Vincent Kompany starts Burnley career at Huddersfield, promoted Wigan, Sunderland and Rotherham at home while relegated Premier League clubs Norwich face Cardiff and it’s Watford vs Sheffield United

Vincent Kompany begins life as Burnley manager with a Friday night trip to Huddersfield on the opening day of the Championship season.

The Clarets’ relegation from the Premier League means they will be playing in the second tier for the first time since the 2015/16 season.

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Their slide saw Sean Dyche replaced by Manchester City legend Kompany in the summer, leaving Belgian side Anderlecht to take over.

New Blackburn boss Jon Dahl Tomasson gets his managerial career in England off to a start at home against Queens Park Rangers who also have a new man in charge in Michael Beale.

Sunderland, meanwhile, begin their campaign back in the Championship after winning promotion from League One by welcoming Coventry.

Wigan and Rotherham, the other promoted sides, have home games against Preston and Swansea respectively.

The season will start a week earlier on the weekend of 29, 30, 31 July and 1 August and will pause for four weeks from 12 November to 10 December for the World Cup group stages.

Leagues One and Two will proceed as normal during the World Cup.

All three divisions will end on the weekend of Saturday, 6 May and the play-off finals will be played between the 27th and 29th May.

THE OPENING WEEKEND IN FULL

Friday 29 July
Huddersfield Town v Burnley – 8pm

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Saturday 30 July
Blackburn Rovers v Queens Park Rangers – 3pm
Blackpool v Reading – 3pm
Cardiff City v Norwich City – 3pm
Hull City v Bristol City – 3pm
Luton Town v Birmingham City – 3pm
Millwall v Stoke City – 3pm
Rotherham United v Swansea City – 3pm
Wigan Athletic v Preston North End – 3pm
Middlesbrough v West Bromwich Albion – 5.30pm

Sunday 31 July
Sunderland v Coventry City – 12pm

Monday 1 August
Watford v Sheffield United – 8pm