Preview | Middlesbrough v Swansea City
Swansea City kick-off their 2025-26 Championship campaign with a trip to Teesside to take on Middlesbrough at the Riverside Stadium (3pm).
Alan Sheehan leads the Swans to Teesside as they start the new season with exactly the same fixture as they commenced last term.
The visitors will hoping to return a better result than their 1-0 defeat of a year ago, as they face a home side under the charge of Rob Edwards for the first time.
Team News
The Swans are waiting on the fitness of Ben Cabango as he works towards recovering from the calf injury that has sidelined him for much of pre-season.
Zan Vipotnik was due to return to training towards the end of the week after a toe injury, while Zeidane Inoussa and Jisung Eom made returns from hamstring and ankle problems against Lorient.
Ricardo Santos and Filip Lissah will definitely be absent for the Swans.
Pre-match views
Alan Sheehan: “It becomes real now, there is a different feel to a Championship game and it is one we are pleased to have back.
“We are looking forward to Saturday. We have had a good week of training, this is what we have all been waiting for and we are excited to get going.
“We want to be competitive, we finished last season with wonderful momentum and we got to a place where we had built good character, resilience and confidence within the group and the club.
“We want to evolve, we want to become a better team, a team that Championship teams play and know they are going to be in for a difficult test.
“I know everyone wants to ask what we think we will do over the season ahead, but I think we have been clear that we want to be a club that improves."
Rob Edwards: "I am really excited. If somebody had said to me years ago that I'd be the head coach of this club and leading them out, it is a pinch me moment.
"We want to make it a winning week. There has been a really good blend of clear messages and a fun, relaxed environment this week.
"Of course it would be great to start with a win, but it is the one thing that we can't guarantee. Hopefully we see a really good performance full of hard work."
Meet the officials
Farai Hallam is the man in the middle at the Riverside this afternoon.
You can find out more about the former Stevenage trainee and his team of officials HERE.
Remember the last time?
Emmanuel Latte Lath’s first-half penalty proved the difference as Swansea City suffered defeat at Middlesbrough on the opening day of the last Championship season.
The striker converted from the spot after Isaiah Jones had been fouled in the area, and it was enough to settle the contest at the Riverside Stadium.
The Swans were improved in the second half, and were unable to convert a late flurry of chances after controlling most of the proceedings after the interval.
Prime numbers
2 - Swansea City have lost just two of their last 10 opening-day fixtures.
2 - The Swans have won twice at the Riverside Stadium since the stadium opened in 1995, the most recent of those wins came in 2020.