Ipswich Town 2026/27 Season Preview

Ipswich Town 2026/27 Season Preview

Where Did Ipswich Finish Last Season?

Back in the Championship. Ipswich had spent a short but amazing time in the Premier League, but it was time to fight again. The dream of reaching the top flight of English football was still alive and kicking.

They played four club friendlies and won all four. They had momentum, and they were going to ride that. Until the Championship grounded them. Four games, zero wins, three draws and one loss. It was far from the ideal start. However, come the new year, their fortunes had turned and they sat second. It was close, but they were second. Now they just needed to hold out.

It stayed tight. On the last game of the season, there was only one point between them and Millwall, with Middlesbrough also close behind. They needed a win, and a win was what they got. A 3-0 victory against QPR secured second place and automatic promotion back to the Premier League.

Now they face the mountain again, this time with one thing in mind: survival.

Best Result: Ipswich 5-0 Sheffield United (20’ Jaden Philogene-Bidace, 51’ Jaden Philogene-Bidace, 61’ George Hirst, 68’ Jaden Philogene-Bidace, 73’ Jack Clarke)

Worst Result: Ipswich 0-3 Charlton (52’ Sonny Carey, 55’ Macaulay Gillesphey, 64’ Miles Leaburn)

Who Have Ipswich Signed in the Summer Transfer Window So Far?

Incoming

Emersonn from Toulouse – £28 million

It's time for Portman Road to feel Brazil. 🇧🇷 pic.twitter.com/RdzSvy7MzB

— Ipswich Town (@IpswichTown) July 8, 2026

Exequiel Palacios from Bayer Leverkusen - £25.7 Million

Abdul Fatawu from Leicester – £23.45 million

Zian Flemming from Burnley - £20 Million

Florentino Luis from Burnley – £18.7 million

Sasa Lukic from Fulham – £10.5 million

Issa Diop from Fulham – £10 million

Kjell Scherpen from Union Saint-Gilloise – £10 million

Daizen Maeda from Celtic – £9.4 million

Chuba Akpom from Ajax – £9.3 million

Cedric Kipre from Stade Reims – £4.5 million

Kayne van Oevelen from FC Volendam – £4 million

Luca Fletcher from Manchester City - Undisclosed

Chris Atheton from Chelsea - Undisclosed

Frankie Runham from Chelsea - Undisclosed

Total Spent: £173.55 million

Outgoing

Arijanet Muric to Sassuolo – £7 million

Harry Clarke to Preston North End - £3.5 Million

Elkan Baggott to Millwall – £1.17 million

Wes Burns to Leicester City - £75'000

Conor Townsend to West Bromwich Albion – Free Transfer

Leon Ayinde to Doncaster Rovers - Free Transfer

Connor Chaplin to Leicester – Free Transfer

Ryan Carr to St Mirren - Free Transfer

Ben Johnson to Stoke City - Season-Long Loan

Cameron Humphreys to Huddersfield Town - Season-Long Loan

Ali Al-Hamadi to Sheffield Wednesday - Season-Long Loan

Chieo Ogbene to Lincoln City - Season-Long Loan

Sammie Szmodics to Derby County - Season-Long Loan

Steven Turner to Woking - Season-Long Loan

Tudor Mendel to Luton Town - Season-Long Loan

Cieran Slicker to Barnsley - Season-Long Loan

Henry Gray to Wellington Phoenix - Season-Long Loan

Somto Boniface to Leyton Orient - Season-Long Loan

Finley Barbrook to Falkirk - Season-Long Loan

Total Received: £11.67 million

Ipswich's 2026/27 Squad List

Goalkeepers: Alex Palmer, David Button, Christian Walton, Kayne van Oevelen, Kjell Scherpen

Defenders: Leif Davis, Cedric Kipre, Issa Diop, Darnell Furlong, Jacob Greaves, Dara O'Shea

Midfielders: Sasa Lukic, Azor Matusiwa, Jack Taylor, Florentino, Chuba Akpom, Marcelino Nunez, Anis Mehmeti, Exequiel Palacios

