EFL League Two Season Preview 2026-27
The 2026-27 EFL League Two season is ready to begin, with 24 clubs competing for promotion, survival and the chance to build momentum across a long campaign. The division has a different look this year: Exeter City, Port Vale, Rotherham United and Northampton Town have dropped down from League One, while York City and Rochdale have returned from the National League.
The four clubs relegated from League One replace Bromley, MK Dons, Cambridge United and Notts County, all of whom earned promotion from League Two last season. Notts County secured the final promotion place by beating Salford City 3-0 in the play-off final at Wembley.
The 24-team field is made up of Accrington Stanley, Barnet, Bristol Rovers, Cheltenham Town, Chesterfield, Colchester United, Crawley Town, Crewe Alexandra, Exeter City, Fleetwood Town, Gillingham, Grimsby Town, Newport County, Northampton Town, Oldham Athletic, Port Vale, Rochdale, Rotherham United, Salford City, Shrewsbury Town, Swindon Town, Tranmere Rovers, Walsall and York City.
When Does EFL League Two Start?
The 2026-27 EFL League Two season starts on Saturday, 15 August 2026. The EFL has set the wider opening weekend for 14-16 August, but all 12 League Two fixtures are scheduled for Saturday 15 August.
The opening programme includes Newport County v Rochdale, Oldham Athletic v Port Vale and York City v Bristol Rovers, with every League Two match on the opening weekend selected for live coverage on Sky Sports.
As usual, each club will play 46 league matches, with 23 at home and 23 away. The regular season will therefore provide plenty of opportunity for early results to be corrected, but a strong start can establish momentum in a division where the margins between promotion, the play-offs and mid-table can be relatively small.
The opening fixtures also provide an immediate test for the newcomers. York return to the EFL against Bristol Rovers, Rochdale begin away at Newport and the four relegated League One clubs all face League Two opposition from the outset.
Who Are Favourites To Win EFL League Two?
Salford City enter the season among the leading contenders after reaching last season’s play-off final. The Ammies have changed manager, with Peter Cklamovski taking charge, and have made significant additions to their squad, including striker Macaulay Langstaff. Their objective is clear: turn last season’s near miss into promotion.
Bristol Rovers are another club attracting attention. Steve Evans took over during the second half of last season and helped the club move away from relegation danger before finishing 14th. His record of winning promotions makes Rovers an obvious side to monitor.
Chesterfield, Barnet and Port Vale also feature prominently in early assessments. Port Vale have the advantage of a squad built largely around League One experience despite their relegation, while Barnet are looking to build on an eighth-place finish in their first season back in the EFL.
That does not make the promotion race predictable. Relegated clubs often have quality but need to adjust to a different style of competition, while established League Two sides can benefit from continuity. Injuries, recruitment and managerial changes could all reshape the picture once competitive football gets underway.
Who Could Gain Automatic Promotion?
The top three clubs in League Two are promoted automatically, meaning consistency over 46 games remains the clearest route to League One. Salford have the benefit of having narrowly missed promotion last season, while Bristol Rovers, Chesterfield, Barnet and Port Vale have reasons to believe they can challenge near the top.
Port Vale’s relegation from League One could make them particularly interesting. They have retained a squad with experience at the higher level and have added players including Tyreece Phillips and Kyle Dempsey. Whether that translates into an immediate promotion challenge will depend on how quickly the squad adapts to life in League Two.
Salford’s attacking options could also make them a major factor. Langstaff has a proven record of scoring goals in the EFL, while the club’s wider recruitment has been designed to strengthen a squad that came close to promotion last season.
The promoted clubs face a different challenge. York won the National League with 108 points, while Rochdale collected 106 before winning promotion through the play-offs. Those records demonstrate that both arrive with substantial momentum, although reproducing that level of consistency in the EFL will be a considerably different test.
Who Could Reach The Play-Offs?
The League Two play-offs involve the clubs finishing fourth through seventh, giving another four teams a route to promotion. Last season’s competition demonstrated how difficult it can be to predict those places: Salford reached the final after finishing outside the automatic positions, while Notts County ultimately won promotion at Wembley.
