile, Bolton manager Tony Mowbray aims to avoid last season's struggles and improve the club's away record in Ewood Park.
Strikers like August Priske, who scored his first Championship goal on the final day of last season, and Bolton's Steven Schumacher, aware of the demands of the league due to previous experience, could prove to be the difference-makers for their respective clubs. Mowbray has already started adding quality to the squad, bringing in eight new players ahead of the transfer deadline, with another two or three likely to follow.
Written by urgent.news from BBC Sport's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — it may contain errors, so check the original before relying on it.
