Championship's Wild West: Eight-Team Play-Offs, New Gaffes & Glory Chasers Reshape 2026/27.

Friday. That's when the 2026/27 campaign kicks off. Wolves against Blackburn Rovers. Every single Championship, League One, and League Two match? Live on Sky Sports. For your viewing pleasure.

The biggest shake-up? Championship play-offs. Now eight teams instead of six. More slots. More hope for those middling outfits dreaming of the Premier League. The bookies, nudged by Sky Sports' 'supercomputer' (whatever that means), have West Ham and Wolves as the immediate frontrunners for a top-flight comeback. Shocking, I know.

West Ham: Back in the Championship after 14 years. They've kept Nuno Espirito Santo at the helm. And Jarrod Bowen? Still rattling opposition nets from the wing. Both have history in this league. Nuno famously took Wolves up in 2018. Bowen tore it up for Hull City before heading to the Hammers. Familiar faces, familiar expectations.

Wolves, meanwhile, have rolled the managerial dice. Cesar Peixoto is in, Rob Edwards out. Squad depth? Still impressive. Raul Jimenez and Kieran Trippier are just a couple of the summer arrivals. That's a serious upgrade. Burnley, who apparently caught the 'model's' eye at fourth, have brought in Belgian Nicky Hayen. And let's not forget their recent history: back-to-back promotions. They know what it takes.

Then there's Middlesbrough. Last season, fifth place. Even after spending more time in the top two than anyone else. Talk about a choke. This summer? They've opened the wallet. Striker Will Lankshear, poached from Spurs, bagged 11 goals for Oxford. Sebastian Berhalter, a midfielder, came straight off international duty. Radek Vitek, the keeper, joined from Manchester United after a solid loan spell. They're clearly all in.

Southampton. The Spygate scandal. Remember that mess? It kicked them out of last year's play-offs. Still, they've kept most of their core intact. Daniel Peretz, the goalkeeper, and striker Cyle Larin? Both signed permanent deals after good loan stints. But a four-point deduction hangs over them. That's a killer start.