Championship Season Preview: Club-by-Club Guide to 2025-26 Campaign **

Championship Season Preview: Club-by-Club Guide to 2025-26 Campaign

The Championship is renowned for its relentless competitiveness, and the upcoming 2025-26 season promises to be one of the most thrilling yet. With the addition of relegated Premier League sides Southampton, Ipswich, and Leicester—plus ambitious clubs like Birmingham and Wrexham—the division is packed with talent and unpredictability.

Below, BBC Sport correspondents analyze each team’s prospects, key signings, and potential weaknesses as the transfer window remains active.

### **Birmingham City**
**Head Coach:** Chris Davies
**Last Season:** League One champions (promoted)
**Key Ins:** Phil Neumann, Kyogo Furuhashi, Tommy Doyle, Demarai Gray, Bright Osayi-Samuel
**Key Outs:** Alfie May, Bailey Peacock-Farrell

Birmingham, backed by owners Knighthead, are embracing high expectations after a strong summer recruitment drive. Their Championship-worthy squad has been bolstered, and under Chris Davies, they play an identifiable style that could attract more quality signings.

**Strengths:** A solid defense featuring Christoph Klarer and Phil Neumann, plus creative midfielders like Kyogo and Gray. Keeper James Beadle and Ryan Allsop provide strong goalkeeping options.
**Weaknesses:** A possession-based style can sometimes lack punch, and the team’s resilience under pressure remains untested.
**Player to Watch:** Jay Stansfield—hard-working, talented, and a fan favorite.
**Predicted Finish:** 8th (Aaron Paul & Jobi McAnufBlackburn Rovers** 
**Head Coach:** Valerien Ismael
**Last Season:** 7th
**Key Ins:** Sidnei Tavares, Dion De Neve, Sean McLoughlin, Axel Henriksson, Lewis Miller
**Key Outs:** Callum Brittain, Joe Rankin-Costello, Tyrhys Dolan, Andi Weimann, Danny Batth, Dilan Markanday

After a surprise seventh-place finish last season, Blackburn enter 2025-26 in transition, having lost over 1,200 Championship appearances to departures. Expectations are cautiously optimistic, though the futures of key players like Lewis Travis, Sondre Tronstad, and Dom Hyam (all out of contract next summer) cast uncertainty.

Strengths: Strong team spirit, aggressive pressing, and promising striker Yuki Ohashi. 
Weaknesses:Contract situations of top players and the need for new signings to gel quickly. 
Player to Watch: Yuki Ohashi—building on his encouraging first season in England.

The season begins with Birmingham facing Ipswich on Friday, setting the stage for another unpredictable and thrilling Championship campaign. Will the newcomers challenge for immediate promotion, or will established clubs like Sheffield United and Coventry push for a return to the Premier League? Only time will tell.