Watford

Image source, Getty Images

The TV schedule for the opening two months of the English Football League's 2026-27 season have been announced and with that, there are a few games getting a headline slot.

Here are the new dates to jot into your calendars across the EFL in August and September:

• Thursday, 20 August - Sheffield Wednesday v Bradford City (20:00 BST)

• Sunday, 23 August - West Bromwich Albion v Burnley (12:00 BST)

• Friday, 28 August - Wrexham v Birmingham City (20:00 BST)

• Sunday, 6 September - Birmingham City v Wolves (12:00 BST)

• Monday, 7 September - Bromley v AFC Wimbledon (20:00 BST)

• Thursday, 10 September - Stevenage v Luton Town (20:00 BST)

• Friday, 11 September - West Ham United v Wrexham (20:00 BST)

• Sunday, 13 September - Sheffield United v Wolves (12:00 BST)

• Thursday, 17 September - AFC Wimbledon v MK Dons (20:00 BST)

• Friday, 18 September - Bristol City v Watford (20:00 BST)

• Sunday, 20 September - Wolves v West Bromwich Albion (12:00 BST)

The above matches are the single-game choices whose dates have been moved for TV coverage - there are also a number of Saturday lunchtime, evening and multi-game midweek matches also being televised. The full list is available here., external

The BBC Sport website will have live text commentaries of all the above fixtures and you can also tune in to games via your local BBC Radio station.

Image source, Getty Images

Four English Football League stars have exited the World Cup after DR Congo and Senegal suffered defeats in the last 32 on Wednesday.

West Ham right-back Aaron Wan-Bissaka and Burnley defender Axel Tuanzebe were both in the starting line-up for DR Congo's 2-1 loss to England, the African side having led through a seventh-minute goal from Brian Cipenga.

Watford's Edo Kayembe came on as a DR Congo substitute in the 76th minute before Harry Kane netted a second goal to send the Three Lions through.

Meanwhile, Hammers left-back El-Hadji Malick Diouf featured for Senegal as an extra-time substitute in their game against Belgium but a controversial late penalty from Youri Tielemans knocked the Lions of Teranga out of the competition.

Image source, Getty Images

Wolves striker Raul Jimenez scored during Mexico's victory over Ecuador on Wednesday to set up a potential last-16 tie with England at the World Cup.

The 35-year-old doubled the host nation's lead by finding the top corner during the 2-0 win and Maxico will now face either the Three Lions or DR Congo on Monday at 01:00 BST for a place in the quarter-finals.

Wanderers team-mate David Moller Wolfe also secured a place in the last 16 after starting the match for Norway in their 2-1 win over Ivory Coast.

The defender will be joined by Egil Selvik of Watford and Derby County's Sondre Langas as the Norwegians head to New Jersey to play Brazil on Sunday at 21:00 BST.

However, there are some English Football League players who will not be continuing to feature in the tournament after yesterday's results.

Rams stopper Jacob Widell Zetterstrom was between the sticks for Sweden's knockout match against France on Tuesday but they succumbed to a 3-0 loss.

Stoke City keeper Viktor Johansson and Burnley defender Hjalmar Ekdal also return home following Sweden's loss without any tournament minutes under their belt.

Plymouth Argyle are in advanced talks to sign Watford goalkeeper Nathan Baxter. The 27-year-old Londoner has only made eight appearances for the Hornets since joining last summer. (Watford Observer), external

Want more transfer news from the EFL? Take a look at Wednesday gossip column here.

Image source, Getty Images

Udinese forward Luca Kjerrumgaard has entered talks to remain at Watford following a successful loan spell last season.

The Dane joined the Hornets on a season-long loan in August, scoring 10 goals across his 43 Championship appearances.

Fellow Udinese loanees Saba Goglichidze and James Abankwah will return to their parent club.

The Serie A side is owned by Italian businessman Giampaolo Pozzo, father of Watford owner Gino Pozzo.

Image source, Getty Images

We have reached the knock-out rounds of the World Cup but there are still plenty of players from the English Football League representing their country.

