Overview
- The Championship opener at The Valley will kick off at 15:00 BST on Saturday 15 August 2026 and is being shown in the UK on Sky Sports+ with international streams listed for Paramount+ and Viaplay.
- Derby have been reported to have a proposed takeover by Turki Al‑Sheikh fall through in the days before the match, creating short‑term off‑field uncertainty for the club.
- Charlton carry positive momentum after a 3-1 Carabao Cup win at Cheltenham on 8 August while Derby were knocked out of the same competition by Lincoln City on 8 August.
- Derby added Alex Mowatt from West Brom with his inclusion dependent on noon registration on matchday, and new signings Filip Bilbija and Charlie Taylor could make their league debuts; squad notes also list long‑term absence for Patrick Agyemang and fitness checks for Matt Clarke.
- Context: Charlton were promoted from League One in 2025 and finished 19th in last season's Championship, while Derby finished eighth and missed the expanded six‑team play-off places by a narrow margin last term.