Lincoln City face Middlesbrough in their Championship opener on Saturday, looking to build on their EFL League One title-winning season.
What happened?
Lincoln City will play in the second tier of English football for the first time in 65 years, as they begin their campaign at beaten play-off finalists Middlesbrough.
Why it matters for Lincoln City
The Imps won at Derby in the EFL Cup first round last weekend and lost just once in the past 15 seasons on the opening day. Boro overcame Wrexham in the EFL Cup and have lost only one of their past five curtain-raisers.
What comes next?
This is the first meeting between Middlesbrough and Lincoln City in any competition since April 1961, with the Imps winning a second-tier match 5-2 at Sincil Bank.
Lincoln City's unbeaten run
Lincoln City finished their EFL League One title-winning campaign with a 29-game unbeaten run (W23 D6), only six sides previously have gone 30+ games outside of the top-flight, the last being Burnley in 2024-25 (33).
Middlesbrough's high-pressing record
Middlesbrough recorded more pressed sequences than any other side in the EFL Championship last season (592), while only Ipswich Town (11) and Hull City (9) scored more goals following high turnovers than their eight.
What's at stake?
Lincoln City will be looking to make a strong start to their Championship campaign, while Middlesbrough will be seeking to bounce back from a disappointing end to last season, where they won just four of their final 15 league matches (D7 L4).
