Middlesbrough kick off their 2026-27 Championship season at home to Lincoln City on Saturday, August 15. The Boro finished fifth last season with 80 points (22W-14D-10L), but their recent form saw them lose four of their last five matches (LLLLD).
What's the history between these teams?
This is the first meeting between Middlesbrough and Lincoln City since April 1961, when the Imps won 5-2 in a second-tier clash. Lincoln have only won one of their 10 previous league visits to Middlesbrough (D3 L6), a 2-1 victory in March 1959 under Bill Anderson.
How did Lincoln City get here?
The Imps secured promotion as League One champions last season, ending their campaign with a 29-game unbeaten run (W23 D6). Only six sides have gone 30+ games unbeaten outside the top flight in recent history, with Burnley (33) the last in 2024-25.
What's Middlesbrough's style?
Middlesbrough led the Championship in pressed sequences last season (592), with eight goals scored from high turnovers - only Ipswich (11) and Hull (9) had more. Their aggressive pressing will test Lincoln’s promotion-winning side.
Middlesbrough’s last result was a 1-0 loss to Hull City on May 23, 2026, leaving them 15 points behind leaders Coventry. Their next fixture is at home to Cardiff on October 17, 2026.
