Lads and lasses, as the new Championship season kicks off this evening, there’s a rule change you’ll want to grasp before settling in with your pre-match cuppa. Team news—the moment you find out if your manager has opted for that promising youngster or stuck with the veteran who’s been looking a bit tired lately—will now be released 75 minutes before kick-off instead of the traditional 60 minutes. It’s a bit like when your local pub changes happy hour times—confusing at first, but you’ll soon adjust to getting your fix a quarter-hour earlier!
This change aligns with what the Premier League implemented last summer, and the EFL has now adopted it across all its competitions. For those who plan their day around match times (and we’ve all been there), here’s what it means:
- 3pm kick-offs: Team sheets will be released at 1:45pm.
- 12:30pm kick-offs: Lineups will be available at 11:15am.
- 7:45pm kick-offs: Team news will come out at 6:30pm.
- 8pm kick-offs: Expect announcements at 6:45pm.
League One and League Two already tested this new system last weekend, and now it’s the Championship’s turn.
The season opener between Birmingham City and Ipswich Town tonight will be the very first Championship match under this new system. With an 8pm kick-off at St. Andrews, both teams will reveal their starting elevens right at 6:45pm.
Why the Change?
The EFL has essentially followed the Premier League’s lead, which made this alteration ahead of the 2024/25 season to align with European competitions. Continental matches have long announced teams 75 minutes before kick-off, creating more consistency across the footballing pyramid.
Many supporters appreciate receiving team news earlier, as it allows for more time to debate selections and adjust predictions—perhaps reconsidering that accumulator before the deadline.
New Team News Announcement Times
- 12:30pm kick-offs: Teams announced at 11:15am
- 3pm kick-offs: Teams announced at 1:45pm
- 5:30pm kick-offs: Teams announced at 4:15pm
- 8pm kick-offs: Teams announced at 6:45pm
Championship Opening Weekend Fixtures
- Friday, August 8: Birmingham City vs. Ipswich Town – 8pm
- Saturday, August 9:
- Southampton vs. Wrexham – 12:30pm
- Charlton Athletic vs. Watford – 12:30pm
- Coventry City vs. Hull City – 12:30pm
- Middlesbrough vs. Swansea City – 3pm
- Norwich City vs. Millwall – 3pm
- Oxford United vs. Portsmouth – 3pm
- QPR vs. Preston North End – 3pm
- Stoke City vs. Derby County – 3pm
- West Brom vs. Blackburn – 3pm
- Sheffield United vs. Bristol City – 5:30pm
- Sunday, August 10: Leicester City vs. Sheffield Wednesday
So there you have it, folks—a small change in timing that’ll keep us all on our toes for the first few weeks. Remember, it’s now 75 minutes before kick-off for all team news. Think of it as football’s version of British Summer Time: a bit confusing at first, but you’ll appreciate that extra quarter-hour to analyze why your centre-half has been benched again, despite that clean sheet last week!