Here is where you can watch them in the round of 32:

Sunday, 28 June

• Lyle Foster, Burnley - South Africa v Canada (20:00 BST)

• Alfie Jones, Middlesbrough - South Africa v Canada (20:00 BST)

• Ali Ahmed, Norwich City - South Africa v Canada (20:00 BST)

• Cyle Larin, Southampton - South Africa v Canada (20:00 BST)

Tuesday, 30 June

• Crysencio Summerville, West Ham - Netherlands v Morocco (02:00 BST)

• Sondre Langas, Derby County - Ivory Coast v Norway (18:00 BST)

• Egil Selvik, Watford - Ivory Coast v Norway (18:00 BST)

• David Moller Wolfe, Wolves - Ivory Coast v Norway (18:00 BST)

• Hjalmar Ekdal, Burnley - France v Sweden (22:00 BST)

• Jacob Widell Zetterstrom, Derby County - France v Sweden (22:00 BST)

• Viktor Johansson, Stoke City - France v Sweden (22:00 BST)

Wednesday, 1 July

• Edson Alvarez, West Ham - Mexico v Ecuador (02:00 BST)

• Raul Jimenez, Wolves - Mexico v Ecuador (02:00 BST)

• Axel Tuanzebe, Burnley - England v DR Congo (17:00 BST)

• Edo Kayembe, Watford - England v DR Congo (17:00 BST)

• Aaron Wan-Bissaka, West Ham - England v DR Congo (17:00 BST)

• El-Hadji Malick Diouf, West Ham - Belgium v Senegal (21:00 BST)

Friday, 3 July

• Jose Sa, Wolves - Portugal v Croatia (00:00 BST)

• Zeki Amdouni, Burnley - Switzerland v Algeria (04:00 BST)

• Harry Souttar, Leicester City - Australia v Egypt (19:00 BST)

• Mohamed Toure, Norwich City - Australia v Egypt (19:00 BST)

• Cameron Burgess, Swansea City - Australia v Egypt (19:00 BST)

• Nestory Irankunda, Watford - Australia v Egypt (19:00 BST)

Saturday, 4 July

• Abdul Fatawu, Leicester City, Colombia v Ghana (02:30 BST)

Image source, Getty Images

Watford have announced the departures of Valon Behrami and Charlie Daniels from their backroom staff as well as confirming first-team coach Alberto Garrido's exit from Vicarage Road.

Garrido joined the Championship club in the summer of 2024 to work alongside then boss Tom Cleverley and retained his position under Paulo Pezzolano, Javi Gracia and Ed Still. He had already announced earlier this month that he was leaving Watford.

Former Watford player Behrami worked as assistant to the club's sporting director Gian Luca Nani and leaves after 12 months in the role.

Daniels initially joined the Hornets as an academy coach in 2021 before moving up to assist Ed Still when he was appointed head coach in February, having taken charge of two games in interim charge following the departure of Javi Gracia.

Meanwhile coach Dan Gosling will remain with Watford to assist new boss Alessio Dionisi.

The EFL fixture list is out and we know you are bursting to know what you've got to look forward to - or dread - from your team this upcoming season.

Here are some key dates to put in your diary:

• 16 August 2026 - Southampton (H)

• 22 August 2026 - Wrexham (A)

• 26 December 2026 - Portsmouth (A)

• 1 January 2027 - Queens Park Rangers (H)

• 1 May 2027 - Blackburn Rovers (A)

See Watford's full fixture list here.

The EFL will reveal its fixture list for the 2026-27 season on Thursday.

Want to know who your team will face on opening day? The fixtures will be announced at 12:00 BST - but that is not all.

The draws for the group stage of the Vertu Trophy and the first round of the Carabao Cup will also take place.

So check back on 25 June to see who your team faces first, last and everything in between.

Image source, Getty Images

West Ham United are keeping tabs on 20-year-old Watford winger Nestory Irankunda, who scored in Australia's 2-0 win over Turkey in their first game at the 2026 World Cup. (Football Insider), external

For more transfer news and rumours, read Thursday's full gossip column here.

Image source, Getty Images

We asked you what you thought of Watford's appointment of new boss Alessio Dionisi.

Here is a selection of what you had to say:

Matt: He will be gone by the first international break. Until Gino Pozzo wakes up, realises that the problem is him and the people that run the club, we will never move forward.

Martin: If you throw enough darts at the board eventually you must hit the bullseye, surely?

Graham: Par for the course. Completely predictable appointment, ticks every WFC box - no EFL experience, doesn't speak English, mediocre career, unknown, recently sacked for poor results in a poor league in a foreign country.

Qas: We keep putting a new driver behind a sputtering car, rather than changing the engine. Likely to lose Louza and possibly Irankunda or Maamma this summer, without adequate replacements, it might finally be the season our car comes to a complete stop.

