Hammers & Boro to go up? Championship club-by-club preview

What the report says

BBC Sport Football published a club-by-club preview of the 2026-27 Championship, with correspondents assessing all 24 teams before the new season begins. The piece says the division looks unusually open and competitive, especially with only four clubs entering on parachute payments: newly relegated West Ham, Wolves and Burnley, plus Southampton, who start on a four-point penalty after the spygate scandal referenced by BBC Sport. It also notes the return of Lincoln City, Cardiff and Bolton to the second tier, and says the transfer window remains open until 1 September, so squads may still change.

Among the clubs highlighted, West Ham and Middlesbrough are mentioned as teams with promotion hopes in the wider framing, while individual previews stress a range of ambitions and concerns. Birmingham City are presented as aiming to build on a revamped, younger squad and push for at least a top-eight finish. Blackburn Rovers are focused on avoiding another difficult campaign after only four home wins last season. Bolton Wanderers are viewed as aiming first to consolidate after promotion from League One, with their attacking output and budget singled out as key issues.

The BBC’s previews combine background on managers, recent form, transfer activity and likely strengths and weaknesses for each side. The overall message is that this Championship season could be especially hard to predict, with several clubs believing they can challenge at the top while others are trying to stabilise after relegation, promotion or major squad changes.