ITV confirm first free-to-air matches of new season including Wrexham opener and three huge derbies
As part of a partnership with Sky Sports for the 2025/26 season, the broadcaster will show a total of 20 football matches across the campaign.
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ITV has confirmed the first of its free-to-air games in the EFL and League Cup this season
Credit: Getty
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Their league coverage will begin at Wrexham's home ground three days after a League Cup Round One match
Credit: PA
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ITV confirmed it will have 20 free-to-air games this season
Credit: Getty
This selection is made up of 10 EFL ties and 10 Cup ties.
And the first six games to be aired under the partnership have been revealed in a statement this morning.
ITV will kick off their coverage by showing the Round One League Cup clash between Birmingham and Sheffield United on August 13, with kick-off at 8pm.
This will be followed three days later by Wrexham's first Championship game at the Racecourse Ground against
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The Saturday, 13 August game will kick off at 12:30pm.
Three major derbies will follow in each month leading up to December, all currently pencilled in for midday kick-offs.
The first will see Southampton taking on
The second will see Ipswich host Norwich on October 5.
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And the third will see
The final confirmed game so far in ITV's selection pool will see Derby face Leicester - relegated from the Premier League last season - on December 6.
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This broadcasting deal will run until the end of 2026/27 season, while ITV will still show extended highlights on ITV4 and ITVX.
While the Premier League season does not start until August 15, the rest of the English pyramid will already be in full swing by then.
The Championship season gets underway a week before, on August 8, with Birmingham taking on relegated Ipswich on Friday evening.
However, League One and League Two begin as early as this weekend.
The third tier kicks off the entire season of professional football in
Meanwhile, tier four will see all of its games played out at 3pm on Saturday, August 2.
Confirmed free-to-air games of the 2025/26 season
ITV's confirmed fixtures below (until the end of 2025)
Carabao Cup R1 - Birmingham City v Sheffield United - Wed 13th Aug 8.00pm
Wrexham v West Bromwich Albion – Sat 16 Aug 12.30pm
Southampton v Portsmouth – Sunday 14 September 12.00pm
Ipswich Town v Norwich City – Sunday 5 October 12.00pm
Sheffield Wednesday v Sheffield United – Sunday 23 November 12.00pm
Derby County v Leicester City – Saturday 6 December 12.30pm
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