Forwards: Abdul Fatawu, George Hirst, Jaden Philogene-Bidace, Sindre Walle Egeli, Emersonn, Zian Flemming, Kasey McAteer, Daizen Maeda, Jack Clarke, Luca Fletcher

Ipswich Town's 2026/27 Home, Away and Third Kits

Home Kit

2025 🆚 2026 - Ipswich Town @umbro Home Kit

🔎 Diseño en gofrado inspirado en su estadio
🔎 Cuello redondo con vivo blanco
🔎 Tres estrellas en la nuca pic.twitter.com/pTBEmmMrsZ

— Marca de Gol (@marcadegol) July 4, 2026

Away Kit

Saša's journey. 🛣️ pic.twitter.com/vObkfkLMGI

— Ipswich Town (@IpswichTown) August 8, 2026

Third Kit

Ipswich are yet to announce their 3rd kit

What Is Ipswich Town's Opening Premier League Fixture?

Ipswich Town vs Sunderland | Portman Road | Saturday, August 22nd, 15:00

How Can I Watch Ipswich vs Sunderland?

Due to the 3pm blackout in England, Ipswich's opening game in the Premier League won't be available to watch live.

What Are Ipswich's First Five Fixtures?

Ipswich vs Sunderland – Saturday, August 22nd, 15:00 Manchester United vs Ipswich – Sunday, August 30th, 16:30 Ipswich vs Liverpool – Friday, September 4th, 20:00 Crystal Palace vs Ipswich – Saturday, September 12th, 15:00 Everton vs Ipswich – Saturday, September 19th, 15:00

Who Is Ipswich's Manager for the 2026/27 Season?

Gary O'Neil

Just like half the league, Ipswich have a new man in the dugout this season. O'Neil spent half of last season across the Channel in France with Strasbourg, but now finds himself back in England.

He has experience in the league with both Bournemouth and Wolves. He focuses a lot on transitions and moving the ball from the defensive third into a fast break. He enjoys flexibility at the back, moving between a three- and four-at-the-back formation. This allows for a solid defensive system and an easy ability to create an overload when going forward.

This will be a shock to Ipswich, as under McKenna they played a system that forced other teams into making mistakes and attacking when those mistakes were made. They will no longer be the high-pressing machines that score while also conceding. They will likely be more focused on shutting the opposition out.

This could fit them massively. Ipswich struggled in the Premier League last time around. They conceded 82 goals, and that is what killed them. Any side that concedes as many as that is doomed. Therefore, a manager and a system that focuses on stopping the opposition will likely see a lot more success and increase their chances of survival.

Who Is Ipswich's Player to Watch?

Emersonn

The record signing for Ipswich makes sense for our player to watch. Last season, he had a strong campaign in France. It was his first time playing in a top-five league, and he managed to contribute to 10 goals and assists during the season.

He's a forward who is almost your typical number nine. He enjoys taking up a position in the box and having crosses served to him. His finishing is still a bit raw, shown by his underlying numbers, where he underperformed his xG last season. However, he is a good finisher. He is strong in the air and good with both feet. He could become a problem for defenders next season.

At only 22, he is still raw, and going from Ligue 1 to the Premier League is always a jump. However, he will be interesting to watch. Can Ipswich make him their new Liam Delap? That is the question.

Ipswich Town 2026/27 Season Predictions

It's always difficult to predict newly promoted sides. Leeds and Sunderland shocked everyone last year by both surviving. However, Ipswich are slightly different. They haven't made the same level of signings, nor do they have as much financial ability as the other two. However, their pre-season has looked good.

They have played five matches so far and saw their first two end in defeat. However, since then, they have played three more, conceding just one goal and winning all three. It looks as if O'Neil has managed to figure out the defence and lock sides out more effectively now. They still have one more game in pre-season, and if they win that, they will have plenty of confidence going into the season.

If they have another good result, conceding one goal or fewer, then we could see a solid start to the season, and that is vital. As we found out with Sunderland, a fast start helps your survival chances vastly. However, they don't have the easiest first five matches. So, can they get that start?

Football Park's Prediction: 17th