Timings, cup draws and TV picks: everything you need to know ahead of EFL kick-off day

Bristol Rovers will find out their schedule for the 2024/25 League One season tomorrow morning when the EFL fixtures are launched, with the campaign set to begin on the weekend of August 10.

For most fans, it’s the first day in the club’s football calendar that they can get excited about, as they can plan where they’re going to go when they’re going to go and start looking forward to certain fixtures and the upcoming season in general. Others can be a bit more cynical and play the “play everyone twice” card. Either way, Gasheads will find out how Rovers fixtures fall.

As always in the third tier, there are a considerable number of new faces as the league sees four teams relegated with a newly promoted quartet from League 2 to replace them, while three from the Championship replace the trio promoted.

This year, Cheltenham Town, Port Vale, Fleetwood Town and Carlisle United were replaced by Stockport County, Wrexham, Mansfield Town and Crawley Town, while promoted Portsmouth, Derby County and Oxford United swapped places with Birmingham City, Huddersfield Town and Rotherham United.

Much has been made of the strength of the new group of clubs and it certainly looks to be a significantly more competitive division this year. Where Gasul fits into this is yet to be seen, with the transfer window still open for another two months as Matt Taylor and co. sculpt a new-look team.

In addition, Rovers will also find out the layout of their final EFL Trophy group as well as their League Cup first round opponent. There is also the added factor of the new Sky Sports broadcast deal, which could see some of Gas’ first matches played at odd times for broadcast purposes.

With all that in mind, here’s everything you need to know ahead of the program’s launch day…

Where do you find Rovers gear?

Bristol Live will be running a live blog from 6am tomorrow as we build up to and then react to the matches which will be launched by the EFL at 9am. They will also be shared on Bristol Live’s Bristol Rovers WhatsApp channel, which you can join by clicking here.

Who will Rovers play?

It’s worth noting that it’s extremely likely that the Gas will be at home for the season opener, given that the opening weekend is up against the Balloon Fiesta. Bristol City are always away from home that weekend and so Rovers are expected to kick things off at the Mem.

This is particularly significant as the Gases rarely get an opening game in BS7, with only three of their last 10 games being played at Mem.

What’s more, the season will end on May 3, while with them expected to be at home on the opening day, Rovers could very well be away on Boxing Day and home on New Year’s Day.

As a reminder, the other 23 League One teams that the Gas will play once at home and once away during the league season are…

• Barnsley
• Birmingham City
• Blackpool
• Bolton Wanderers
• Burton Albion
• Cambridge United
• Charlton Athletic
• The town of Crawley
• City of Exeter
• Huddersfield town
• Leyton Orient
• City of Lincoln
• Town of Mansfield
• Town of Northampton
• Peterborough United
• READING
• Rotherham United
• Town of Shrewsbury
• Stevenage
• County Stockport
• Wigan Athletic
• Wrexham
• Wycombe Wanderers

Which matches will be televised?

Rovers’ opener is certain to be televised on Sky Sports with every game in the three divisions broadcast, but there is a possibility it could fall on Friday 9 August. Sky will show one League One game that evening with the other 11 games being played. Saturday, August 10. However, it has yet to be confirmed on Saturday whether games in the third tier will start at 12.30pm, 3.30pm or 5.30pm, each time being exclusive to one division.

As part of the new deal, which will see Sky Sports broadcast more than 1,000 EFL matches over the course of the campaign, the broadcaster has also committed to informing match supporters of changes to kick-off times with all selected fixtures by September. it is expected to be announced in early July, with every match played up until the FA Cup third round weekend, which tends to drop in early January, to be confirmed shortly after.

Sky Sports will also televise every game in the opening round of the League Cup, as well as all EFL Trophy matches, using the new Sky Sports Plus streaming platform due to launch in August to juggle this.

League Cup and EFL Trophy draws

Rovers will occupy ball number four in the League Cup first round draw, which will be shown on Sky Sports News from 11.30am on Thursday 27th, with the tie scheduled to be played in the week commencing August 12. The draw is regionalized until the third round, and at this stage includes all teams from League One and League Two, as well as all Championship teams, except for Luton Town and Burnley, who finished 18th and 19th respectively in the Premier League last season.

Southern Section Ball Numbers

• 1 – AFC Wimbledon
• 2 – Birmingham City
• 3 – Bristol City
• 4 – Bristol Rovers
• 5 – Bromley
• 6 – Cambridge United
• 7 – Cardiff City
• 8 – Charlton Athletic
• 9 – Cheltenham Town
• 10 – Colchester United
• 11 – Coventry City
• 12 – Crawley Town
• 13 – Exeter City
• 14 – Gillingham
• 15 – Leyton East
• 16 – Millwall
• 17 – MK Dons
• 18 – Newport County
• 19 – Northampton Town
• 20 – Norwich City
• 21 – Oxford United
• 22 – Peterborough United
• 23 – Plymouth Argyle
• 24 – Portsmouth
• 25 – Queens Park Rangers
• 26 – Reading
• 27 – Stevenage
• 28 – Swansea City
• 29 – Swindon Town
• 30 – Walsall
• 31 – Watford
• 32 – Wycombe Wanderers

In the EFL Trophy, Rovers have already been drawn in Group G alongside Exeter City and Swindon Town, but will be joined by an under-21 side. The draw will take place on Sky Sports News from 2.30pm on Thursday 27 June.

Southern Academy has ball numbers

• 1 – Arsenal U21
• 2 – Brighton and Hove Albion U21
• 3 – Chelsea U21
• 4 – Crystal Palace U21
• 5 – Fulham U21
• 6 – Leicester City U21
• 7 – Tottenham Hotspur U21
• 8 – West Ham United U21