2025–26 Bradford City A.F.C. season

Bradford City
2025–26 season
ChairmanStefan Rupp
ManagerGraham Alexander
StadiumValley Parade

The 2025–26 season is the 123rd season in the history of Bradford City Association Football Club and their first season back in League One since the 2018–19 season following their promotion from League Two in the preceding season. In addition to the domestic league, the club also participated in the FA Cup, the EFL Cup, and the EFL Trophy.

Transfers and contracts

In

Date Pos. Player From Fee Ref.
28 June 2025 CF  Will Swan (ENG)  Crawley Town (ENG) Undisclosed [1]
1 July 2025[a] LW  Stephen Humphrys (ENG)  Barnsley (ENG) Free [2]
1 July 2025[b] WB  Josh Neufville (ENG)  AFC Wimbledon (ENG) [3]
1 July 2025[c] CB  Matthew Pennington (ENG)  Blackpool (ENG) [4]
1 July 2025[d] CM  Max Power (ENG)  AGF (DEN) [5]
1 July 2025[e] CB  Curtis Tilt (JAM)  Salford City (ENG) [6]
1 July 2025[f] LB  Ibou Touray (GAM)  Stockport County (ENG) [7]
1 July 2025[g] CB  Joe Wright (WAL)  Kilmarnock (SCO) [8]
  1. ^ The transfer was announced on 20 June, and would become official on July 1 once his contract at Barnlsey had ended
  2. ^ The transfer was announced on 11 June, and would become official on July 1 once his contract at Wimbledon had ended
  3. ^ The transfer was announced on 25 June, and would become official on July 1 once his contract at Blackpool had ended
  4. ^ The transfer was announced on 16 May, and would become official on July 1 once his contract at AGF had ended
  5. ^ The transfer was announced on 4 June, and would become official on July 1 once his contract at Salford had ended
  6. ^ The transfer was announced on 20 June, and would become official on July 1 once his contract at Stockport had ended
  7. ^ The transfer was announced on 6 June, and would become official on July 1 once his contract at Kilmarnock had ended

Out

Date Pos. Player To Fee Ref.

Loaned in

Date Pos. Player From Date until Ref.

Loaned out

Date Pos. Player To Date until Ref.

Released / Out of Contract

Date Pos. Player Subsequent club Join date Ref.
30 June 2025 CB  Romoney Crichlow (ENG)  Barnet (ENG) 1 July 2025 [9][10]
CB  Sam Stubbs (ENG)  Shrewsbury Town (ENG) [9][11]
AM  Jamie Walker (SCO)  Grimsby Town (ENG) [9][12]
RB  Callum Johnson (ENG) [9]
CF  Vadaine Oliver (ENG) [9]
DM  Richard Smallwood (ENG) [13]
CM  Gabriel Wadsworth (ENG) [9]

New Contract

Date Pos. Player Contract until Ref.
9 June 2025 GK Sam Walker 30 June 2027 [14]
24 June 2025 CB Ciarán Kelly 30 June 2026 [15]

Pre-season and friendlies

On 13 June, Bradford City announced their pre-season schedule, with friendlies against FC United of Manchester, Chorley, Pickering Town, Ried II, Campion, Middlesbrough, Oldham Athletic and Bradford (Park Avenue) along with a training camp in Obertraun.[16]

  Win   Draw   Loss   Fixtures

5 July 2025 Friendly FC United of Manchester 0–1 Bradford City Moston
15:00 BST Report
  • Trialist 54'
 Stadium: Broadhurst Park
Attendance: 1,688
11 July 2025 Friendly Chorley v Bradford City Chorley
19:30 BST Stadium: Victory Park
15 July 2025 Friendly Pickering Town v Bradford City XI Pickering
19:00 BST Stadium: Mill Lane
18 July 2025 Friendly Ried II v Bradford City , Austria
18:00 CEST Stadium: TBC
22 July 2025 Friendly Campion v Bradford City XI Manningham
19:30 BST Stadium: Anytime Couriers Stadium
23 July 2025 Friendly Bradford City v Middlesbrough Bradford
19:00 BST Stadium: Valley Parade
26 July 2025 Friendly Oldham Athletic v Bradford City Oldham
13:00 BST Stadium: Boundary Park
29 July 2025 Friendly Bradford (Park Avenue) v Bradford City XI Bradford
19:00 BST Stadium: Horsfall Stadium

Competitions

League One

Main article: 2025–26 EFL League One

League table

Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Promotion, qualification or relegation
3 Blackpool 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Qualification for League One play-offs
4 Bolton Wanderers 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
5 Bradford City 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
6 Burton Albion 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
7 Cardiff City 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Updated to match(es) played on 26 April 2025. Source: EFL Official Website
Rules for classification: 1) Points; 2) Goal difference; 3) Number of goals scored; 4) Head-to-head results; 5) Wins; 6) Away goals; 7) Penalty points (sec 9.5); 8) 12-point sending off offences[17]

Results summary

Overall Home Away
Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts W D L GF GA GD W D L GF GA GD
0 0 0 0 0 0  0 0 0 0 0 0 0  0 0 0 0 0 0  0

Last updated: pre-season.
Source: Soccerway

Results by round

Round1
Ground
Result
Position
Points
Source: EFL
A = Away; H = Home; W = Win; D = Draw; L = Loss; P = Postponed

Matches

On 26 June, the League One fixtures were announced, with Bradford hosting Wycombe Wanderers on the opening weekend.[18]

