Championship 2017-18 fixtures: Hull City open at Steve Bruce's Aston Villa
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Steve Bruce won promotion to the Premier League twice as manager of Hull City
Relegated Hull City begin their 2017-18 English Football League Championship season away against former manager Steve Bruce's Aston Villa side on Saturday, 5 August.
Sunderland, who finished below the Tigers and Middlesbrough at the bottom of the Premier League, start at home to Derby on Friday, 4 August.
Last season's beaten play-off finalists Reading are away at QPR.
League One champions Sheffield United begin at home against Brentford.
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Millwall, who beat Bradford in the play-off final at Wembley to join the Blades in England's second tier, travel to face two-time European Cup winners Nottingham Forest in their opening fixture.
League One runners-up Bolton Wanderers host Leeds United on Sunday, 6 August, while Middlesbrough, the third team to drop out of the top flight, are away against Wolves.
In League One, relegated Blackburn Rovers start with a trip to face Southend United and Forest Green Rovers are at home to Barnet in their first ever game in the Football League.
New men in charge
Garry Monk left Leeds at the end of last season before becoming Middlesbrough manager
Following Hull boss Leonid Slutsky's first game in charge at Villa Park, his first league match at home is against Burton Albion, a club going into only their second season in the second tier.
Middlesbrough manager Garry Monk, another new boss at a club relegated from the Premier League last term, has an opening-day game against a Wolves side which will be managed for the first time by Nuno Espirito Santo, following the departure of Paul Lambert.
Monk will return to his former side Leeds on 18 November, a club that appointed ex-Apoel Nicosia manager Thomas Christiansen as his replacement.
New Wolves head coach Nuno Espirito Santo managed Porto in last season's Champions League
Christiansen's first match at Elland Road will be against Preston North End - the side that finished just below them in the table as they both missed out on the play-offs last term.
Norwich will be another side looking towards the top six in 2017-18, and former Borussia Dortmund II coach Daniel Farke begins his tenure with a trip to Fulham.
The final of the three to have been relegated last term, Sunderland, are still managerless after Aberdeen boss Derek McInnes rejected the chance to join, but will hope to have someone in place for the match against Derby County in the opening game of the season.
Derby days
Sheffield United last faced city rivals Wednesday in February 2012, when both were in League One
For the first time since 2011-12, Sheffield Wednesday and Sheffield United find themselves in the same division, following the Blades' promotion from League One last term and the Owls' Championship play-off semi-final defeat.
Wednesday host United at Hillsborough on 23 September, with the return fixture at Bramall Lane on 13 January.
After both of their relegations last term, Middlesbrough and Sunderland's first Tees-Wear derby of the season is on 4 November at the Riverside, before a trip to the Stadium of Light on 24 February.
Norwich and Ipswich's Old Farm Derby reignites on 21 October at Portman Road, while the first meeting of East Midlands rivals Derby County and Nottingham Forest is a week earlier, on 14 October.
Villa boss Bruce faces his old side Birmingham City at St Andrew's on 28 October, with the return on 10 February.
Opening weekend fixtures
Kick-off 15:00 BST unless stated
Friday, 4 August
Sunderland v Derby County (19:45 BST)
Saturday, 5 August
Bristol City v Barnsley
Burton Albion v Cardiff City
Fulham v Norwich City
Ipswich Town v Birmingham City
Nottingham Forest v Millwall
Preston North End v Sheffield Wednesday
Queens Park Rangers v Reading
Sheffield United v Brentford
Wolves v Middlesbrough
Aston Villa v Hull City (17:30 BST)
Sunday, 6 August
Bolton Wanderers v Leeds United (16:30 BST)
- Published21 June 2017
- Published21 June 2017
- Published21 June 2017
