Which EFL matches are Sky Sports showing on the 2026/27 opening weekend?

Sky Sports will show every match from the opening weekend of the EFL exclusively live. These include:

Friday 14 August

Wolverhampton Wanderers vs Blackburn Rovers – 8pm

Saturday 15 August 

Notts County vs Leicester City – 12.30pm

Bolton Wanderers vs Preston North End – 12.30pm 

Reading vs Luton Town – 12.30pm 

Oxford United vs Milton Keynes Dons – 12.30pm

Oldham Athletic vs Port Vale – 12.30pm 

Newport County vs Rochdale – 12.30pm

York City vs Bristol Rovers – 3.00pm

Sheffield United vs Birmingham City – 5.30pm

Sunday 16 August

Watford vs Southampton – 1.30pm

Burnley vs West Ham – 4pm

Monday 17 August

Cardiff City vs Wrexham – 8pm

All remaining opening matchday fixtures in the Championship, League One and League Two will kick-off at 3pm on Saturday 15 August, live on Sky Sports+.

Where will I be able to watch the rest of the new EFL season? 

Sky Sports will broadcast over 1,000 exclusively live EFL games this season as part of a rights deal lasting until at least 2029. Each weekend fixture round will see up to 10 live EFL fixtures shown.

All midweek fixtures in the EFL will be shown live, as will games played on Bank Holidays including Easter, Boxing Day and New Year’s Day. Every match played in League One and Two during international breaks will also be broadcast live, and every final day fixture across the EFL will also be available live on Sky Sports.

When will Sky Sports be showing EFL matches?

Regular weekend broadcast slots will include:

• Approximately five matches on a Saturday lunchtime (12.30pm kick-off)
• Frequent slots on a Friday night (8pm kick-off) and Sunday afternoon (12.30 pm kick-off)
• Additional selected picks on Thursday and Monday nights

When will Sky Sports select which EFL matches are broadcast?

All matches selected for broadcast for the period to the end of September will be announced by Thursday 2 July, while before a ball is kicked in the 2026/27 season, all TV selections will be confirmed for the period up to the FA Cup Third Round on the weekend of 9 January 2027.

This once again provides fans and Clubs up to five months’ notice. By selecting TV picks early and giving much more notice, fans will be able to plan with certainty when making travel and any hotel arrangements.

How else can I follow the EFL on Sky Sports?

Alongside coverage and visibility for the EFL across all Sky Sports' main social media channels, the X channel @SkySportsFootball will continue to be the home of all EFL football content on Sky Sports.

What other football is available on Sky Sports?

Sky Sports is the home of domestic club football in the UK & Ireland and will broadcast over 1,500 live matches across the Premier League, Women’s Super League, EFL and Scottish Premiership next season.