Key dates released for the 2025/26 campaign including the opening weekend of games and the rounds for the Vertu Trophy.
As the 2024/25 season draws to an exciting close, supporters can now mark a further date in their calendar for the 2025/26 campaign with the highly anticipated fixture release day set for 9am on Thursday 26th June 2025.
The 2025/26 season will kick-off over the weekends of 1st-3rd August in League One and League Two and 8th-10th August 2025 in the Championship.
Fixture release day will also 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 Carabao Cup will begin in mid-August, with Newcastle United no doubt having a keen interest as the current holders of the competition following their famous victory against Liverpool at Wembley Stadium in March. The Vertu Trophy will start in early-September, with this season’s competition reaching 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 23rd-25th May 2026.
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 26th June 2025 at 9am
• EFL Opening Weekends
- League One and League Two: Friday 1st August – Sunday 3rd August
- Championship: Friday 8th August – Sunday 10th August
• Final games of the regular season – Weekend of 2nd/3rd May 2026
• Championship Play-Off Final – Saturday 23rd May 2026
• League One Play-Off Final – Sunday 24th May 2026
• League Two Play-Off Final – Monday 25th May 2026
CARABAO CUP
• Round One Draw – Thursday 26th June 2025
• Round One – w/c 11th August 2025
• Final – Sunday 22nd March 2026
VERTU TROPHY
• Group Stage Draw – Thursday 26th June 2025
• Matchday One – w/c 1st September 2025
• Final – Sunday 12th April 2026