Club football during World Cup schedule: Matches on TV for Championship, League 1 and League 2 games

Jonathan Burnett

Club football during World Cup schedule: Matches on TV for Championship, League 1 and League 2 games image

The glitz and glamour of the Premier League may grab the majority of headlines when it comes to English football, but, as ever, the Championship, League One and League Two are alive and kicking in 2022/23.

However, with the 2022 World Cup in Qatar impacting the domestic calendar this season, the three lower tiers in the EFL have paused for at least the early part of the tournament.

The Championship season is 21 matchdays old but has already proved to be as exciting and competitive as ever. The three sides relegated from last season's Premier League have all impressed, with Burnley top of the table by three points, and Watford and Norwich City occupying the play-offs. Just six points separate third-placed Blackburn Rovers from Luton Town in 10th, and the relegation battle is equally competitive.

League One has also seen an electrifying start, albeit one in which the top three of Plymouth Argyle, Ipswich Town and Sheffield Wednesday risk pulling away from the chasing pack, with the latter nine points ahead of Peterborough United in fourth. At the bottom, a six-point buffer also separates the bottom four from Cambridge United in 20th, with MK Dons, Burton Albion, Morecambe and Forest Green Rovers all occupying the relegation zone.

With four promotion spots available from League Two, the most of any in the EFL, the race for the summit has been an enticing one in 2022/23. Leyton Orient lead Stevenage in second by five points, while third-placed Northampton Town are ahead of Barrow in fourth by four points. A mere six separate Barrow from Doncaster Rovers in 10th place, while the gap between Hartlepool United at the bottom to Crawley Town in 19th is just six points.

Here is when the EFL season will resume amid the ongoing World Cup.

MORE: Carabao Cup fixtures 2022/23: Draw, results, dates, times, and how to watch

When does the Championship return from the World Cup break?

While the first full round of Championship fixtures following the World Cup break will take place from Saturday, December 10 to Monday, December 12, the first fixture back in England's second tier will take place on Saturday, December 3.

Sunderland take on Millwall at the Stadium of Light at 12:30 GMT in the only Championship match of that weekend before all 24 clubs return to action a week later, kicking off with a Lancashire derby between Blackburn Rovers and Preston North End at Ewood Park at 12:00 GMT on December 10.

When do League One and League Two return from the World Cup break?

While Sunderland vs. Millwall is the only Championship match on the weekend commencing December 3, League One and League Two will be in full swing by then.

Both divisions return on the evening of Friday, December 2, with six League One fixtures kicking off at 19:45 and six more in League Two signalling the fourth tier's resumption at the same time.

MORE: When is the Carabao Cup final 2022/23? League Cup fixture round dates and schedule

EFL on TV and streaming during the World Cup: Full fixture schedule

Championship

Date Time Fixture UK TV Channel
Sat, December 3 12:30 Sunderland vs. Millwall
Sat, December 10 12:00 Blackburn Rovers vs. Preston NE Sky Sports Football
Sat, December 10 12:30 Rotherham United vs. Bristol City
Sat, December 10 15:00 Blackpool vs. Birmingham City
Sat, December 10 15:00 Middlesbrough vs. Luton Town
Sat, December 10 15:00 Millwall vs. Wigan Athletic
Sat, December 10 15:00 Reading vs. Coventry City
Sat, December 10 15:00 Sheffield United vs. Huddersfield Town
Sat, December 10 15:00 Stoke City vs. Cardiff City
Sat, December 10 15:00 Swansea City vs. Norwich City
Sun, December 11 13:00 QPR vs. Burnley Sky Sports Football
Sun, December 11 15:00 Watford vs. Hull City
Mon, December 12 20:00 Sunderland vs. West Bromwich Albion Sky Sports Football
Fri, December 13 20:00 Birmingham City vs. Reading Sky Sports Football
Sat, December 17 15:00 Bristol City vs. Stoke City
Sat, December 17 15:00 Burnley vs. Middlesbrough
Sat, December 17 15:00 Cardiff City vs. Blackpool
Sat, December 17 15:00 Coventry City vs. Swansea City
Sat, December 17 15:00 Huddersfield Town vs. Watford
Sat, December 17 15:00 Hull City vs. Sunderland
Sat, December 17 15:00 Preston NE vs. QPR
Sat, December 17 15:00 West Bromwich Albion vs. Rotherham
Sat, December 17 17:30 Norwich City vs. Blackburn Rovers Sky Sports Football
Sun, December 18 12:00 Luton Town vs. Millwall Sky Sports Football

All games on Sky Sports' Football channel can also be streamed via Sky Go and NOW TV.

