Cardiff face Wrexham in EFL season-opening derby

Wales will have three sides in the second tier of English football for the first time since 1981 [Getty Images] Cardiff City will host Welsh rivals Wrexham in a blockbuster start to the 2026-27 Championship campaign. The south-north derby - the first league meeting between Cardiff and Wrexham in 24 years - takes place on Monday, 17 August. The south Wales derby also returns following Cardiff's promotion, with Swansea City hosting the Bluebirds on Saturday, 28 November and the return fixture at Cardiff City Stadium scheduled for 13 March - though all fixtures are subject to change. In the other derby, Swansea City host Wrexham on 5 September, with the reverse fixture in north Wales taking place on 10 April. It is the first time in 45 years that Wales will have three sides in the second tier of English football, since the 1980-81 campaign featured Cardiff, Wrexham and Swansea in the old Division Two. Swansea start their new campaign at Stoke City on Saturday, 15 August, while Newport County - after narrowly avoiding relegation on the final day of 2025-26 - begin their League Two season at home against promoted National League runners-up Rochdale. Burnley and West Ham to meet on first Championship weekend York host Bristol Rovers and Rochdale visit Newport For Wrexham and Cardiff fans, the opening-round derby is a mouthwatering start to the season, and a chance for the Red Dragons to gain revenge after the Bluebirds beat them in a League Cup tie at the Stok Cae Ras in October last year. "A Welsh rivalry to kick-off our second season in the Championship is a great way to start the campaign, and we can't wait to see all our fantastic supporters at Cardiff City Stadium on 17 August," said Wrexham boss Phil Parkinson. Cardiff City beat Wrexham 2-1 in the EFL Cup in 2025-26 [Huw Evans Picture Agency] Wrexham will host Watford in their first home game of the campaign on Saturday, 22 August. Parkinson's side travel to Stoke on 26 December before hosting Bolton Wanderers on Friday, 1 January. They finish the season at home to Bristol City on Saturday, 1 May. Wrexham, who missed out on the play-offs on the final day of 2025-26, will also be the first Welsh side to face West Ham United following their relegation from the Premier League, at London Stadium on 12 September. The first Championship game of the season at the Swansea.com Stadium will see Sheffield United visit on 22 August, while the Swans' festive fixtures see them away to relegated Wolverhampton Wanderers on 26 December and at home to Charlton on New Year's Day. Vitor Matos side will round off the season at home to Middlesbrough. After winning promotion back to the Championship at the first attempt last season, Cardiff's first away match is at Derby County on 22 August. There will be no need for Bluebirds fans to travel on Boxing Day. with a home game against Millwall on 26 December, but they face a trip to Southampton on the first day of 2027. Brian Barry-Murphy's team also travel on the final day of the regular season, finishing at Preston North End on 1 May. Newport fans face a short trip to Bristol Rovers on the second weekend of the season, while the festive period brings a trip to Exeter City on 26 December and a New Year's Day visit from Barnet. The final game of the season for Christian Fuch's side is at Walsall on Saturday, 8 May. The 2026-27 EFL season starts on the weekend of 14-16 August across the Championship, League One and League Two. But the competitive campaign will officially begin one week earlier, with the first round of the Carabao Cup taking place on 7-9 August. There are no Easter fixtures due to an international break. Championship fixtures list: Dates & full schedule for every club in 2026-27 League Two fixtures: Your club-by-club guide to the 2026-27 season