Bristol City

Leyton Orient have set a price tag of around £5m for their English forward Dom Ballard amid interest from Bristol City in the 21-year-old. (Football League World), external

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

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.

Bristol City have had a bid for Leyton Orient's English striker Dom Ballard, 21, who scored 23 goals in League One last season, rejected by the east London club. (Football League World), external

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

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:

• 15 August 2026 - Millwall (H)

• 22 August 2026 - Birmingham City (A)

• 8 September 2026 - Lincoln City (H)

• 26 December 2026 - Queens Park Rangers (A)

• 1 January 2027 - West Ham United (H)

• 6 April 2027 - Lincoln City (A)

• 1 May 2027 - Wrexham (A)

See Bristol City's full fixture list here.

Bristol City are leading the chase to sign former Leeds United forward Sam Greenwood. Talks are under way to bring him back from Poland where the 24-year-old is currently playing for Pogon Szczecin. (Goal.pl - in Polish), external

Meanwhile, Rangers want to re-sign Ross McCrorie from Bristol City. The 28-year-old defender started his career at Ibrox. (Rangers Review), external

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

Nick Mashiter
Football reporter

Image source, Getty Images

Bristol City want to sign Ipswich defender Harry Clarke.

New Robins boss Michael Skubala is looking to bring the right-back to Ashton Gate with doubts over Ross McCrorie's future.

Scotland international McCrorie - who has interest in the Championship and Europe - has 12 months left on his contract and is yet to sign a new deal, with City wary of losing him for free.

Bristol City were in a similar situation with Zak Vyner and Anis Mehmeti last summer, before accepting cut-price fees for the pair in the winter window and they joined Wrexham and Ipswich respectively.

Clarke, 25, spent the second half of last season on loan at Charlton, making 19 appearances, having previously been on loan at Sheffield United in 2024-25.

He joined the Tractor Boys from Arsenal in January 2023 and has played 67 times for the club, scoring once.

Clarke made 39 appearances in all competitions when Ipswich were promoted to the Premier League in 2023-24 and also helped them up from League One the season before.

Nick Mashiter
Football reporter

Image source, Getty Images

Bristol City are poised to appoint former Notts County and Forest Green boss Ian Burchnall as Michael Skubala's assistant manager.

The Robins are also trying to bring QPR first-team coach Steve Bould to Ashton Gate as Skubala looks to finalise his backroom team.

Boss Skubala joined the Robins last month after leaving Lincoln, having guided the Imps to the League One title as they returned to the second tier for the first time in 65 years.

Lincoln assistants Chris Cohen and Tom Shaw were made joined head coaches and did not follow him to Ashton Gate.

Burchnall was close to being appointed Rotherham manager last month, having worked under the Millers' new head of football Steve McClaren with the Jamaica national side last year.

He was most recently first-team coach at Aberdeen under interim boss Peter Leven last season.

Burchnall was also assistant manager at Belgian side Anderlecht before a spell at Wolves under Gary O'Neil.

He has managed Notts County and Forest Green and he has also taken charge of Viking and Ostersund - where he succeeded Graham Potter - in Scandinavia.

Former Arsenal defender Bould, who also spent seven years coaching at the Gunners under Arsene Wenger and Unai Emery, has been with QPR for a year.