Dates for your diary

[silent majority]

EFL Schedule 2025-2026 Season

Fixtures will be released at 9:00 am on Thursday 26 June 2025 and will incorporate the draws for Round One of the Carabao Cup and the Vertu Trophy Group Stage, which will both take place live on Sky Sports News.

The 2025/26 EFL season will kick-off over the weekends of 1-3 August in League One and League Two and 8-10 August in the Championship.
 
The Carabao Cup will begin in mid-August. The final is on Sunday 22nd March 2026. The Vertu Trophy will start in early-September. This season’s competition reaches its conclusion on Sunday 13 April with both Birmingham City and Peterborough United aiming to win the trophy for a third time.
 
The Sky Bet Play-Offs will take place over the 2026 May Bank Holiday Weekend, from 23-25 May.
 
The scheduled 46 rounds of League matches will take place across 33 weekends, nine midweeks and four Bank Holidays in the Championship, with Leagues One and Two playing over 33 weekends, five midweeks and eight Bank Holidays and International Breaks.
 
Key dates ahead of the 2025/26 EFL season can be found below:
 
•   Fixture Release Date – Thursday 26 June 2025 at 9am.
 
•   EFL Opening Weekends
o   League One and League Two: Friday 1 August – Sunday 3 August
o   Championship: Friday 8 August – Sunday 10 August
 
•   Final games of the regular season – Weekend of 2/3 May 2026
 
•   Carabao Cup Round One Draw – Thursday 26 June 2025
•   Carabao Cup Round One – w/c 11 August 2025
•   Carabao Cup Final – Sunday 22 March 2026
 
•   Vertu Trophy Group Stage Draw – Thursday 26 June 2025
•   Vertu Trophy Matchday One – w/c 1 September 2025
•   Vertu Trophy Final – Sunday 12 April 2026
 
•   Championship Play-Off Final – Saturday 23 May 2026
•   League One Play-Off Final – Sunday 24 May 2026
•   League Two Play-Off Final – Monday 25 May 2026

[dknward2]

And a total of 20 games per team as a minimum to be messed about by sky at the last minute

[DonnyBazR0ver]

And a total of 20 games per team as a minimum to be messed about by sky at the last minute

Is that right? Nearly half of our games won't be 3pm Kick offs???

[drfchound]

And a total of 20 games per team as a minimum to be messed about by sky at the last minute

Is that right? Nearly half of our games won't be 3pm Kick offs???

That was the remit for this season too.
I purchased NowTV on the back of it as I get Sky+ that way and have seen plenty of Rovers away games that I otherwise wouldn’t have seen.
They also show the first and last games of the season which can also be 3pm Saturday matches.

[dknward2]

And a total of 20 games per team as a minimum to be messed about by sky at the last minute

Is that right? Nearly half of our games won't be 3pm Kick offs???

Not on the total but I bet by the end of the season I would guess that we have had more than most in league 2 moved for tv

[Ryaldinhio]

League One Play-Off Final – Sunday 24 May 2026

In the Diary 

[DD]

Is anyone in favour of these 12.30 ko’s?
I certainly know anyone. They are a disgrace

[Pintolager]

I am not against the 12.30 ko's, it's the short notice that is given to everyone, especially the 2nd half of the season

[drfchound]

Personally I don’t mind the 12.30kick offs, it’s the changes of match dates that pee me off.
Some people arrange things well in advance and a change of date can make things difficult.
I do understand though that even the early kick offs can cause problems for some when train times, finishing work times etc have already been booked.

[glosterred]

League One Play-Off Final – Sunday 24 May 2026

In the Diary 

So you’re not expecting us to go up automatically then!

COYR

[DonnyBazR0ver]

Personally I don’t mind the 12.30kick offs, it’s the changes of match dates that pee me off.
Some people arrange things well in advance and a change of date can make things difficult.
I do understand though that even the early kick offs can cause problems for some when train times, finishing work times etc have already been booked.

Yes, I think that's the main issues, not paricularly the 12.30 kick offs. Fixtures chosen don't seem to take into account the travelling fans time and distance plus any prebooked travel.

Then again, maybe Plymouth and Carlisle fans will say welcome to our world!!

You wonder as it's equally shared between all teams, the fixtures could be identified even further in advance?

[Spud]

I like the 12.30 ko's, I'm just waiting around on match days otherwise, & can get to the pub afterwards, especially on away days. I agree there should be plenty of notice given though.

[ForsolongaRover]

Personally I don’t mind the 12.30kick offs, it’s the changes of match dates that pee me off.
Some people arrange things well in advance and a change of date can make things difficult.
I do understand though that even the early kick offs can cause problems for some when train times, finishing work times etc have already been booked.

Yes, I think that's the main issues, not paricularly the 12.30 kick offs. Fixtures chosen don't seem to take into account the travelling fans time and distance plus any prebooked travel.

Then again, maybe Plymouth and Carlisle fans will say welcome to our world!!

You wonder as it's equally shared between all teams, the fixtures could be identified even further in advance?

Fundamentally, it’s  Commerce vs The Consumer. You could blame those who base their Business Models around the practice of giving deals to advance bookings which is done on the expectation that a percentage of them will not be fulfilled. And that is what happens here.

When businesses including the railways were straightforward, prices were calculated without discrimination against those who could not commit in advance.

Perhaps it’s the modern thing to do, to plan well in advance and take advantage of deals, but perhaps if the typical “punter” (which is perhaps not the best word in the circumstances!) was unwilling to “cooperate”, the early booking discount would lose its commercial appeal and every booking would be the same cost and equal value for money.

[Ryaldinhio]

League One Play-Off Final – Sunday 24 May 2026

In the Diary 

So you’re not expecting us to go up automatically then!

COYR

Autos this year, take a play off spot next year.

[Pancho Regan]

Good information SM, many thanks

[silent majority]

I’ll bump this up now we know which league we’re in.

[karldew]

Wembley hotel booked 24th May 26!