When 2024/25 Championship fixtures are released as Leeds United, Sunderland, Sheffield Wednesday and others wait

Leeds United have another week to wait until their 2024/25 Championship calendar is confirmed with fixtures due to come out on Wednesday, June 26.

Fixture release day is often much anticipated across the football pyramid as teams kick on with their summer preparations, confirming how the campaign will look and when key fixtures will be. Leeds fans always have a keen eye on where they may head for Boxing Day and around the festive period, while a close eye will be kept on meetings with the likes of Sheffield United and Burnley.

The Premier League released their 2024/25 fixture list on Tuesday, with the three teams who pipped Leeds to promotion last season now looking forward to facing the country’s top sides. Ipswich Town in particular have been given a baptism of fire, hosting Liverpool at Portman Road on the opening weekend before a trip to serial champions Manchester City.

Play-off final defeat to Southampton means Leeds will now have to wait another eight days before being able to mark down fixtures on their calendar, with the full English Football League (EFL) list of Championship, League One and League Two games coming out at 9am a week on Wednesday.

Following the opening of the summer transfer window last Friday, next week’s fixture release day presents the next summer milestone for Leeds and manager Daniel Farke. A number of first-team players will be away representing their countries in Euro 2024 or the Copa America, with the non-internationals due to return before the first pre-season game of the summer, against Harrogate Town on Friday, July 19.

Subscribe now to Inside Elland Road with Graham Smyth - for more in-depth Leeds coverage

Eight days after that, Leeds face fellow local outfit Guiseley at Nethermoor before heading back to Elland Road to face Valencia on Saturday, August 3. That will provide Farke with one final chance to get things together before the Championship season kicks off on the weekend of August 10, albeit the first game will likely be on the Friday evening.

Leeds will hope a summer of stability can help them to start fast in 2024/25, having fallen victim to the chaos of 12 months ago in which the club changed hands, a new manager arrived and several players were able to force their way out of the club on loan. Despite last month’s play-off defeat, chairman Paraag Marathe has backed Farke and the German will almost certainly be in the dugout next season.

The club are also in a stronger position regarding those loan clauses, with Brenden Aaronson recently deciding to stay and fight for promotion after positive talks with Farke. One or two key sales are to be expected, with Crysencio Summerville and Wilfried Gnonto both attracting interest, but there is no likelihood of a Peter Ridsdale-era fire sale, as some reports have suggested.

Leeds will also be in the market additions of their own, although there is no rush to act early. Those in charge at Elland Road will weigh up all options before pulling the trigger on any signings, with the transfer window closing at 11pm on Friday, August 30.