At least 24 Pompey league games live on Sky next season
Match-going supporters of EFL clubs have been assured they will be given plenty of notice around changes to kick-off times next season.
As part of a new, improved television contract, more than 1,000 matches in all EFL competitions will be shown live under its new deal with Sky Sports.
The EFL announced just over a year ago that it had signed a contract worth a total of £935million with the broadcaster to start in 202425 and run to the end of the 2028-29 season.
It has been confirmed that newly-promoted Pompey and their 23 Championship rivals will be featured on either one of Sky’s regular sports channels or its new Sky Sports+ platform a minimum of 24 times.
Clubs in Leagues One and Two will appear at least 20 times.
This will include every match being broadcast live on the opening and closing weekends of the season, all midweek and Bank Holiday games plus League One and Two matches during international breaks.
All Carabao Cup and Bristol Street Motors
Trophy matches – following promotion, Pompey have now bid farewell to the latter tournament which they won in 2018/19 - will also be shown live, with 1,059 matches set to be shown live in total.
The EFL and Sky have pledged that broadcast selections up to the end of September will be confirmed within seven days of 2024-25 fixtures being announced towards the end of next month.
Supporters will also know before the start of the season about any changes to kick-off times prior to FA Cup third round weekend in January. By November 1 they will know about selections through to the first weekend in March.
The notice period for selections will then be four weeks in advance during the run-in.
The EFL said that for
League One and Two clubs, at least 16 of their 20 minimum appearances would not involve a change in kick-off time, while at least 11 of a Championship club’s minimum 24 appearances would involve no change.
Under the deal, 832 EFL matches per season will not be broadcast – 26 out of 36 fixtures on a regular weekend.
For the first time all 36 EFL matches on the opening and final rounds in each division will be broadcast live.
Sky said there would be four live matches on Friday, August 9, all kicking off at 8pm, featuring two from the Championship and one game each from League One and League Two.
The following day a