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Championship Standouts: Winners and Losers of the Opening Weekend

Oh Championship how we missed you! What a thrilling opening weekend to what is sure to be nine months of pure limbs and drama.

It is always crucial to kick-off the campaign on the front foot, and nine sides have done just that, picking up important opening day victories. But in and amongst it all were twists and turns around every corner, with the pendulum swinging non-stop through the weekend.

The Championship always entertains, and this weekend was no different – from red cards and penalties to injury-time chaos, here are our winners and losers of the opening matches for the 2025/26 Championship season.

Late Heartbreak and Jubilation for Championship Newcomers

All eyes were on the newly promoted sides, especially on Hollywood’s Wrexham and Tom Brady-backed Birmingham City. However, it was the Addicks who came away jubilant on the opening day.

Granted, Charlton did have the easiest game on paper, facing Watford at The Valley. Last year’s League One play-off victors took no time to settle into second tier football after a five-year absence, piling on early pressure and shots in the opening few minutes. Nathan Jones’ side eventually got their winner in the fourth minute of stoppage time, through summer signing Harry Knibbs. The ex-Reading man ended a solid debut slotting home from six yards.

As for Birmingham and Wrexham, they went toe-to-toe with Ipswich and Southampton respectively, leading both deep into the game. In the West Midlands, it was a curtain-raiser full of controversy. An overruled goal was followed by a late penalty to ensure the Blues couldn’t start their season with all three points. After Jay Stansfield scored the Championship’s first goal of the season early in the second half, it all seemed like Birmingham would make a statement start. That was until Ashley Young’s whipped ball from a corner led to it striking Lyndon Dykes’ arm, awarding the Tractor Boys a penalty in which George Hirst coolly slotted home from 12 yards, saving Kieran McKenna from a nightmare start.

The Red Dragons also held an advantage against recently relegated Southampton. They led from a penalty after just 25 minutes through new signing Josh Windass, as they too made a bid for a statement opening weekend win. However, throughout the match Wrexham made too many blunders from key chances to increase their lead, and with a squad of Southampton’s calibre at a raucous St Mary’s, one goal just wasn’t enough. A stunning late equaliser from a 25-yard free-kick by Liam Manning restored hope for three points for the hosts – hope became reality six minutes deep into injury time after Jack Stephens scrambled home the winner. A dramatic game cruelly stolen away from Phil Parkinson’s side.

Scott Twine Stars as Robins Get Play-Off Revenge on Blunt Blades

In the evening kick-off on Saturday, Bristol City met Sheffield United for their third Championship game in a row. A disappointing day at Wembley led to the exit of Chris Wilder, as the highly rated Ruben Seles began his summer rebuild of the Blades.

After being dominated home and away in last season’s play-off semi-finals 6-0 on aggregate, many expected the opening fixture at Bramall Lane to be much the same. Just five minutes in, however, up stepped Scott Twine. The 26-year-old struck a beautifully directed free-kick into the top corner from 25 yards out. In a chaotic opening quarter of an hour Tyrese Campbell took advantage of some wonderful one-touch passing to level the score.

Just before the half hour mark, Bristol City started to take control, scoring three goals in 30 in-game minutes for no response as Ross McCrorie regained the Robins’ lead before Anis Mehmeti doubled their lead just 41 seconds into the second half. Twine then scored a second five minutes later from a deflection, leaving Blades keeper Michael Cooper no chance.

Although the score is the only thing that matters, the Blades will feel hard done by. They showed intense pressure throughout, dominating 74% of the ball, accumulating over double the shots of the Robins and having a 2.35 xG to City’s 1.33. They just unfortunately lacked the firepower in the final third.

Twine was the star of the evening, with two goals and an assist, as well as an impressive 77% pass completion.

South Coast Success

On top of the Saints’ late success to Wrexham, arch-rivals Portsmouth also had a joyous start to their campaign. After only three away victories through the whole of last season, they will be pleased to start off well.

A debut goal for Adrian Segecic in the first half was the difference and enough to see Portsmouth repeat away day success in Oxford for consecutive seasons. They did have to withstand plenty of pressure from the hosts, but the U’s couldn’t quite breakthrough Pompey’s stubborn defence.

Of course, as aforementioned, the Saints started their season with a dramatic win against Ryan Reynolds’ Red Dragons thanks to a stunning Manning free-kick and a goal line scramble which resulted in a winning start for Will Still in his first game in the St Mary’s dugout.

All eyes will be on their clash in a month's time, and the three league games until then could help paint a picture to see if there will be any added spice.

More Dramatic Injury Time Goals

There were six goals scored in injury time on the opening weekend of the season, with a further two coming in the last 10 minutes of regulation. These late goals make up 23% and 30% of the total goals scored this weekend respectively, illustrating just how unpredictable football can be and why you always play to the final whistle.

Hirst’s goal came from the penalty spot, snatching a late point in Birmingham, while Knibbs’ late goal secured a deserved victory for the Addicks.

Two teams, however, scored two goals in injury time. Southampton grabbed two late goals to deny Wrexham of an opening day upset, while Stoke City completed an excellent comeback at home to Derby, with Divin Mubama and Sorba Thomas’ fifth- and ninth-minute goals in injury-time earning the Potters a thoroughly deserved victory.

Other late goals both came as winners – Macaulay Langstaff securing a historic win for Millwall at Carrow Road in the 83rd minute, while Wout Faes spared Leicester City’s blushes late on against Sheffield Wednesday to leave with all three points.

Misery Compiling for The Owls

With the club in deep crisis amidst a flurry of financial troubles and unpaid wages, Sheffield Wednesday looked as though they could shock the league with victory at the King Power after 45 minutes.

A Nathaniel Chalobah fortunate opener inside 26 minutes was soon cancelled out by Jannik Vestergaard, before Barry Bannan’s red card with 15 minutes still to play left the Owls having to withstand shot after shot as they sought out for a draw.

Faes came up trumps for Martí Cifuentes’ side, heading in from close range to award Bilal El Khannouss his second assist and for the Foxes to get over the line.