The opening match of the 2025/26 Championship season saw the dominant League One winners Birmingham City entertain an Ipswich Town side who came into this match still feeling blue from their unforgiving time in the Premier League last season. 

The Blues were the more dominant team, with the relentlessness midfield pair Seung Ho Paik and Tomoki Iwata, winning the ball and dictating the tempo. Their reward finally came when the deadlock was broken by Jay Stansfield in the 55^th minute after Kyogo Furuhashi’s audacious chip hit the post and dropped to the path of the Englishman.

The dynamic sharply changed in favour of Ipswich, having 90% possession in the next 10 minutes after conceding the opener. Without much threat from the men in red, they found themselves with a golden opportunity to save a poor performance. In the 95^th minute, a controversial handball decision against Lyndon Dykes gave George Hirst a chance to steal a point, which he calmy did, placing the ball confidently down the middle of the net.

The first half didn’t bring much excitement, the first shot on target arrived in the 40^th minute as a deflected shot by Keshi Anderson rolled softly into Alex Palmer’s gloves. City looked the brighter side throughout as Kieran Mckenna’s team couldn’t seem to find their rhythm.

This was an early benchmark test for Birmingham tonight as they faced massive promotion favourites. Despite the disappointing end, Chris Davies’s side can take plenty of encouragement. With massive additions made in the summer with their £10 million signing from Stade Rennais, Kyogo looked sharp and fast, while Tommy Doyle with over 50 Premier League appearances made his debut and the return home of Premier League winner Demarai Gray on the wing.

Neither team massively promoted a clear style of football, but it is only the opening weekend adapting back to the championship standard. For the home side it is a sign of promising things to come as Ipswich will hope for more life next weekend.