Tony: Again it feels like the Pozzos trying to do things on the cheap. Duxbury says we need more Championship experience so we go an get a 'promotion specialist' who has never coached in England.

It will be interesting to see what they do in player recruitment as they are lagging behind other teams (even compared to League One) in terms of splashing the cash on quality, proven players.

Harry: I suppose that Pozzo feels that the scattergun approach to appointing first team coaches must, by the law of averages, pay off at least once. Can only hope that he gets given the players to supplement those already at the club to allow him a chance of success.

Neale: If we get in the players we need he has a fighting chance. We need two experienced defenders and a striker who can hold up. If we get those, it would suit his system he will want to play.

Keeping hold of Baah, Kyprianou, Irankunda and Vata will be crucial to that though. Fingers crossed (that's all we have left!).

Peter: Changing the manager on such a frequent basis only fosters a toxic attitude within the players, as they know they won't be to blame. We've seen this for the last few seasons, and it won't change until the Pozzos sell the club.

Joel: So this is the experienced, promotion-winning Championship manager we were promised? Another elite appointment from the board who have once again ticked every box on the job specification.

I assume Alessio has been told to avoid anything longer than short-term accommodation, because I'm not convinced he'll make it to the first international break, especially when you consider his record at previous clubs.

Here we go again. Watford have a brand new manager in Alessio Dionisi to lead them into the 2026-27 season.

If you're trying to count up how many managers we've seen through the doors at Vicarage Road since the Pozzo family took over in 2012, Dionisi makes it 24.

The Italian has won the Serie B title with Empoli but the Hornets will offer him his first taste of English football.

• Do you think Dionisi could be the one to go the distance, Watford fans?

• What are you expecting from your new boss?

• Is a fresh face what you were hoping to see in your dugout?

Let us know your thoughts here and check back later to see a handful of your responses.

Image source, Getty Images

Scoring a goal at the World Cup finals for Australia is "a dream come true" for Watford forward Nestory Irankunda.

The 20-year-old opened the scoring with a 27th-minute strike in The Socceroos 2-0 win over Turkey in Vancouver on Sunday.

Irankunda is the youngest player to score for Australia at the World Cup at 20 years and 125 days, beating the previous record set by Brett Holman at the 2010 tournament.

"It is unreal. A dream come true," said Irankunda after Sunday's Group D victory.

"It feels amazing (to be the youngest scorer). You've got to thank the staff, you've got to thank the nation. They all believe in me to do so well and, getting that goal was amazing. It is just a great feeling."

Irankunda moved to Watford from Bayern Munich in July 2025 and scored four goals in 40 Championship appearances last season as the Hornets finished in 16th place.

Australia are second in their group and play the leaders and co-hosts the USA in Seattle on Friday, 19 June.

Image source, Getty Images

Watford winger Nestory Irankunda and goalkeeper Egil Selvik were both in international action at the weekend as preparations for the World Cup ramp up.

Irankunda played 71 minutes for Australia in a 1-1 draw with Switzerland, while Selvik came on for the last 18 minutes of Norway's 1-1 draw against Morocco.

Hornets midfielder Edo Kayembe will also be at the tournament with DR Congo, who face Chile in their final warm-up game on Tuesday.

Here is a reminder of the groups the Watford players are in and who they will face, so you can keep an eye out for them once the World Cup begins on 11 June:

• Nestory Irankunda, Australia - Group D: USA, Paraguay and Turkey

• Egil Selvik, Norway - Group I: France, Senegal and Iraq

• Edo Kayembe, DR Congo - Group K: Portugal, Uzbekistan and Colombia

Image source, Shutterstock

Watford first-team coach Alberto Garrido has announced his departure after two seasons with the Championship club.

The Spaniard was appointed in the summer of 2024 to work alongside then boss Tom Cleverley and retained his position under Paulo Pezzolano, Javi Gracia and Ed Still.

"To the players, the staff, the fans and everyone who works at Watford - thank you. For your trust, for how you treated me, and for the respect you gave me from day one," Garrido posted on Instagram., external

"This club and its people will always have a special place in my heart. Thank you Watford. Once a Hornet, always a Hornet.

"Excited about the new challenges that are coming."

Watford are still in the process of selecting a new head coach, having sacked Still on 3 May after they finished 16th in the Championship.

Former Sassuolo, Palermo and Empoli boss Alessio Dionisi is among the names linked with the job., external