  Win   Draw   Loss   Fixtures

2 August 2025 1 Bradford City v Wycombe Wanderers Bradford
15:00 BST Stadium: Valley Parade
9 August 2025 2 Northampton Town v Bradford City Northampton
15:00 BST Stadium: Sixfields Stadium
16 August 2025 3 Bradford City v Luton Town Bradford
15:00 BST Stadium: Valley Parade
19 August 2025 4 Stockport County v Bradford City Edgeley
19:45 BST Stadium: Edgeley Park
23 August 2025 5 Peterborough United v Bradford City Peterborough
15:00 BST Stadium: London Road Stadium
30 August 2025 6 Bradford City v AFC Wimbledon Bradford
15:00 BST Stadium: Valley Parade
6 September 2025 7 Doncaster Rovers v Bradford City Doncaster
15:00 BST Stadium: Eco-Power Stadium
13 September 2025 8 Bradford City v Huddersfield Town Bradford
12:30 BST Stadium: Valley Parade
Note: Fixture was originally scheduled for a 15:00 kick-off, but was moved live Sky Sports broadcasting.[19]

FA Cup

Main article: 2025–26 FA Cup

  Win   Draw   Loss   Fixtures

EFL Cup

Main article: 2025–26 EFL Cup

Bradford were drawn away to Blackburn Rovers in the first round.[20][21]

  Win   Draw   Loss   Fixtures

12 August 2025 First round Blackburn Rovers v Bradford City Blackburn
19:45 BST Stadium: Ewood Park

EFL Trophy

Main article: 2025–26 EFL Trophy

Bradford were drawn against Doncaster Rovers, Grimsby Town and Everton U21 in the group stage.[22]

Pos Div Team Pld W PW PL L GF GA GD Pts Qualification
1 L1 Bradford City 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Advance to Round 2
2 L1 Doncaster Rovers 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
3 L2 Grimsby Town 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
4 ACA Everton U21 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Updated to match(es) played on unknown. Source: EFL

  Win   Draw   Loss   Fixtures

Statistics

Appearances and goals

As of pre-season

Players with no appearances are not included on the list
Italics indicate a loaned in player

No. Pos Nat Player Total League One FA Cup EFL Cup EFL Trophy
Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals

References

  1. ^ "CITY SWOOP FOR SWAN". Bradford City AFC. 28 June 2025. Retrieved 29 June 2025.
  2. ^ "Humphryes Chooses Claret And Amber". Bradford City AFC. 20 June 2025. Retrieved 21 June 2025.
  3. ^ "Neufville Becomes A Bantam". Bradford City AFC. 11 June 2025. Retrieved 11 June 2025.
  4. ^ "Power Kickstarts Summer Recruitment". Bradford City AFC. 25 June 2025. Retrieved 29 June 2025.
  5. ^ "Power Kickstarts Summer Recruitment". Bradford City AFC. 16 May 2025. Retrieved 16 May 2025.
  6. ^ "Tilt Makes City Switch". Bradford City AFC. 4 June 2025. Retrieved 7 June 2025.
  7. ^ "Touray Joins City". Bradford City AFC. 20 June 2025. Retrieved 20 June 2025.
  8. ^ "Bantams Snap Up Wright". Bradford City AFC. 6 June 2025. Retrieved 7 June 2025.
  9. ^ a b c d e f "Retained List: 2024/25". Bradford City AFC. 13 May 2025. Retrieved 13 May 2025.
  10. ^ "Crichlow Joins The Bees". Barnet FC. 23 June 2025. Retrieved 28 June 2025.
  11. ^ "Shrewsbury Town bolster ranks with the signing of Sam Stubbs". Shrewsbury Town FC. 25 June 2025. Retrieved 28 June 2025.
  12. ^ "Walker Signs For Town". Grimsby Town FC. 25 June 2025. Retrieved 28 June 2025.
  13. ^ "Richie Smallwood will leave the club upon the expiry of his contract". X. Bradford City AFC. 2 June 2025. Retrieved 7 June 2025.
  14. ^ "Walker Extends City Stay". Bradford City AFC. 9 June 2025. Retrieved 9 June 2025.
  15. ^ "Kelly Extends City Stay". Bradford City AFC. 24 June 2025. Retrieved 2 July 2025.
  16. ^ "Pre-Season Schedule Confirmed". Bradford City AFC. 13 June 2025. Retrieved 13 June 2025.
  17. ^ "EFL Regulations Section 3 – The League; subsection 9 – Method of Determining League Positions". English Football League. Retrieved 8 April 2022.
  18. ^ "League One 2025/26 fixtures, dates, schedule & how to watch: Luton Town vs AFC Wimbledon season opener live on Sky Sports". Sky Sports. 26 June 2025. Retrieved 4 July 2025.
  19. ^ "Huddersfield Home Game Moved For Sky Sports Coverage". Bradford City AFC. 4 July 2025. Retrieved 4 July 2025.
  20. ^ "Carabao Cup Round One confirmed". English Football League. 26 June 2025. Retrieved 5 July 2025.
  21. ^ "Blackburn Trip Confirmed". Bradford City AFC. 4 July 2025. Retrieved 5 July 2025.
  22. ^ "Under-21 teams and Group Stage draw confirmed for 2025/26 Vertu Trophy". English Football League. 25 June 2025. Retrieved 9 July 2025.
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