Chesterfield and Barnet look capable of competing in the upper half after solid campaigns last season. Crewe Alexandra are another club worth watching after coming close to the play-off picture previously, while Oldham Athletic have strengthened their squad and could push higher if their recruitment pays off.
Walsall will also be hoping for improvement under new manager Lee Grant, while Crawley Town have attempted to raise their level with additions such as goalkeeper Vito Mannone and forward Gianmarco Di Biase. The division’s competitiveness means a club outside the early promotion conversation could quickly become a serious play-off candidate.
Who Are Favourites To Get Relegated?
The two clubs finishing at the bottom of League Two will be relegated to the National League, making survival the immediate priority for a number of sides. Newly promoted York City and Rochdale face the obvious challenge of adapting to a higher standard, although both have arrived after exceptionally strong National League campaigns.
Newport County, Tranmere Rovers and Fleetwood Town are among the clubs facing questions after difficult or transitional periods. Tranmere finished 21st last season and have appointed Darrell Clarke, while Fleetwood will be looking to avoid becoming dragged into another relegation battle.
Swindon Town and Exeter City also enter the season with uncertainty around their prospects. Exeter have the advantage of recent League One experience after relegation, but they must turn that experience into results quickly. Swindon, meanwhile, will need greater consistency if they are to stay clear of trouble.
There is no shortage of potential candidates, but early-season predictions should be treated cautiously. A strong transfer window, a productive striker or a managerial change can alter a club’s outlook considerably.
EFL League Two Key Summer Transfers
Salford City have been one of the busiest clubs in terms of reshaping their squad, with striker Macaulay Langstaff among their most significant additions. The club have made eight new signings as part of a major summer rebuild under Cklamovski.
Port Vale have also added experience and quality following relegation from League One, with Tyreece Phillips and Kyle Dempsey among the arrivals highlighted during the summer. Bristol Rovers have strengthened across several positions, including the additions of Richie Smallwood, Kofi Balmer, Ben Purrington and Ciaran Kelly.
Barnet have been active too, bringing in players including Zac Williams, Craig Farquhar, Brandon Comley, Charlie Lakin and Taye Ashby-Hammond. Walsall have added Andy Dallas, Lewis Simper, Sven Sprangler and James Connolly as they look to improve under Grant.
Among the promoted clubs, York have recruited Mark Shelton, Dipo Akinyemi, Arthur Read and Zech Medley, among others, while Rochdale have added several players as they prepare for their return to the EFL.
Who Are The Key Players To Watch?
Macaulay Langstaff will naturally attract attention at Salford after joining from Millwall. His goalscoring record makes him one of the players capable of having a significant influence on the promotion race, particularly if Salford’s new-look attack develops quickly.
York’s Ollie Pearce is another obvious player to watch. He scored 34 league goals during York’s National League title-winning campaign and will now be tested against EFL opposition. How quickly he adapts could be important to York’s hopes of staying clear of trouble.
Grimsby defender Maldini Kacurri, Crewe midfielder Patrick Mlynarski and Shrewsbury youngster Will Gray have also been identified as emerging players worth following during the campaign. Each represents a different type of potential breakthrough player, from defensive talent to creative midfield ability and attacking development.
There are experienced players to watch as well. Port Vale’s recruitment has added players familiar with League One football, while Bristol Rovers’ squad includes a number of experienced EFL performers following a busy summer. Their ability to provide consistency could prove just as valuable as the emergence of younger players.
EFL League Two Early Season Predictions
Salford City, Bristol Rovers, Chesterfield, Barnet and Port Vale have emerged as prominent names in early assessments of the promotion race, but the division is unlikely to be settled by reputation alone.
Salford’s challenge will be to turn a strong squad and substantial summer recruitment into sustained results, while Port Vale must immediately show that their relegation has not damaged their confidence.
The promoted clubs provide an intriguing subplot. York arrive as National League champions after an extraordinary 108-point campaign, while Rochdale won promotion through the play-offs after collecting 106 points. Their performances in the opening weeks will offer an early indication of whether they can carry that momentum into League Two.
At the other end, clubs such as Newport, Tranmere, Fleetwood and Swindon will want to establish distance from the relegation places as early as possible. The first few months should also reveal whether the changes at clubs such as Walsall and Tranmere produce the desired improvement.
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