EFL 2020-21: How can I watch or follow my team this season?

Image source, Rex Features

Image caption, Wycombe Wanderers won promotion to the Championship in July at a near-empty Wembley

The new English Football League campaign gets under way on Friday as Watford host Middlesbrough in the Championship.

Yet, for fans, the wait to return to stadiums goes on, as mass gatherings continue to be banned because of the coronavirus pandemic.

A record 18.3m people attended EFL games during the 2018-19 season but, for the time being, no supporters will be allowed to watch matches from the stands.

So in this most unusual of openings to the season, how can you follow your team?

How can I follow the EFL on the 麻豆社?

First and foremost, 麻豆社 local radio offers comprehensive coverage of every EFL game, and for each home and away club, as well as updates on 麻豆社 Radio 5 live.

Unfortunately, rights restrictions mean we cannot bring you these audio commentaries online, but you can tune in on your radio if you are in the area.

On the 麻豆社 Sport website and app, each round of EFL games will be covered with live text commentary, match reports and comprehensive news coverage.

Any televised Championship games will also be covered by individual live text pages, starting on Friday with Watford v Middlesbrough.

How can I watch my team live?

While stadiums remain closed, every EFL game that has not been selected for live coverage by Sky Sports will be streamed live on the relevant club websites.

Clubs are using their iFollow service (or their own equivalent) and the cost for a pass for each match is 拢10.

An agreement has also been struck for the streaming of non-televised Carabao Cup ties through to the end of the fourth round, with match passes again available for 拢10.

Meanwhile, 130 EFL matches will be shown live on Sky Sports over the course of the campaign. These matches will not be available on club websites.

What about highlights?

Highlights will continue to be broadcast to UK television viewers free-to-air on Quest.

What if I want to watch from outside the UK?

Similarly, fans based abroad can access every game by purchasing a match pass, except for the fixtures that have been selected for TV coverage.

What if I'm a season ticket holder?

Many EFL clubs have waived the cost of the match pass and made it free for their season ticket holders for home games.

Some are yet to release information about their 2020-21 season tickets, amid the uncertainty over how long stadiums will be empty for.

In these cases, check on your club's website for the latest information about your season ticket.

When might fans be allowed back in to EFL games?

The Government had planned to start bringing spectators back to sports venues in England from October.

However, Prime Minister Boris Johnson said on Wednesday that plans to welcome back fans from 1 October was to be reviewed.

League Two club Cambridge United's home game against Carlisle United on Saturday had been set to include 2,000 fans, as part of a government pilot, but that trial has been cancelled by Cambridge after the attendance was capped at 1,000.

A planned fans pilot at Saturday's Women's Super League game between West Ham United and Arsenal will go ahead with up to 1,000 supporters.