adminChampionship 2025/26 Season Kicks Off: Birmingham City vs Ipswich Town Preview
The 2025/26 Championship season begins this Friday, with Birmingham City hosting Ipswich Town in the opening match.
Back in the second tier of English football, Birmingham City are projecting record revenues in their return campaign. With promotion to the Premier League firmly in their sights, the Blues have continued to strengthen their squad, following a spending spree of over £30 million last season.
Ipswich Town, meanwhile, are aiming for a quick return to the top flight under manager Kieran McKenna.
Ahead of the clash, a Sky Sports pundit has given his prediction for how the opener will play out.
Match Details and Prediction
The game is set to take place at St Andrew’s on Friday, August 8, with an 8pm BST kickoff.
Ipswich are widely seen as serious promotion contenders this season. However, data from Opta’s supercomputer currently places Chris Davies’ Birmingham side in 13th position.
Despite high expectations for Ipswich, pundit Sam Parkin believes they may stumble in their season opener. Speaking with Benjamin Bloom, Parkin praised McKenna’s efforts and the squad he has assembled, but ultimately tipped Birmingham to edge the contest 1-0.
“There’s going to be a lot of hype around this one, for obvious reasons,” Parkin said. “I think Ipswich will attract more attention because many people are backing them — and with good reason. McKenna has built a strong, competitive squad.
“But Birmingham have something special too. The upgraded stand and fresh look at St Andrew’s won’t take away from the intense home atmosphere. That could make the difference. I’m predicting a 1-0 win for Birmingham.”
Head-to-Head Record
The two clubs first met in 1954, with Ipswich claiming a 1-0 victory. Since then, Ipswich have slightly edged the overall record, winning 36 of their encounters to Birmingham’s 30, with 19 matches ending in a draw.
Their most recent clash came on February 24, 2024, when Ipswich triumphed 3-1. Birmingham haven’t beaten Ipswich since March 31, 2018 — a 1-0 win courtesy of a goal from Jota.
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