The Championship is only weeks old, but the promotion race already has a familiar feel: recently relegated Premier League clubs are under pressure, ambitious challengers are waiting, and one good run can change everything.

That makes Championship teams to watch this season a particularly interesting conversation in 2026–27. West Ham United, Wolverhampton Wanderers and Burnley arrived with the weight of relegation behind them, while clubs such as Middlesbrough, Birmingham City and Southampton have their own reasons to believe they can challenge.

The Championship remains one of English football’s hardest divisions to predict. There are 24 clubs, a 46-match league schedule, and only three promotion places at the end of the campaign. Two teams go up automatically, while the remaining promotion place is decided through the play-offs.

So, which sides deserve the closest attention? Here’s a look at the Championship teams to watch this season and the stories that could define the race.

West Ham United Begin as the Team to Beat

West Ham’s return to the Championship ended a 14-season stay in the Premier League. That alone makes the 2026–27 campaign a major reset for the club.

Early title and promotion markets placed the Hammers among the strongest contenders. Several previews also pointed to the quality already available in their squad as a major advantage over much of the division.

The biggest advantage is Premier League-level experience.

Jarrod Bowen Staying Matters

One of the biggest boosts for West Ham came with Jarrod Bowen remaining at the club.

In a division where consistency often separates the promoted teams from the chasing pack, keeping a player of Bowen’s quality gives West Ham a major attacking reference point. The Championship season is long, physical and unpredictable, so having players who can decide tight matches carries huge value.

Nuno Espírito Santo Knows the Job

Manager Nuno Espírito Santo also brings useful Championship experience.

He previously guided Wolves to the Championship title in 2017–18, and that history matters when expectations are high. West Ham won’t simply need talent. They’ll need rhythm, discipline and the ability to respond when opponents treat them as the biggest game of the week.

That’s the challenge.

Being favourites sounds comfortable in August. It can feel very different after a difficult winter away trip.

Wolverhampton Wanderers Face a Major Test

Wolves entered the Championship after finishing bottom of the Premier League in the previous season, according to Opta’s 2026–27 Championship preview. Their return to the second tier is their first since 2017–18.

That makes Wolves one of the most closely watched clubs in the division.

Their squad still carries serious experience.

New Faces Bring New Questions

Pre-season coverage highlighted the arrivals of experienced players including Kieran Trippier and Raúl Jiménez.

Those names naturally raise expectations. Experience can be valuable in the Championship, especially across a 46-game season where leadership often becomes important during difficult spells.

Still, recruitment alone doesn’t guarantee promotion.

Can Wolves Settle Quickly?

The bigger question surrounds how quickly Wolves can establish a clear identity after managerial change.

Promotion races are rarely won in August, but teams can certainly lose ground early. Wolves need to avoid letting uncertainty follow them through the opening months.

If their experienced players settle quickly and the coaching setup works, Wolves have enough reasons to remain among the leading Championship teams to watch this season.

Middlesbrough Could Be the Established Challenger

Middlesbrough may not have arrived from the Premier League, but they have featured prominently in early discussions about promotion.

Several pre-season projections and betting markets placed Boro among the stronger challengers outside the recently relegated clubs.

Middlesbrough have been widely viewed as genuine promotion contenders.

Why Boro Stand Out

The Championship often rewards clubs that understand the division.

There is less margin for error than some supporters expect. A strong squad helps, but so do preparation, tactical clarity and the ability to collect points against teams lower in the table.

Middlesbrough’s appeal comes from their position between the obvious favourites and the unpredictable outsiders. They aren’t carrying the same relegation baggage as West Ham or Wolves.

That could help.

The Pressure Is Different

For relegated clubs, promotion is often seen as an immediate requirement.

Middlesbrough’s situation is different. Expectations remain high, but the story isn’t simply about bouncing back. It’s about taking an opportunity in a division where several major clubs may spend the season adjusting to change.

If Boro can put together a consistent run, they could become one of the season’s most important stories.

Burnley Have the Resources but Also Questions

Burnley are another club starting the campaign after Premier League relegation.

That status automatically puts them in the promotion conversation, and early markets placed them among the teams expected to compete near the top.

Relegation gives Burnley urgency, not guarantees.

A Difficult Summer Can Change Everything

The transition from the Premier League to the Championship is rarely straightforward.

Squads change. Players leave. Managers face new expectations. A club can look strong on paper and still struggle with the weekly demands of the Championship.

That’s why Burnley are so interesting.

They have the profile of a promotion contender, but their campaign may depend heavily on how quickly the club finds stability.

The Championship Won’t Wait

One of the harshest lessons in this division is that slow starts can create problems that last for months.

Burnley have enough quality to challenge, but they need to turn that potential into points. If they do, the promotion picture becomes even tighter.

Southampton Have Plenty to Prove

Southampton also entered the season among the clubs mentioned in promotion discussions.

However, their campaign began with an added complication. The Guardian’s season preview reported that Southampton were dealing with the consequences of a four-point deduction connected to the Spygate scandal.

