Hammers & Boro to go up? Championship club-by-club preview

After four clubs received parachute payments in the 2026-27 Championship, it appears to be a more competitive season than ever before. West Ham, Wolves, Burnley, and Southampton are the only teams with financial support as they begin the campaign. Lincoln City, Cardiff, and Bolton make their Championship debuts for the first time since 1961, 2019, and 2019, respectively.

BBC Sport's Chris Davies, who has taken over at Birmingham City, is expected to aim for a top eight finish. The team has a mix of experienced players like Christoph Klarer and Phil Neumann and young talent like August Priske, who could become a 15-goal striker. Birmingham needs to improve their away record, as last season saw only two clubs score fewer away goals than them.

Rovers have also returned to the Championship after two seasons in League One. Their main goal for this season is to avoid a repeat of last year's struggles, with Tony Mowbray focusing on adding quality to the squad. Young centre-back Tom Atcheson, who turns 20 in September, is already attracting Premier League interest and could be a key difference-maker for the team.