2025/26 SEASON: Derby’s Championship Fixtures Revealed!

Derby County’s fixture list for the 2025/26 Sky Bet Championship campaign has been revealed.

The season’s fixtures were released by the EFL at 12pm today.

We’ve detailed the key pieces of information you need to know straight away!

What does the start of the season look like?

Derby will start the campaign on the road with a short trip across the A50 to face Stoke City on the opening day at the bet365 Stadium on Saturday 9th August.

Ironically, the Rams concluded the 2024/25 season against the Potters in a 0-0 draw at a sold-out Pride Park Stadium in May.

Derby’s first home game of the new season in the Championship will see Coventry City, managed by former Rams boss Frank Lampard, visit Pride Park on Saturday 16th August.

The Rams will then face Bristol City at home a week later on Saturday 23rd August before heading into the first international break of the campaign with a journey to Portman Road to face Ipswich Town following their relegation from the Premier League last term on Saturday 30th August.

Who will Derby face over Christmas?

There are some Christmas crackers are lined up for Derby with short trips to Birmingham City and Leicester City to see out 2025.

The Rams will travel to the West Midlands to take on Birmingham at St. Andrew's @ Knighthead Park on Boxing Day on Friday 26th December, while 2025 will conclude with a journey across the East Midlands to pay a visit to Leicester City in league action at the King Power Stadium for the first time since 2014 on Monday 29th December.

Derby will begin 2026 at Pride Park against Middlesbrough on New Year’s Day, on Thursday 1st January, which will swiftly be followed by recently-promoted Wrexham heading to Derbyshire on Sunday 4th January.

How will the Easter programme shape up?

Derby’s Easter programme is a reversal of their opening two fixtures of the league season.

They will head to the Coventry Building Society Arena to take on Coventry City on Friday 3rd April ahead of a home clash against Stoke City on Monday 6th April.

What does the end of the season look like?

Derby’s final away day of the season will come in the capital at the MATRADE Loftus Road Stadium against Queens Park Rangers in gameweek 45 on Saturday 25th April.

The Rams will end the 2025/26 season on home turf at Pride Park against Sheffield United on Saturday 2nd May.

When are this season’s international breaks?

There are four weekends scheduled where Derby won't be in action due to international football taking priority.

They are as follows: 6th/7th September 2025, 11th/12th October 2025, 15th/16th November 2025, 28th/29th March 2026.

What about TV selections?

As with last season, following the launch of the new broadcast deal with Sky Sports, by Thursday 3rd July all matches selected for broadcast for the period to the end of September will be announced, and before a ball is kicked in the 2025/26 season all TV selections will be confirmed for the period up to the FA Cup Third Round on the weekend of 10th January 2026.

This is up to five months’ notice provided to fans and Clubs, a significant increase on the previous deal, which had seen five weeks' notice given across the majority of the season. By selecting TV picks early and giving much more notice, fans will be able to plan with certainty when making travel and hotel arrangements.

Sky Bet EFL fixtures will be broadcast via either an existing Sky Sports channel or Sky Sports+ with all televised fixtures also available on streaming service NOW.

Further details, including TV selection notice periods for later in the season, is available on EFL.com.