Championship 2025/26 outright top 6 predictions: could a surprising challenger break into the Championship’s upper ranks?

The EFL Championship is back, and the 2025/26 campaign promises to be another riveting nine-month slog through one of the most unpredictable leagues in Europe. With opening weekend just around the corner, anticipation is peaking as 24 clubs prepare to launch their bid for promotion, consolidation, or simply survival. Read on to find our best bet for Championship 2025/26 outright outright top 6 market.

Championship outright top 6 betting tips

Could Fratton Park Be the Launchpad for a Surprise Championship Contender?

• Portsmouth lost just once at home between January and May last season – a record they’ll aim to extend with a more balanced fixture list.
• Under Mousinho, Pompey averaged over 1.6 points per match in weekend fixtures – a figure that would place them in top-six contention.
• BettingTips4You Rating suggests John Swift brings one of the highest experience-to-impact ratios of all summer signings outside the division’s title favourites.

Our Best Bet

The 2025/26 Championship season roars into life this weekend, with a full slate of fixtures promising a rollercoaster campaign ahead. With the curtain set to lift across Friday, Saturday and Sunday, the intensity of England’s second tier will return with renewed vigour and a tightly packed table once more expected.

Among the early matches, newly promoted Wrexham will look to test themselves at this level after a bold summer of spending, while Birmingham – fresh from smashing records in League One – will aim to lay down a marker against seasoned opposition. At the top end, Ipswich are being viewed by many as the side to beat after rebuilding intelligently under the guidance of Kieran McKenna, while Southampton, who’ve undergone a significant reset under Will Still, hope to challenge immediately for a return to the Premier League.

Elsewhere, Norwich appear primed for a resurgence under Liam Manning, and Sheffield United enter a new chapter with Ruben Selles in the dugout, overseeing a youthful and evolving squad. Coventry’s talent is undeniable, yet whether Frank Lampard can translate that into tactical cohesion remains to be seen. The pressure on clubs like Leicester and Middlesbrough, facing squad instability and managerial changes, also adds to the unpredictable landscape.

Over the next nine months, these narratives will play out across the 46-round marathon. Yet, with so many finely balanced squads and ambitious new appointments, today’s openers could provide early insight into who might defy expectation – or collapse under it.

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Best Bet for Today’s Action: Portsmouth to Finish in the Top Six in the Championship

At BettingTips4You, we value precision over excess. That’s why we offer a single, thoroughly considered prediction each day. This approach doesn’t just simplify things for our readers – it also ensures full accountability. Rather than flooding the page with competing bets, we provide one refined tip that we believe offers the best value. And today’s standout selection is Portsmouth to end the season among the Championship’s top six.

Portsmouth are priced generously for a top-six finish, and we believe this represents excellent value given the stability and subtle improvements made to their squad. After a solid mid-table return to the second tier last season, Pompey now look well-positioned to push forward.

John Mousinho remains at the helm, offering continuity and a clear tactical vision. That sense of structure should be a major asset in a division full of managerial upheaval and squad turnover. Importantly, Portsmouth’s reliance on Fratton Park form – a fortress last season – could again prove decisive. The fixture schedule, far kinder than last year’s punishing autumn run, removes a significant obstacle from their path.

The squad remains cohesive and largely unchanged, but the addition of John Swift injects valuable Championship experience and composure into midfield areas. Meanwhile, keeping Jacob Murphy and Colby Bishop fit will be crucial. Murphy, in particular, was vital to Pompey’s attacking output last season, and his sharpness will be key in tight contests.

Crucially, while some teams above them are likely to falter due to inconsistency or off-field chaos – including the likes of Leicester and Sheffield Wednesday – Portsmouth appear well-balanced, tactically sound, and motivated to take the next step. With several sides facing potential regression, a top-six breakthrough is well within reach.

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