All opening EFL games live on Sky Sports including Saturday 3pm kick-offs

Sky Sports has announced that it will broadcast every match from the opening rounds of the English Football League (EFL) Championship, League One, and League Two live next season. This coverage is particularly significant as most of the matches are scheduled to kick off at 3pm on Saturdays, a time typically associated with broadcasting restrictions in the Premier League due to UEFA's blackout rule. However, since the EFL season begins two weeks prior to the Premier League, this blackout does not apply, allowing fans to enjoy live coverage of the matches. The EFL has opted for a staggered start, with League One and League Two commencing their seasons on 1 August, followed by the Championship starting a week later on 8 August. This arrangement will enable fans to engage with EFL football before the Premier League's kickoff on 15 August, which features a match between Bournemouth and Liverpool, also to be aired live on Sky Sports.

In addition to the live broadcasts, the EFL is set to announce its fixtures on Thursday at midday BST, along with the television details for the first six rounds of matches by 3 July. To enhance planning for fans, the league has committed to confirming TV games and any fixture changes up until the FA Cup third round in January before the season starts. This proactive approach aims to maximize exposure for the EFL, especially in light of the new and expanded domestic TV deal for the Premier League, which has seen Sky Sports increase its live offering from 128 to 215 matches. Notably, TNT Sports will exclusively show 52 fixtures. For the first time, all non-3pm Saturday Premier League games will be available for live broadcast, with Sky Sports offering multiple matches on Sundays, thus providing fans with extensive coverage of both the Premier League and EFL competitions throughout the season.