Sky Sports make huge opening-day decision as Preston North End kick-start 2025-26 campaign against QPR
PNE get their 2025-26 Championship campaign underway against QPR
There are just over six weeks until PNE kick-start their 2025-26 Championship campaign.
The Lilywhites head to west London on Saturday, August 9 to face the Hoops who appointed Julien Stephan earlier in the week as Marti Cifuentes’ successor.
North End supporters who are unable to make the trip from Lancashire to the capital will still be able to watch Heckingbottom’s men in action on the opening day.
The EFL have introduced a split start, with League One and League Two kick-starting the season on August 1 before Championship football gets underway seven days later.
The two-week window prior to the Premier League’s opening day is in a bid to provide greater exposure to clubs outside the top flight, with the broadcaster showing every first round contest.
This means PNE’s contest against QPR will be shown live on Sky Sports+ along with the other 11 second-tier matches which take place across that weekend.
Sky Sports will then announce their television choices for the first half of the campaign up until the FA Cup third round before the opening day to ensure fans are able to make plans.
The selection for games in the second half of the season will then be announced in November.
PNE’s opening day fixture last season
PNE got the 2024-25 Championship campaign on a losing note, falling to a 2-0 defeat to Sheffield United at Deepdale. Ollie Arblaster’s first-half strike and Gus Hamer’s effort 10 minutes after the break saw Chris Wilder’s newly-relegated side come out on top.
The contest, which was also broadcast live on Sky Sports, would prove to be Ryan Lowe’s last in charge of the Lilywhites before departing three days after the Friday night fixture.
In an interview after his exit in November, the 46-year-old insisted he had taken the club as far as possible before quitting just days into the new season.
North End appointed Heckingbottom later in the month but went on to finish an 20th, having secured their Championship survival on the final day of the campaign.
PNE’s transfer business so far
Heckingbottom wasted no time in shaping his squad for next term, with the Lilywhites releasing eight players - including Emil Riis, Freddie Woodman and Ryan Ledson - in May.
Soon after, midfielder Jordan Thompson would get the ball rolling after he arrived from Stoke City on a free transfer, penning a two-year deal with an option of an additional 12 months.
Daniel Iversen completed his much-anticipated return to Deepdale following the expiration of his Leicester City contract.
The keeper, who spent time on loan in Lancashire between January 2021 and May 2022, claimed the club’s Player of the Year award during the 2021-22 campaign and has since signed a four-year contract.
The Lilywhites signed right-back Pol Valentin after his Sheffield Wednesday exit before sealing the signature of in-demand full-back Thierry Small from newly-promoted Charlton Athletic.
Daniel Jebbison became Heckingbottom’s latest arrival last week, penning a season-long loan from Bournemouth.