Middlesbrough FC 2026-27 fixtures: Championship new boys are first opponents with Southampton rematch not until mid-season
Middlesbrough will start the 2026-27 season at home to Championship new boys Lincoln City.
The sides meet at the Riverside at 3pm on August 15.
Their first meeting with Southampton since the Saints were expelled from the Championship play-offs for spying on Boro and others is at St Mary's on the final weekend of November. The reverse fixture is not until mid-March.
Another highlight of Boro's schedule is Boxing Day, when they travel to a Sheffield United side who should be another of the front runners to win promotion. The Blades are managed by former Boro boss Chris Wilder. The sides meet on Teesside in the final match before March's international break.
Boro have a home game on New Year's Day, against Preston North End.
Kim Hellberg's side face a tough run-in as they look to win promotion after the disappointment of last season's play-off final. Their final two home games are against relegated Burnley and West Ham United, sandwiched by trips to West Bromwich Albion and Swansea City.
Wolverhampton Wanderers, who sacked Rob Edwards as manager in June, visit on October 10, and Boro finish their February programme at Molineux.
The away games against Bunley and West Ham are on the first weekend of September and the second one of December respectively.
All fixtures are subject to change, but refreshingly Boro will start their campaign at three o'clock on a Saturday – a rare start time for them last season – with changes for live television coverage to be announced in due course.
The presence of West Ham back in the Championship should hopefully reduce the number of Friday night matches next season.
The draw for the first round of the League Cup is due to take place at 4:30pm.
August
15 Lincoln City H
22 Blackburn Rovers A
29 West Bromwich Albion H
September
2 Burnley A
5 Queens Park Rangers A
8 Millwall H
12 Norwich City H
19 Birmingham City A
October
10 Wolverhampton Wanderers H
13 Stoke City A
17 Cardiff City H
24 Bolton Wanderers A
31 Charlton Athletic H
November
4 Wrexham A
7 Watford A
21 Bristol City H
24 Swansea City H
28 Southampton A
December
5 Derby County H
8 West Ham United A
12 Preston North End A
19 Portsmouth H
26 Sheffield United A
29 Bolton Wanderers H
January
1 Preston North End H
16 Cardiff City A
23 Charlton Athletic A
27 Wrexham H
30 Watford H
February
6 Bristol City A
13 Norwich City A
17 Stoke City H
20 Birmingham City H
27 Wolverhampton Wanderers A
March
2 Blackburn Rovers H
6 Lincoln City A
13 Southampton H
16 Derby County A
20 Sheffield United H
April
3 Portsmouth A
6 Millwall A
10 Queens Park Rangers H
17 West Bromwich Albion A
20 Burnley H
24 West Ham United H
May
1 Swansea City A