The 2026/27 Championship has the potential to be one of the most entertaining in recent memory.

West Ham have tumbled to the second tier for the first time in almost a decade, whilst Wolves are in the Championship after eight years in the top division. Meanwhile, Lincoln City will play at this level for the first time since the 60s.

With several of the biggest and fiercest rivalries in British football also scheduled to take place, there are plenty tantalising fixtures to look forward to.

Of course, part of the fascination of the Championship is the unpredictability, and that will no sure be the case once again this season.

Another feature that draws people to the league is the atmosphere created by the fans, and the Championship has some fantastic stadiums.

West Ham’s London Stadium has one of the largest capacities in English football, Molineux is a stadium with a rich history, while Pride Park and the Riverside Stadium are two examples of spectacular, relatively new stadiums.

ranks the top ten smallest stadiums in the Championship based on Transfermarkt data.

10West Brom – The Hawthorns – 26,850

The fact that West Brom made the list demonstrates that there are a number of attractive grounds in the Championship this season, as The Hawthorns is a wonderful stadium with a relatively large capacity.

It has been Albion’s home since 1900 and is the highest point above sea level in the EFL. With James Morrison in charge, the Baggies will be rocking next season as they attempt to build on the success of their former player.

9Preston – Deepdale – 23,408

Deepdale is another traditional English stadium, having been home to Preston since 1878, and it is a popular away day for many clubs because to the vast allocation available.

Paul Heckingbottom’s side will seek to benefit from the new play-off structure, and the ultimate goal for North End is to bring Premier League football to their home ground.

8Burnley – Turf Moor – 21,994

This may also come as a surprise, given that Burnley has spent much of the last 10-15 years in the Premier League.

Despite this, Turf Moor remains one of the Championship’s smallest grounds this season, but it is still a stadium with a rich history. The Clarets fans will be hopeful that Nicky Hayen can inspire a promotion, as they want to see top-flight football return to the arena in 12 months.

7Watford – Vicarage Road – 21,577

Vicarage Road has also seen some of the biggest and finest players in the country during the last decade or so, but Watford’s current season appears to be much more hard.

With a capacity of just over 21,500, the Hornets’ stadium is one of the smallest at this level, making it difficult for new manager Alessio Dionisi to construct a successful club while keeping the stadium packed every week.

6Swansea – Swansea.com Stadium – 21,088

This is one of numerous stadiums in the Championship with a similar capacity, and it’s also a contemporary facility, having opened for the Swans in 2005.

Since then, there have been plenty of excellent days, and Swansea supporters will be hoping that they can return to those peaks in the future years. Even as a new stadium, it can generate a positive atmosphere, and it will undoubtedly be lively this season against arch rivals Cardiff.

5Portsmouth – Fratton Park – 20,688

Fratton Park has been Portsmouth’s home since 1899, and it is a beautiful old-school stadium with fans sitting extremely near to the pitch in all four sections, which adds to the excitement.

The ground is regarded as one of the best in English football for the amount of noise it can generate when Pompey are flying, and John Mousinho will take advantage of that as Portsmouth attempt to rebuild after a few years at this level.

4Millwall – The Den – 20,146

It’s a similar story at The Den, but Millwall’s stadium is more recent, having been built and completed in the early 1990s.

The Lions’ supporters can make The Den a difficult environment for opponents, and Alex Neil will understand that Millwall’s home form will be critical as they seek to bring Premier League football to the stadium for the first time by winning promotion this season.

3QPR – Loftus Road – 18,360

Once again, QPR’s home is a fantastic, historic site, with four stands fairly near to the pitch, which can contribute to a highly positive atmosphere.

Loftus Road has been the home of the R’s since 1917, and it has also hosted Wimbledon and Fulham in the Premier League, as well as London Wasps in rugby. QPR are aiming to move to a new stadium in the future, which some would claim is necessary for the club’s success, but it will be a sad day if and when they leave their existing stadium.

2Wrexham – Racecourse Ground – 13,341

Wrexham’s Racecourse Ground is another stadium with character and history, having hosted the club’s first game in 1864.

The Red Dragons’ growth is well-known under its Hollywood owners, and this has obviously resulted in stadium renovations, with the new Kop Stand expected to raise capacity to roughly 18,000. It’s unlikely that the work will stop there, but Wrexham’s major goal is to reach the Premier League for the first time.

1Lincoln City – Sincil Bank – 10,130

Lincoln is widely regarded as the Championship’s smallest team, thus it’s hardly surprising that they have the smallest stadium capacity.

However, visiting teams will not appreciate visiting Sincil Bank, the Imps’ home since 1895. The atmosphere created by the fans was vital to their exceptional home form last season, and everyone associated with the club will be looking forward to welcoming some big clubs to their historic old pitch this season.