City's return to the Sky Bet Championship brings fixtures against West Ham United, Burnley and Wolverhampton Wanderers back onto the calendar.
West Ham United, Burnley and Wolves all dropped out of the top flight last season and will provide fresh tests for Chris Cohen and Tom Shaw’s side.
West Ham United
The Hammers battled hard in the second half of the season to retain their Premier League status but their 14-year-stay in the top flight came to an end on the final weekend. A 3-0 win at the London Stadium against Leeds on the final day wasn’t enough for West Ham with relegation rivals Tottenham Hotspur winning against Everton.
Former Nottingham Forest and Spurs boss Nuno Espirito Santo will lead United into the 2026/27 season as they look to bounce straight back to the Premier League.
City's most recent meeting with West Ham came in the second round of the Carabao Cup in 2023, when the Hammers secured a 1-0 victory despite a battling performance at the LNER Stadium. The 2026/27 campaign will also bring a first trip to the London Stadium for the Imps, with West Ham's home ground boasting a capacity of 62,500.
Burnley
Burnley return to the Sky Bet Championship after a single season in the Premier League. Scott Parker, who guided Burnley to promotion, departed Turf Moor towards the end of the 2025/26 with Mike Jackson leading the team in the final four games of the season.
The Clarets enjoyed an impressive promotion-winning campaign in 2024/25, collecting 100 points to finish second behind Leeds United on goal difference.
One of the most memorable matches in City's recent history came against Burnley in February 2017. Sean Raggett's dramatic late winner secured a famous 1-0 victory at Turf Moor, making the Imps the first non-league side in more than a century to reach the quarter-finals of the Emirates FA Cup.
City's visit to Turf Moor next season will be their first since that memorable FA Cup tie in 2017. The historic Lancashire ground, which has been Burnley's home since 1883, has a capacity of 21,944.
Wolverhampton Wanderers
Wolves’ relegation from the Premier League ended their longest ever run in the competition, having spent eight consecutive seasons in the top flight.
City have not faced Wolves since 1989, with the two sides set to meet twice in the Sky Bet Championship during the 2026/27 campaign. Supporters travelling to Molineux will be visiting a stadium with a capacity of 31,750, which hosted UEFA Europa League football as recently as the 2019/20 season.
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