League One

Date Time Fixture UK TV Channel
Fri, December 2 19:45 Bolton Wanderers vs. Bristol Rovers
Fri, December 2 19:45 Charlton Athletic vs. Cheltenham Town
Fri, December 2 19:45 Ipswich Town vs. Fleetwood Town
Fri, December 2 19:45 Morecambe vs. Exeter City
Fri, December 2 19:45 Peterborough United vs. Barnsley
Fri, December 2 19:45 Plymouth Argyle vs. Port Vale
Sat, December 3 12:30 Derby County vs. Sheffield Wednesday
Sat, December 3 12:30 MK Dons vs. Burton Albion
Sat, December 3 12:30  Shrewsbury vs. Lincoln City
Sat, December 3 13:00 Forest Green vs. Cambridge United
Sat, December 3 15:00 Accrington Stanley vs. Oxford United
Sun, December 4 12:30 Wycombe Wanderers vs. Portsmouth Sky Sports Football
Sat, December 10 12:30 Ipswich Town vs. Peterborough United
Sat, December 10 12:30 Shrewsbury vs. Bolton Wanderers
Sat, December 10 15:00 Accrington Stanley vs. Portsmouth
Sat, December 10 15:00 Bristol Rovers vs. Port Vale
Sat, December 10 15:00 Burton Albion vs. Derby County
Sat, December 10 15:00 Cambridge United vs. Plymouth Argyle
Sat, December 10 15:00 Exeter City vs. Sheffield Wednesday
Sat, December 10 15:00 Forest Green vs. Cheltenham Town
Sat, December 10 15:00 Lincoln City vs. Wycombe Wanderers
Sat, December 10 15:00 MK Dons vs. Fleetwood Town
Sat, December 10 15:00 Morecambe vs. Charlton Athletic
Sat, December 10 15:00 Oxford United vs. Barnsley
Sat, December 17 15:00 Barnsley vs. Burton Albion
Sat, December 17 15:00 Bolton Wanderers vs. Exeter City
Sat, December 17 15:00 Charlton Athletic vs. Bristol Rovers
Sat, December 17 15:00 Cheltenham Town vs. Lincoln City
Sat, December 17 15:00 Derby County vs. Forest Green
Sat, December 17 15:00 Fleetwood Town vs. Cambridge United
Sat, December 17 15:00 Peterborough United vs. Shrewsbury
Sat, December 17 15:00 Plymouth Argyle vs. Morecambe
Sat, December 17 15:00 Port Vale vs. Accrington Stanley
Sat, December 17 15:00 Portsmouth vs. MK Dons
Sat, December 17 15:00 Sheffield Wednesday vs. Oxford United
Sat, December 17 15:00 Wycombe Wanderers vs. Ipswich Town

All games on Sky Sports' Football channel can also be streamed via Sky Go and NOW TV.

League Two

Date Time Fixture UK TV Channel
Fri, December 2 19:45 Crewe Alexandra vs. Newport County
Fri, December 2 19:45 Doncaster Rovers vs. Walsall
Fri, December 2 19:45 Stevenage vs. Barrow
Sat, December 3 12:30 AFC Wimbledon vs. Grimsby Town
Sat, December 3 12:30 Gillingham vs. Salford City
Sat, December 3 12:30 Leyton Orient vs. Bradford City
Sat, December 3 13:00 Carlisle United vs. Sutton United
Sat, December 3 15:00 Crawley Town vs. Swindon Town
Sat, December 3 15:00  Hartlepool United vs. Stockport County
Sat, December 3 15:00 Mansfield Town vs. Colchester United
Sat, December 3 15:00 Northampton Town vs. Tranmere Rovers
Sat, December 3 15:00 Rochdale vs. Harrogate Town
Sat, December 10 13:00 Carlisle United vs. Barrow
Sat, December 10 13:00 Crewe Alexandra vs. Leyton Orient
Sat, December 10 15:00 Crawley Town vs. Hartlepool United
Sat, December 10 15:00 Gillingham vs. Bradford City
Sat, December 10 15:00 Grimsby Town vs. Tranmere Rovers
Sat, December 10 15:00 Harrogate Town vs. Northampton Town
Sat, December 10 15:00 Newport County vs. Doncaster Rovers
Sat, December 10 15:00 Rochdale vs. Stockport County
Sat, December 10 15:00 Salford City vs. Rochdale
Sat, December 10 15:00 Stevenage vs. Mansfield Town
Sat, December 10 15:00 Sutton United vs. Colchester United
Sat, December 10 15:00 Swindon Town vs. AFC Wimbledon
Sat, December 17 15:00 AFC Wimbledon vs. Stevenage
Sat, December 17 15:00 Barrow vs. Swindon Town
Sat, December 17 15:00 Bradford City vs. Rochdale
Sat, December 17 15:00 Colchester United vs. Salford City
Sat, December 17 15:00 Doncaster Rovers vs. Harrogate Town
Sat, December 17 15:00 Hartlepool United vs. Newport County
Sat, December 17 15:00 Leyton Orient vs. Sutton United
Sat, December 17 15:00 Mansfield Town vs. Grimsby Town
Sat, December 17 15:00 Northampton Town vs. Carlisle United
Sat, December 17 15:00 Stockport County vs. Gillingham
Sat, December 17 15:00 Tranmere Rovers vs. Crawley Town
Sat, December 17 15:00 Walsall vs. Crewe Alexandra

All games on Sky Sports' Football channel can also be streamed via Sky Go and NOW TV.

Jonathan Burnett

Jonathan Burnett Photo

Jonathan is a freelance content producer and commentator for Sporting News UK, with a focus on international rugby tournaments like the Six Nations and Rugby World Cup. He also works as a commentator for StatsPerform’s football network, covering matches across Europe including the Champions League, 2022 FIFA World Cup, and the 2023 Women's World Cup. He’s a regular contributor to the history and statistics website Rugby League Project.

Jonny graduated from Leeds University with a journalism degree in 2021 and was Head of Media at Widnes Vikings RLFC in 2023. A self-confessed nerd of rugby league, union and football (soccer). Jonathan’s coverage across several sports can be found on the TSN site.