Middlesbrough travel to Ewood Park to face Blackburn Rovers in a Championship fixture this weekend. The match kicks off at 3 p.m. Local time on Saturday, which is 10 a.m. ET for viewers in the United States, as originally reported by Athlon Sports.
Middlesbrough began their campaign with a 2-1 comeback win over Lincoln City, while Blackburn earned a 2-2 draw away to Wolves. This is Blackburn's first home game of the new season. The two sides drew both of their meetings last term, including a 0-0 stalemate at Ewood Park.
What are the confirmed starting lineups?
The teams have been announced ahead of kickoff. Blackburn Rovers manager John Eustace has selected Balazs Toth in goal. His back four consists of Harry Pickering, Sean McLoughlin, Tom Atcheson, and Ryan Alebiosu. The midfield trio is Kristi Montgomery, Sam Morsy, and Todd Cantwell, with Oladapo Afolayan, Andri Gudjohnsen, and Ryoya Morishita leading the attack.
For Middlesbrough, head coach Michael Carrick has named Radek Vitek as his goalkeeper. The defensive line is Max Arfsten, Adilson Malanda, Luke Ayling, and Callum Brittain. Sebastian Berhalter, Aidan Morris, and Morgan Whittaker will operate in midfield. The forward three are Jeremy Sarmiento, Will Lankshear, and Myles Peart-Harris.
How can fans watch the match?
Broadcast details differ significantly by region. In the United States, the game will be shown live on CBS Sports Golazo Network and is also available for streaming on Paramount+ US. Unfortunately, the match is not scheduled for live television broadcast in the United Kingdom. Supporters there will need to follow updates via radio or digital match trackers.
What is the context from last season?
Middlesbrough finished the 2025 Championship season in a strong 5th place, amassing 80 points from 46 games with a record of 22 wins, 14 draws, and 10 losses. They scored 72 goals and conceded 47, giving them a +25 goal difference. Their final run of form was LLDDW, and they ended the campaign 15 points behind champions Coventry City. You can review the full final table on our standings page.
That solid foundation makes this season's start important. Will Lankshear, who scored twice against Lincoln, will be key again. Blackburn will rely on goalscorers from the opening day, Sean McLoughlin and Andri Gudjohnsen.
What comes next for Middlesbrough?
Following this trip to Lancashire, Middlesbrough's schedule continues quickly. Their next fixture is a short trip to face Burnley at Turf Moor on September 2. The club will hope to have striker Tommy Conway back from injury soon; he is currently the only player listed on the injuries page. Building momentum early is important, and fans can track the team's progress through our stats hub.
