Every Championship clubs’ pre-season plans including Marseille and Rangers games

Excitement continues to build ahead of the new Championship season.

Thanks to the first-ever winter World Cup, the EFL campaign begins earlier than usual this year. It all kicks off on Friday, July 29 when Huddersfield Town welcome Burnley for the curtain-raiser.

Before then there is plenty for clubs to do, in terms of sorting out their squads and fine-tuning their preparations.

When it comes to pre-season, clubs have different ways of putting together their schedules with some opting for warm-weather camps and others deciding to schedule as many warm-up games as possible close to home.

Here, Mirror Football checks out the plans for all 24 second tier clubs ahead of the earliest-ever EFL start.

Birmingham City

The Blues visit Portugal for a pre-season training camp, facing Portimonense in a friendly whilst there. Also lined up are fixtures against Burton and Cheltenham.

Portimonense – July 12,Burton Albion – July 16,Cheltenham Town – July 19

Blackburn Rovers

Also heading to Portugal under new boss Jon Dahl Tomasson, before five games upon their return home. They face Accrington, Dundee, Hartlepool and Lincoln but their marquee game is away at Celtic on July 16.

Accrington – July 9,Dundee – July 13,Celtic – July 16,Hartlepool – July 20,Lincoln – July 23

Blackpool

Michael Appleton’s second spell in charge sees him welcome Glasgow Rangers for a prestige friendly on July 16. They also travel to Salford and are expected to announce at least one more friendly.

Rangers – July 16,Salford – July 19

Bristol City

The Robins are staging a number of exhibition games at their training centre rather than Ashton Gate. These include visits from Cheltenham, Portsmouth and Exeter. They will also travel to Plymouth and Premier League new boys Bournemouth.

July 6 – Cheltenham Town,July 12 – Portsmouth,July 16 – Plymouth,July 19 – Forest Green and Exeter,July 23 – Bournemouth

Burnley

Vincent Kompany will take his new charges to Portugal for a camp that includes two behind-closed-doors games.

Before that they will face warm-up games against Rochdale, Shrewsbury, Wolves and Burton prior to kicking off the new season at Huddersfield in the curtain-raiser on July 29.

July 1 – Rochdale,July 9 – Wolves,July 15 – Shrewsbury

Cardiff City

A new-look Cardiff side have headed to Scotland for a training camp and will then play five friendlies, against Cambridge, Newport, Cheltenham, Shrewsbury and Swindon.

July 9 – Cambridge United,July 12 – Newport County,July 16 – Cheltenham Town,July 19 – Shrewsbury Town,July 23 – Swindon Town

Coventry City

The Sky Blues are scheduled to face Portsmouth and Oxford, games which sandwich a trip to Spain. At least one game is set to be pencilled in for the trip, with Premier League newboys Nottingham Forest suggested as a potential opponent.

July 2 – Leamington,July 16 – Oxford United,July 19 – Walsall,July 23 – Portsmouth

Huddersfield Town

Town, beaten play-off finalists last term, return later than most other clubs. They will then face Morecambe, Harrogate and Doncaster in bounce matches before rounding off pre-season with tests against Tranmere and Bolton. They open the new season up at home to Burnley on July 29.

July 12 – Morecambe,July 16 – Harrogate,July 16 – Doncaster,July 23 – Tranmere,July 23 – Bolton

Hull City

The Tigers have lined up a stellar friendly away at Fenerbahce for July 10. The Turkish giants have the likes of Mesut Ozil in their ranks but whether he plays is unknown following his recent fall-out with the club.

Hull will then return to the UK to face Cambridge and Peterborough.

July 10 – Fenerbahce,July 23 – Peterborough,July 23 – Cambridge

Luton Town

The Hatters have a training camp in Slovenia pencilled in for mid-July after which they will travel to Northampton and then Peterborough. They round off pre-season with a tasty-looking friendly at home to West Ham on July 23.

July 1 – Hitchin Town,July 16 – Northampton Town,July 19 – Peterborough United,July 23 – West Ham United

Middlesbrough

Boro’s marquee friendly comes against French giants Marseille, who visit the Riverside on July 22. Prior to that they head to Portugal for a camp that includes a meeting with Braga. They will also face York and Morecambe in domestic dust-ups prior to the new season.

July 2 – Bishop Auckland,July 8 – York,July 15 – Braga,July 19 – Morecambe,July 22 – Marseille

Millwall

Among the most low-key build-ups. Heading to Ireland for a training camp before facing Dartford, Colchester and then Ipswich.