The early points deficit changes the margin for error.

Why the Deduction Matters

A four-point deduction may not sound decisive in August.

By May, though, every point matters. Championship promotion and play-off races are often shaped by small margins.

Southampton therefore face a simple task: recover those lost points without allowing the situation to dominate their season.

Still a Serious Contender

Despite that setback, Southampton appeared in several early promotion markets.

That tells you something about the belief in their underlying potential.

If Southampton put together a strong sequence of results, the deduction could become an early-season footnote.

If results are inconsistent, however, those four points could become impossible to ignore.

Birmingham City and Wrexham Bring Ambition to the Race

The Championship isn’t only about teams coming down from the Premier League.

Birmingham City and Wrexham have both appeared in early conversations around the promotion battle, reflecting the ambition surrounding their respective projects.

Ambition can make the chasing pack dangerous.

Birmingham’s Opportunity

Birmingham have been listed among the stronger early contenders in several markets.

The club’s challenge is to turn expectation into sustained performance. The Championship can punish teams that chase promotion without building consistency.

A strong start would put Birmingham firmly in the conversation. More importantly, it could force the established favourites to take them seriously.

Wrexham Remain a Fascinating Story

Wrexham continue to attract attention because of their rapid rise through the English football pyramid.

Early Championship previews included them among clubs capable of entering the promotion discussion, even if they weren’t universally placed alongside the leading favourites.

The pressure will be different this season.

At this level, reputation doesn’t win matches. Wrexham must prove they can handle the pace and depth of the Championship across nine demanding months.

That’s exactly what makes them worth watching.

Why This Championship Promotion Race Could Stay Open

The Championship season began on August 14, 2026, and runs until May 1, 2027.

Every team plays 46 league matches, creating plenty of time for momentum to change.

Forty-six matches leave room for chaos.

The Recently Relegated Clubs Have an Edge

West Ham, Wolves and Burnley all began the campaign with the advantages usually associated with recently relegated Premier League teams.

Resources, squad depth and top-flight experience can all help.

But Championship history has shown that relegated teams don’t automatically return.

The Challengers Can Capitalise

That’s where clubs like Middlesbrough, Birmingham and Southampton become so important.

If one or more relegated sides struggle to settle, the door opens quickly. The Championship doesn’t usually wait for anyone to find form.

A six-game winning run can transform a season. A poor month can do the opposite.

The Play-Off Race Adds Another Layer

Promotion isn’t limited to finishing in the top two.

The play-offs offer another route to the Premier League, which keeps more teams involved for longer. That can make the final months of the season especially intense.

For supporters, it’s one of the reasons the Championship remains so compelling.

What to Watch as the Season Develops

The early weeks won’t decide promotion, but they can reveal a lot.

Watch how quickly the relegated clubs settle. Keep an eye on whether Middlesbrough can maintain their early expectations. See how Southampton respond to their points deduction.

And don’t ignore the clubs sitting just outside the headlines.

Three Storylines That Could Define the Season

• West Ham’s response: Can the favourites handle the pressure of being expected to win?
• Wolves’ transition: Will their new setup settle quickly enough to launch a serious promotion push?
• The chasing pack: Can Middlesbrough, Birmingham, Southampton or another ambitious club break into the automatic promotion places?

Those questions should remain relevant long after the opening fixtures.

Key Takeaways

• West Ham United: The Hammers began the season as one of the leading favourites for promotion and remain the benchmark for the division.
• Wolverhampton Wanderers: Wolves have experienced additions but must quickly settle after a period of change.
• Middlesbrough: Boro stand out as one of the strongest challengers outside the recently relegated Premier League clubs.
• Burnley and Southampton: Both have promotion potential, although each enters the campaign with important questions to answer.
• Birmingham and Wrexham: Their ambition makes them two clubs capable of adding another twist to the promotion race.

FAQs

Who are the favourites for the Championship title in 2026–27?

West Ham United began the season as the leading title favourites in several early Championship markets and previews.

Which recently relegated teams are in the 2026–27 Championship?

West Ham United, Wolverhampton Wanderers and Burnley entered the Championship after relegation from the Premier League.

How many teams are promoted from the Championship?

Three teams are promoted, with the top two going up automatically and one more earning promotion through the play-offs.

How many matches does each Championship team play?

Each club plays 46 league matches during the Championship season.

Which teams could challenge the favourites?

Early previews and markets have highlighted Middlesbrough, Birmingham City and Southampton among the clubs capable of challenging the leading favourites.

Conclusion

The list of Championship teams to watch this season starts with West Ham and Wolves, but the 2026–27 promotion race looks far too competitive to stop there.

Middlesbrough have a real chance to challenge, Burnley and Southampton have plenty to prove, and ambitious clubs such as Birmingham City and Wrexham could make the race even less predictable. With 46 matches still shaping every club’s season, the biggest story may not be who starts as favourite, but who handles the pressure best when the Championship reaches its decisive months.