ITV confirm first free-to-air matches of new season including Wrexham opener and three huge derbies

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ITV has confirmed the first of its free-to-air English Football League and League Cup matches this season.As part of a partnership with Sky Sports for the 2025/26 season, the broadcaster will show a total of 20 football matches across the campaign.GettyITV has confirmed the first of its free-to-air games in the EFL and League Cup this season[/caption]PATheir league coverage will begin at Wrexham’s home ground three days after a League Cup Round One match[/caption]GettyITV confirmed it will have 20 free-to-air games this season[/caption]This selection is made up of 10 EFL ties and 10 Cup ties. And the first six games to be aired under the partnership have been revealed in a statement this morning.ITV will kick off their coverage by showing the Round One League Cup clash between Birmingham and Sheffield United on August 13, with kick-off at 8pm.This will be followed three days later by Wrexham’s first Championship game at the Racecourse Ground against West Brom.The Saturday, 13 August game will kick off at 12:30pm.Three major derbies will follow in each month leading up to December, all currently pencilled in for midday kick-offs.The first will see Southampton taking on Portsmouth on September 14.The second will see Ipswich host Norwich on October 5.BEST ONLINE CASINOS – TOP SITES IN THE UKAnd the third will see Sheffield Wednesday clash with Sheffield United on November 23.The final confirmed game so far in ITV’s selection pool will see Derby face Leicester – relegated from the Premier League last season – on December 6. This broadcasting deal will run until the end of 2026/27 season, while ITV will still show extended highlights on ITV4 and ITVX.While the Premier League season does not start until August 15, the rest of the English pyramid will already be in full swing by then.The Championship season gets underway a week before, on August 8, with Birmingham taking on relegated Ipswich on Friday evening.However, League One and League Two begin as early as this weekend.The third tier kicks off the entire season of professional football in England tomorrow with Luton taking on Wimbledon.Meanwhile, tier four will see all of its games played out at 3pm on Saturday, August 2.Confirmed free-to-air games of the 2025/26 seasonITV’s confirmed fixtures below (until the end of 2025)Carabao Cup R1 – Birmingham City v Sheffield United – Wed 13th Aug 8.00pm  Wrexham v West Bromwich Albion – Sat 16 Aug 12.30pmSouthampton v Portsmouth – Sunday 14 September 12.00pmIpswich Town v Norwich City – Sunday 5 October 12.00pmSheffield Wednesday v Sheffield United – Sunday 23 November 12.00pmDerby County v Leicester City – Saturday 6 December 12.30pmTRANSFER NEWS LIVE – KEEP UP WITH ALL THE LATEST FROM A BUSY SUMMER WINDOW