EFL 2025/26: The Surprise Packages and Dark Horses Emerging Early

EFL 2025/26: The Surprise Packages and Dark Horses Emerging Early

We are less than 10 game-weeks into the 2025/26 season, but the EFL makeup is already starting to take shape. Some teams are edging the 20-point mark, some teams are still point-less, but the best part is that we still have over eight months for everything to flip on its head.

Whilst League One and League Two teams have all played more games than what their Championship superiors have, all three leagues have already provided subdued signals of which teams may be heading towards a successful campaign.

At Football Park, we are going to take a look into the EFL’s early indications and discuss the teams we think have already shown signs of being a dark horse or a surprise package.

Middlesbrough - EFL Championship

This one goes without saying. Middlesbrough have been a top-half Championship powerhouse for years now, so it is no surprise to once again see them up there. However, nobody quite expected them to sit at the very summit of the table after the first five games.

Manager Rob Edwards has done a fantastic job with them following his arrival this summer. They currently top the table on 13 points, after winning four and drawing one from their opening five.

Rob Edwards has been awarded the Championship Manager of the Month for August 👏

Four wins in four in his first month in charge of the club. Starts do not get much better than that. pic.twitter.com/Y9Ve4lgjRN

— Second Tier podcast (@secondtierpod) September 12, 2025

The draw came as their latest result too, as Preston North End held them to a 2-2 scoreline last Saturday. Other than that, Boro have been impeccable, they conceded just one goal from their first four matches and have beaten strong Championship outfits.

As previously mentioned, Middlesbrough aren’t the greatest dark horse because they have now finished inside the Championship top 10 for five seasons on the bounce. However, despite numerous playoff campaigns, they have not once been the favourites for automatic promotion.

Of course it’s only early days, but this season could emerge to be a miraculous year in the North East. They have been stuck in the second tier for eight years now, following their instant relegation from the Premier League in 2017. It’s not as if Rob Edwards doesn’t have previous experience of getting a team promoted to the top flight either.

Stevenage - EFL League One

It’s fair to say Stevenage have overperformed from the moment they stepped foot in League One in 2023.

In their first season they finished ninth, with 71 points. However, last year their fortunes came tumbling down, after ending the campaign in 14th position. Many people thought the decline was going to continue, which made the Boro one of the favourites to suffer the drop this season.

It has been quite the opposite though, as Stevenage continue to occupy a playoff spot, seven games into the new term. They have won five of their opening games, whilst having drawn one and lost one in the meantime.

This now puts Alex Revell’s men in fourth place, with a game in hand. Whilst the Hertfordshire outfit acquired plenty of key signings over the summer, they still maintained one of the weakest budgets in the league, giving them absolutely no right to be doing as well as they are.

(Stevenage FC Signings 2025/26: Transfermarkt)

Despite such a good start, Stevenage must not get ahead of themselves. They were in a similar position this time two years ago. They chased down a playoff spot all season - until the end, where their campaign tailed off and denied them the long-shot at promotion.

Bromley - EFL League Two

In recent years, Bromley have followed the same success story that recent National League graduates have implemented into English football.

It’s not quite been at the same pace as Wrexham or Stockport, but the Ravens really could be making waves in League Two this season and put themselves in the hat for promotion.

The South East London outfit managed to gain access into the Football League back in 2024, after they defeated Solihull Moors on penalties in the National League Playoff final.

👋 Welcome aboard, @bromleyfc! 👏#EFL pic.twitter.com/m5Say4oJw1

— EFL (@EFL) May 5, 2024

In their first ever campaign in England’s top four leagues, Bromley managed to finish the year in 11th place - just four points off the League Two playoffs. Now, just four months later, the Ravens sit seventh in the fourth tier, with 13 points from their opening eight games.

Andy Woodman’s touchline magic has helped his side to win three and draw four from these games and they even beat Championship outfit Ipswich Town on the side - in the first round of the EFL Cup.

It is clear that the club’s ambition and investment is getting them up the pyramid and if they keep up the good form, they could very much be a promotion contender this season.