The Championship schedule for the 2023/24 campaign highlights some major teams. With Leicester City, Leeds and Southampton all dipping back down into the second-tier league after extended stays, there is elevated interest even for those that do not regularly follow the league.
On Thursday, it announced the entirety of the 552-game schedule across the 24 teams. Of course, each team is ‘only’ playing 46 games in the domestic league. Therefore, this provides seemingly nonstop action compared to the Premier League’s 38 games.
Plus, given the 24-team slate, there are a number of historic derbies. Better off, there is a load of parity in the Championship. Last season, 14 points separated third place from 10th place. For comparison, that is the same margin that separated third from seventh in the Premier League. With the top two teams automatically qualifying for the Premier League at the end of the campaign, the race to get into the top six is always a fun battle for neutrals. Last season, it went down to the final day for Sunderland and Coventry City to reach the playoffs.
The Championship TV schedule will provide the information to watch each of the games in the league for American audiences. That coverage belongs to ESPN, and it stores almost all the games throughout the season on ESPN+.
The full schedule is available on the EFL’s website. However, here are a handful of games to keep an eye out for once the season kicks off.
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The opening game of the Championship season features a pair of new teams in the league. Southampton finished bottom of the Premier League, while Sheffield Wednesday won the League One promotion playoffs. Hillsborough is back as a Championship stadium for the first time since 2020/21, when the Owls finished bottom.
One thing about Leicester being back in the Championship is the M69 Derby against Coventry City. These two teams will be early candidates to get promotion to the Premier League. Coventry narrowly missed out on promotion last season after losing the playoff final on penalties to Luton Town.
Last season, Millwall was the team to just miss out on a chance in the playoffs. Leeds United just missed out on staying in the Premier League. However, both are in the Championship for the 2023/24 season, which provides more games in this fiery rivalry.
One of the top derbies in Wales is in the Championship for the fifth-straight season. It has been a long stay for both, and both have had close calls with promotion back to the top flight.
From a derby in the south to one in the north, Sunderland and Middlesbrough bring more iterations of their Tees-Wear Derby. Both clubs were in the playoffs last season but lost in the semifinal stage. Each will hope to improve upon that standing and get back into the Premier League after this season.
PHOTO: IMAGO / PA Images
