Championship: EFL apologises after iFollow streams of games hit by technical issue

Huddersfield said their game against Wigan was one of those affected by streaming issues

A technical issue hit the streaming of Championship games, prompting some fans to miss the start of the first matches back after the coronavirus pandemic.

With games having to be played behind closed doors, the English Football League enabled clubs to stream them.

Fans expressed frustration on social media after being unable to log in to some clubs' iFollow service.

The EFL said the service was restored within 15 minutes and apologised to fans "for the inconvenience caused".

An EFL spokesperson said: "We unfortunately experienced a small disruption at the start of today's 3pm fixtures that affected approximately eight clubs.

"The issue was a result of an overload on servers at our streaming partners who resolved the matter within 15 minutes of the kick-off and supporters were then able to enjoy coverage of their respective matches. "

Fans began complaining of problems accessing the iFollow system around 30 minutes before the scheduled 15:00 BST kick-offs, prompting some clubs to say there was a widespread technical issue which the EFL was trying to fix.

None of the eight kick-offs were delayed.

Huddersfield said chief executive Mark Devlin had made the club's thoughts know to the EFL on behalf of fans and would "await confirmation of what will be done to ensure this service works for our fans for the rest of the season".

"Having worked hard with supporters to activate thousands of codes for season card holders this week, it is incredibly disappointing to be let down by the technical provider on match day," the Terriers said following their home defeat by Wigan.

All 108 remaining matches of the Championship season, including those being shown by the EFL's broadcast partner Sky Sports, have been made available to stream on iFollow or a club's equivalent service while supporters are unable to get into grounds to watch their teams.

Individual clubs have decided how season ticket-holders can access the streams, which "may be in lieu of a refund or part of a wider package".

Those without season tickets are able to watch a stream of an individual Championship fixture for £10.