Championship’s toughest opening fixtures: how Preston North End, Blackburn Rovers, Middlesbrough and Co compare - according to data experts

Anticipation is growing ahead of the new campaign following the release of the 2025-26 Championship fixtures.

PNE begin the season on the road when they make a visit to the capital to face QPR on August 9.

Last term, Paul Heckingbottom’s men suffered late heartbreak at Loftus Road, with Jimmy Dunne stealing all three points in the 89th minute.

The Lilywhites will be looking to avoid opening-day disappointment this time round and will be bidding to start the new campaign on a winning note.

North End return to home soil seven days later to face newly-relegated Leicester City before another tough test against Ipswich Town follows.

A long trip south then rounds off the first month, with PNE taking on Portsmouth at Fratton Park.

But which of the Lilywhites fellow sides have the hardest opening fixtures?

Football analytics website Opta have used their power ranking to determine the difficulty of each club’s first four games of the season to discover which side has the toughest start to the campaign.

Here’s where PNE rank.

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