Soccer
Five talking points ahead of the 2026-27 Championship season
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The 2026-27 Championship season gets underway this weekend, and this term should have all the thrills and excitement that it has been associated with over the years.
The sides have been busy in the transfer window and are getting ready for the new campaign, with Wolves and Blackburn Rovers kicking things off on Friday evening.
DAZN News has picked out five talking points to keep an eye on across the 2026/27 season.
Strong cohort of relegated Premier League sides
This year looks to have one of the strongest contingents of teams coming down from the Premier League.
West Ham are favourites for the title, and with good reason.
The London side have a strong squad, and most notably have retained captain Jarrod Bowen, who clearly still has Premier League quality.
Richard Pelham/Getty Images
Wolves finished rock bottom of the top tier and have since undertaken a summer of change.
Manager Rob Edwards was fired out of nowhere and was replaced by the little-known César Peixoto.
Free signings of Kieran Trippier and Raúl Jiménez both know what it takes to earn promotion to the top flight, with the former doing it with Burnley and the latter during his first stint with Wolves.
Burnley have had the toughest summer of the three.
Manager Nicky Hayen was appointed after a failed attempt to lure Wales boss Craig Bellamy.
The Clarets have lost Maxime Estève, Florentino and Jaidon Anthony, among others, and have brought in very little to replace them.
All three sides should be up at the top end come the end of the season.
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Could extra play-off places cause more drama?
Starting from this season, teams finishing in seventh and eighth place will compete in the play-offs.
Third and fourth place advance automatically to the semi-finals, whereas fifth will host sixth and seventh will be at home to eighth in single-leg quarter-finals.
Last season, Hull City finished in sixth and won promotion to the Premier League, with Wrexham and Derby County narrowly missing out on the final day.
The rule has caused some division but should provide more exciting drama towards the back end of the season.
This year, could we see a team finishing eighth go up to the Premier League?
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Southampton's Spygate aftermath
Despite the additional play-off spots, it is highly unlikely this year's play-offs will provide as much drama as last year's.
'Spygate' was the word on everyone's lips after Southampton were caught observing Middlesbrough's training session and were removed from the final in place of Middlesbrough.
Southampton head coach Tonda Eckert was fined by the FA for his involvement in the scandal, with his final punishment pending, and the club will start this season with a four-point deduction.
The lasting impact of the scandal remains to be seen. Eckert stays in his post for now, but it will be interesting to see if owner Dragan Solak continues to back his man after his punishment is confirmed.
One thing's for sure: fans of the other 23 clubs will let the Saints know their views on the matter.
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Strong newcomers rising from League One
The three teams coming up from the third tier will all be keen to make their mark this season.
Bolton Wanderers ended their seven-year absence from the Championship after beating Stockport County in the League One play-off final.
Cardiff City also went up at the first time of asking as runners-up, but it is League One champions Lincoln City who look the most intriguing.
The Imps were runaway champions of League One last time round, but boss Michael Skubala departed to join Bristol City earlier this summer.
His replacement is a unique one, or should I say two, as both Skubala's assistants, Chris Cohen and Tom Shaw, have been appointed as head coaches.
All three sides are expected to be towards the bottom, but will be confident of swerving the drop at the first attempt.
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Which other clubs are vying for promotion?
Alongside the expanded play-offs, there will be more sides battling for the elusive place in the Premier League than ever before.
Middlesbrough just fell short last year but, after strong investment, will be up there again. Likewise, Millwall will also compete off the back of a third-place finish.
Wrexham, Derby and Birmingham City just missed out on the play-offs last term and should be competitive once again, as will Norwich City, who were outstanding once Philippe Clement took charge.
The extension of the play-offs provides an opportunity for outsiders to sneak their way in, which this year could be Swansea City or Sheffield United, who are expected to improve.
Whatever happens, it looks to be a thrilling race for promotion.
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