July 12 – Dartford,July 15 – Millwall,July 23 – Ipswich

Norwich City

Canaries are going continental with trips to Germany to face Jahn Regensburg and France to take on Marseille.

Back home they then face King’s Lynn Town and Cambridge before a double-header against Scottish pair Celtic and Hibernian.

July 1 – Dereham,July 9 – SSV Jahn Regensburg,July 12 – King’s Lynn,July 16 – Marseille,July 19 – Cambridge,July 23 – Celtic,July 24 – Hibernian

Preston North End

Ryan Lowe’s side face short trips to Bamber Bridge and Accrington Stanley before home tests against Scottish side Hearts and then Premier League side Leicester City. In the middle of those comes a marquee test against Spanish outfit Getafe, during a camp in Alicante.

July 2 – Bamber Bridge,July 12 – Getafe,July 16 – Accrington Stanley,July 20 – Hearts

Queens Park Rangers

Rangers, under new boss Michael Beale, are heading to Germany to take in two matches against lower league opponents FSV Zwickau and Hallescher FC.

They will also visit Crawley and Wealdstone upon returning to the UK. They are expected to announce a home game for the weekend before the big kick-off.

July 9 – Crawley,July 13 – FSV Zwickau,July 16 – Hallescher FC,July 23 – Wealdstone

Reading

The Royals, now with Paul Ince in charge on a permanent basis, face Portuguese giants Benfica in their stand-out pre-season game.

That match takes place at St George’s Park behind-closed-doors. They also have two home games to look forward to against top flight pair West Ham and Brighton, as well as clashes with Colchester, Maidenhead and AFC Wimbledon.

July 2 – Colchester,July 9 – Benfica,July 12 – Maidenhead,July 16 – West Ham,July 19 – AFC Wimbledon,July 23 – Brighton

Rotherham United

The newly-promoted Millers head to Croatia for a training camp before six away friendlies. Five of those are against League Two opposition including Salford and local rivals Doncaster.

July 1 – Parkgate,July 12 – Harrogate Town,July 13 – Salford City,July 16 – Mansfield,July 19 – Doncaster,July 23 – Crewe

Sheffield United

The Blades are another side heading for a warm-weather camp in Portugal, where they will face newly-promoted top flight side Casa Pia. Upon returning home they face Lincoln City, Scunthorpe United, Burton and Barnsley.

July 8 -Casa Pia,July 12 – Lincoln,July 16 – Scunthorpe,July 22 – Burton,July 23 – Barnsley

Stoke City

A training camp in Ireland will see them face Cork before friendlies with Accrington and Bristol Rovers. Another game is expected to be added.

July 9 – Cork,July 13 – Accrington,July 19 – Bristol Rovers

Sunderland

The Black Cats toasted promotion via the play-offs last season and have added a flurry of fixtures as they prepare for the Championship.

They travel to the Algarve with a fixture against Rangers the highlight. They also face Dundee United, Bradford, Accrington and Hartlepool.

July 2 – Gateshead,July 2 – Blyth Spartans,July 9 – Rangers,July 16 – Dundee United,July 19 – Bradford City,July 23 – Accrington Stanley,July 25 – Hartlepool United

Swansea City

The Swans will travel to League One pair Plymouth and Charlton. Those are the only two confirmed games so far, but more are expected.

July 12 – Plymouth,July 23 – Charlton

Watford

The Hornets had come in for criticism after announcing a friendly against the Qatari national side. The game was scheduled for July 10 during a training camp in Austria but given the country’s views on human rights, homosexuality and women’s rights, the fixture came under scrutiny from Watford ‘s LGBT+ supporters’ group and the women’s supporters group. It led to a U-turn with the club scrapping the game. Other games for Watford, under new boss Rob Edwards, include Bolton, Wycombe and Southampton.

July 2 – Cambridge United,July 12 – Bolton,July 16 – Wycombe,July 23 – Southampton

West Bromwich Albion

Steve Bruce’s side host German team Hertha Berlin in a glamour friendly at the Hawthorns on July 23.

Prior to that they are yet another team heading to Portugal, during which they’ll face Leyton Orient in a bounce game. Further tests against Stevenage, Northampton, Crewe and Oxford await.

July 4 – Leyton Orient,July 9 – Stevenage,July 13 – Northampton,July 16 – Crewe,July 19 – Oxford,July 23 – Hertha Berlin

Wigan Athletic

The Latics prepare for their Championship return with a Spain training camp before games at Bamber Bridge, Hyde, Oldham and Accrington. There is still space for one further friendly, the week before the league campaign begins.

July 5 – Bamber Bridge,July 12 – Hyde,July 16 – Oldham,July 19 – Accrington