adminLee Hendrie Predicts Stalemate in Championship Opener Between Birmingham City and Ipswich Town
Sky Sports pundit Lee Hendrie has predicted a draw when Birmingham City take on Ipswich Town in the opening match of the 2025/26 Championship season.
The new campaign kicks off this Friday evening at St. Andrew’s, as newly-promoted Birmingham welcome recently relegated Ipswich in a highly anticipated clash.
The Blues have attracted significant attention following their impressive promotion from League One, with many tipping them as dark horses for a Premier League push this season.
Ipswich, on the other hand, are widely viewed as one of the division’s strongest contenders for promotion, aiming for an immediate return to the top flight.
Hendrie Predicts 1-1 Draw in Birmingham vs Ipswich Showdown
Looking ahead to Friday’s curtain-raiser, Hendrie expects a closely contested match, suggesting both sides could be in the promotion mix come the end of the season.
Speaking exclusively to Football League World, Hendrie said:
“It’s a big game on Friday — you’ve got a side coming up and a side coming down. It should be a really competitive clash. Birmingham have been very active in the transfer market, and Ipswich have made their moves too. Both are being talked about as promotion contenders, and I can see why.”
He added:
“Birmingham might have a slight edge being at home, and it’ll be interesting to see how they perform at this level after dominating League One.
“Facing a recently relegated Premier League team will be a great test. First games are always tricky to predict, so I’m going with a 1-1 draw. I expect it to be a tight, cagey affair — probably not a goal fest.”
High Stakes for Both Sides on Opening Night
The match, kicking off at 8pm BST, gives both sides a chance to make an early statement.
Ipswich will be eager to underline their promotion credentials with a convincing away win, while Birmingham, under the guidance of Chris Davies, will be looking to prove they belong in the conversation for a top-six finish after a summer of rebuilding.
Despite the away fixture, Ipswich may still enter the game as slight favourites. Manager Kieran McKenna, who has already achieved back-to-back promotions, will know exactly what it takes to start the season strong — and he’ll expect nothing less from his squad on Friday.
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