**West Ham’s Championship opponents for the 2026/27 campaign have been confirmed, and there are some interesting ties awaiting the Hammers next season.**
England’s second-tier competition appears to be as competitive as ever, with many former Premier League sides competing next season.
Including the newly relegated teams, 13 of the 24 sides in next season’s competition have competed in the Premier League since the Irons last earned promotion in 2012.
Southampton, Sheffield United, Norwich, Watford, and West Bromwich Albion have even played in the top flight this decade. Additionally, the league contains teams like Middlesbrough and Stoke City, whom West Ham would have played in the Premier League over the last ten years.
Despite the depression of relegation, there are some enticing match-ups to be had, none more so than the two games the Irons will play against local rivals Millwall. The sides haven’t faced each other since 2012, when Winston Reid’s winner gave West Ham a 2–1 victory at Upton Park.
For the first time since the 2023/24 season, the Hammers will also be going on a European tour, jetting off to Wales to face Cardiff City and Swansea City. West Ham also played those sides during their last Premier League tenure. They will also face another Welsh side in Wrexham, famously associated with actors Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney.
Not only that, but the result of the League One play-off final means West Ham will also play Bolton Wanderers, a side they would have faced in the Premier League over fifteen years ago. Other former Premier League opponents of the Hammers include Birmingham City, Blackburn Rovers, Queens Park Rangers, Derby County, and Portsmouth, who all compete in the Championship next season.
The league will also feature Bristol City and newly promoted Lincoln, both of whom the Irons faced in cup action under David Moyes. Preston North End also compete, as do Charlton Athletic, who employ former Academy Hammer Conor Coventry.
It will be a tough season for West Ham, but it will also be one filled with many interesting ties against sides they have become familiar with over the years. Hopefully, the Irons can hold onto one or two key players and show their quality to earn promotion.