Fantasy EFL 2025/26: Best and Worst Opening Fixtures Analysed
EFL Fantasy 2025/26: Best and Worst Opening Fixtures Analysed – As fantasy managers prepare for the new EFL season, getting ahead of the fixture schedule can provide a crucial edge. In this article, we break down the teams with the most favourable and most difficult starts to the 2025/26 campaign.
Whether you’re looking for early differentials or planning your Gameweek 1 squad, this fixture analysis will help you make smarter picks from the very start, and all with the help of expert @DanDave1989.
Championship (GWs 2-5)
First of all, just a note that the Championship sides don’t start until GW2 of the FEFL season.
This year there are a lot of unknowns going into the 2025-26 Championship season, with how many new managers will be taking charge, Leicester’s potential point’s deduction and some strong sides coming up from League 1.
Pre-season may be more important than ever in seeing how some of these teams are looking. There may be time required for teams to fully settle as well.
Some of the teams who I believe have a good start to the season are:
- Leicester: Sheffield Wednesday (H), Preston (A), Charlton (A), Birmingham (H)
- QPR: Preston (H), Watford (A), Coventry (A), Charlton (H).
- Southampton: Wrexham (H), Ipswich (A), Stoke (H), Watford (A)
Leicester face three of the favoured teams to go down in their opening three. I do think that if they get their manager appointment right, they will again be one of the strongest. I also think Leicester players will be of interest early on so keeping an eye on them in pre-season will be key.
Next up, I also like QPR’s opening fixtures. I like what QPR are doing in the transfer window too and could be one of the dark horses this season. They have two lovely home games in their 1st and 4th fixtures so attacking and defensive assets may be interesting.
Onto Southampton, they are a bit of an unknown with new manager Will Still. But, they have some nice fixtures early on and are one of the favourites for promotion. Their first two home games are lovely and Southampton attacking assets could definitely be on the menu. I know the second game is against Ipswich, but the Watford match to round off the four is another one which we may want to target.
Some of the teams who I believe have a trickier start to the season are:
- Preston: QPR (A), Leicester (H), Ipswich (H), Portsmouth (A)
- Middlesbrough: Swansea (H), Millwall (A),Norwich (A), Sheff Utd (H)
Preston play two relegated sides in fixtures two and three which is an awful start to have. They also have two tricky away games in fixtures one and four. QPR look like they could be a stronger side and Portsmouth are known for being a tough home side.
Middlesbrough also have a tricky start with their first four. Swansea at home feels like a bit of an unknown game and it’s hard to know who comes out on top. The two away fixtures which follow are tricky. Millwall and Norwich are both solid championship sides and could well be in the play-off hunt. So, going away to them back to back is tough.
After those trips they face last season’s losing play off finalists in Sheffield United. Add in the fact that Middlesbrough have had a managerial change then they may need to be a watch and wait early on with the fixtures too.
League 1 (GWs 1 – 4)
So the first GW of the EFL kicks off with League 1 and League 2 fixtures. I expect it to be a competitive season with some of the non-relegated sides already making some decent signings to their squads.
With the parachute payments I also expect Luton to be the strongest in the division. The other two relegated sides you’d imagine will be contesting the top spots along with a host of chasing teams.
Some of the teams who I believe have a good start to the season are:
Luton: Wimbledon (H), Peterborough (A), Bradford (A), Wigan (H), Cardiff (H)
Cardiff: Peterborough (H) Port Vale (A) Rotherham (H) + Wimbledon (A), Luton (A)
It maybe not too much of a surprise, but Luton and Cardiff are two I think will be popular early doors. Both teams come up against two of the promoted sides in their first four fixtures. It means that team picks for both could definitely be used early on.
Also note that for League 1 and League 2 fixtures three and four I would imagine make up a DGW whereas the Championship sides have a SGW.
So back to the fixtures, other than facing two of the newly promoted sides, they both take on Peterborough who have definitely become weaker during the course of the transfer window so far. They have lost FEFL favourite Poku to QPR and they have also lost the likes of Jade-Jones and Kyprianou too. I think they could be a team to target especially early on. So, with them in the mix these fixture runs look great for Luton and Cardiff.
Some of the teams who I believe have a trickier start to the season are:
- Peterborough: Cardiff (A), Luton (A), Wigan (A) Barnsley (H), Bradford (H)
- Wimbledon: Luton (A), Lincoln (H), Reading (A) + Cardiff (H), Barnsley (H)
I don’t think I need to add too much for Peterborough, but those first three games especially seem tricky. It gets slightly easier for them in GWs 3 and 4. Overall, it’s a very tricky start for them.
Next up we have one of the promoted sides in Wimbledon. I do expect them to put up a fight especially at home. But, with games against Luton and Cardiff in the first four, it is hard to imagine we will be focusing our attention on the Dons’ assets.
The GW2 fixture against Lincoln at home could provide some useful defensive assets. But, as a set of fixtures to begin with, I don’t think we will be looking in their direction. We could maybe see how they have looked before that nicer home fixture vs Barnsley in GW4.
Our ‘Best and Worst Opening Fixtures Analysed’ isn’t the only thing we have to help guide you through the upcoming season. Check out the type of content you will see in the coming weeks here.
League 2 (GWs 1-4)
Finally onto League 2 and I just want to say that this looks like it will be a lottery and hard to predict again.
Looking at the moves in the transfer market you can probably guess who I am going to mention as a team to look at picking assets from.
Some of the teams who I believe have a good start to the season are:
MK Dons: Oldham (H), Barrow (A), Cheltenham (H), Crawley (A), Newport (A)
Chesterfield: Barrow (H), Cheltenham (A), Bristol Rovers (H) + Gillingham (A), Harrogate (A)
So yes MK Dons are the first team I have mentioned here. It is no secret they have done some good business in the transfer market. So far they have brought in the likes of Mendez-Laing, Collins, Hepburn-Muprhy and Collar.
They look like they are assembling a strong squad, and they also have some nice early fixtures. Mk Dons face two of the weaker sides for me in Barrow and Newport and have two nice home games in the first five fixtures. I definitely think that they will be a team to target in GW1 and the DGW3.
The next team I have mentioned are Chesterfield. They are one of the favoured sides to be involved in the promotion race building on last season’s campaign which saw them lose out at Wembley. Chesterfield have some nice fixtures to target early in including the Barrow home fixtures and Harrogate away fixture in GWs 1 and 4 respectively.
The Rovers and Gillingham fixtures will probably show more about their promotion credentials, but around those two the fixtures are nice.
Some of the teams who I believe have a trickier start to the season are:
- Barrow: Chesterfield (A), MK Dons (H), Notts County (H) + Harrogate (A), Colchester (A)
- Harrogate: Bristol Rovers (A), Grimsby (H), Cambridge (A) + Barrow (H), Chesterfield (H)
Barrow are a team who I think could struggle this season and their opening five fixtures are pretty tricky. They face two promotion contenders in Chesterfield and MK Dons in the opening two GWs. Barrow then face a bit of a mixed DGW before going away to another team who I fancy to do well this season in Colchester. I think Barrow assets may not be on our menu too early on that is for sure.
The second team is Harrogate and again I think these could struggle this season. They too face four tricky fixtures in the opening four GWs. Bristol Rovers away will definitely be a game where Harrogate will be targeted. They also have to play Grimsby, Cambridge and Chesterfield in their opening run all of which I feel will be closer to the top end of the table.
