The English Football League (EFL) has officially mapped out the blueprint for the 2026/27 campaign, confirming a slate of crucial dates for the summer transfer window, fixture release day, and the opening weekend of the new season.
For clubs across the Midlands and the rest of the country, the planning can now begin in earnest as the league has provided extensive clarity on both the sporting calendar and upcoming broadcast selections.
Here is the complete breakdown of the EFL’s latest announcements.
The Transfer Windows
Sporting directors and recruitment teams will have their calendars circled, with the EFL confirming the exact parameters for player trading in the upcoming season.
- Summer Transfer Window: Opens on Monday, 15 June 2026, and officially closes at 11:00 PM on Tuesday, 1 September 2026.
- Winter Transfer Window: Opens on Friday, 1 January 2027, and shuts at 11:00 PM on Monday, 1 February 2027.
Fixture Release and Cup Draws
Fans eager to plot their away days won’t have to wait much longer. The complete fixture list for the Sky Bet Championship, League One, and League Two will be published on Thursday, 25 June at 12:00 PM.
In a bumper day of scheduling, the first-round draws for both the Carabao Cup and the Vertu Trophy will also take place on fixture release day, with specific times to be confirmed.
When Does the Football Start?
In a slight structural shift for the opening week, the 2026/27 campaign will actually be kick-started by cup action rather than the league itself.
- Carabao Cup Round One: The season officially gets underway over the weekend of 7–9 August 2026.
- Sky Bet EFL Opening Weekend: The Championship, League One, and League Two campaigns will commence the following weekend, running from 14–16 August 2026.
- Vertu Trophy: Round One group stage matches will begin the week commencing 21 September 2026.
A Win for Match-Going Fans: The Broadcast Schedule
Perhaps the most universally welcomed news from the EFL’s update is the firm commitment to providing supporters with far greater notice regarding televised matches.
The opening weekend of EFL fixtures will be broadcast live across Sky Sports and Sky Sports+, with those specific TV selections confirmed on the June 25 fixture release day. Beyond that, the EFL and Sky Sports have agreed to a selection timeline that offers fans up to five months’ notice to arrange travel and accommodation:
- By 2 July 2026: All live broadcast matches up to the end of September 2026 will be confirmed.
- By 31 July 2026: TV picks up to and including the weekend of 8–11 January 2027 will be locked in.
- By 6 November 2026: Selections will be announced for all matches up to the midweek of 2–3 March 2027.
For the crucial final-season run-in (from March onwards), broadcast selections will pivot to a rolling four-week notice period. Matches for the penultimate weekend of the regular season will be selected three weeks in advance, while the final weekend’s TV games will be confirmed just one week prior.
