England - Championship
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by Sridhar Bhamidi | in Championship Predictions
The 2025-26 EFL Championship is set for an explosive start as promotion hopefuls Birmingham and Ipswich Town meet on matchday one. This match will be played on Thursday at St. Andrew's, and our prediction is for the Blues and the Tractor Boys to dish out an entertaining game with goals from both teams.
Birmingham are back in the Championship after a one-year gap and with a bang. They won the League One title last campaign with a whopping 111 points, which was the most in an EFL season, and a 19-point gap to their next contenders, Wrexham. They have sought well in the off-season and will hope to get going immediately to allay any fears of coping at this level.
Ipswich are also back after a one-season absence, getting relegated from the Premier League last campaign. With only 22 points and a 16-point gap to safety, the Tractor Boys never looked likely to maintain their status in the top flight. The financial backing has seen them recruit big this year, and they are heavy favorites to lead their way back. Can the two teams entertain on the opening night? Read further for our analysis, team news, and match predictions.
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The Best Betting Odds for Birmingham v Ipswich Town Match
| Bookmaker | 1 | X | 2 | Bonus up to |
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2.4 | 3.4 | 2.8 |
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2.4 | 3.1 | 2.88 |
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2.5 | 3.2 | 2.8 |
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2.5 | 3.1 | 2.8 |
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2.45 | 3.3 | 2.87 |
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What is the prediction for the football match between Birmingham and Ipswich Town?
Our prediction for the Birmingham vs Ipswich Town match is: both teams to score.
Probabilities according to our algorithm* of possible 1X2 football predictions and best odds for the match on 08/08/2025 between Birmingham and Ipswich Town in Championship :
- The Sportytrader ⭐ algorithm estimates a probability of 42.55% for a win of Birmingham against Ipswich Town with odds of 2.52 at 22bet.
- The probability according to Sportytrader ⭐ for a draw between Birmingham vs Ipswich Town is 20.69% with odds of 3.4 at Bet365.
- Our prediction model gives a 36.77% chance ⭐ for a win of Ipswich Town vs Birmingham with odds of 2.88 at Betfred.
Birmingham vs Ipswich Town Form
Birmingham and Ipswich Town Last Matches
3/6 (50%)
0/6 (0%)
3/6 (50%)
Average stats (Last 6 matchs)
2 Aug 2025 - Clubs Friendlies
26 Jul 2025 - Clubs Friendlies
26 Jul 2025 - Clubs Friendlies
23 Jul 2025 - Clubs Friendlies
19 Jul 2025 - Clubs Friendlies
19 Jul 2025 - Clubs Friendlies
4/6 (67%)
1/6 (17%)
1/6 (17%)
Average stats (Last 6 matchs)
2 Aug 2025 - Clubs Friendlies
23 Jul 2025 - Clubs Friendlies
27 Apr 2025 - League One
18 Apr 2025 - League One
13 Apr 2025 - EFL Trophy
5 Apr 2025 - League One
3/6 (50%)
0/6 (0%)
3/6 (50%)
Average stats (Last 6 matchs)
26 Jul 2025 - Clubs Friendlies
26 Jul 2025 - Clubs Friendlies
19 Jul 2025 - Clubs Friendlies
19 Jul 2025 - Clubs Friendlies
12 Jul 2025 - Clubs Friendlies
3 May 2025 - League One
4/6 (67%)
0/6 (0%)
2/6 (33%)
Average stats (Last 6 matchs)
2 Aug 2025 - Clubs Friendlies
29 Jul 2025 - Clubs Friendlies
25 Jul 2025 - Clubs Friendlies
19 Jul 2025 - Clubs Friendlies
25 May 2025 - Premier League
18 May 2025 - Premier League
1/6 (17%)
0/6 (0%)
5/6 (83%)
Average stats (Last 6 matchs)
29 Jul 2025 - Clubs Friendlies
25 May 2025 - Premier League
10 May 2025 - Premier League
20 Apr 2025 - Premier League
5 Apr 2025 - Premier League
15 Mar 2025 - Premier League
3/6 (50%)
1/6 (17%)
2/6 (33%)
Average stats (Last 6 matchs)
2 Aug 2025 - Clubs Friendlies
25 Jul 2025 - Clubs Friendlies
19 Jul 2025 - Clubs Friendlies
18 May 2025 - Premier League
3 May 2025 - Premier League
26 Apr 2025 - Premier League
Birmingham vs Ipswich Town Stats: Head to Head (H2H)
0 %
50 %
50 %
Average stats (last H2H results)
24 Feb 2024 - Championship
4 Nov 2023 - Championship
Birmingham - Ipswich Town: Form Analysis
Birmingham ended their off-season preparations with a 1-0 win over Premier League side Nottingham Forest. That made it three wins out of the last four friends for the Blues, who had two defeats prior to that run.
In total, Birmingham won four and lost three, although the friendlies aren't an indicator of things to come. History doesn't read well for Birmingham fans unfortunately, as their relegation in the 2023-24 Championship campaign is still fresh in memories.
Birmingham had eight consecutive bottom-half finishes in the Championship!
That could be set to change this year, although Ipswich will be a tough opponent to face on matchday one. The Tractor Boys had a perfect run-in to the season, winning all four of their friends. That included wins against French club Auxerre and Scottish side Aberdeen, while scoring 12 goals in total.
Ipswich became the fifth club to achieve back-to-back promotions when they last played in the Championship in the 2023-24 season. They had a goal tally of 92, and being back in familiar climes could see the Tractor Boys push for another promotion.
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Birmingham & Ipswich Town Squad Analysis
Birmingham have been one of the busiest sides in the transfer window, adding seven new players. They spent £15 million to sign Jay Stansfield last campaign and have now added former Celtic hitman Kyogo Furuhashi from Rennes for around £10 million. Former homegrown winger Demarai Gray also joined the side.
Chris Davies usually lined up his Birmingham side in a 4-2-3-1 formation last year, with Stansfield as the lone forward. There are some injury concerns around Stansfield, Ethan Laird, Lyndon Dykes and Kanya Fujimoto in the pre-season, but there's nothing major preventing them from playing here.
Ipswich have a team of superstars ready to fight for promotion.
The likes of Jacob Greaves, Sammie Szmodics, Jaden Philogene, and Leif Davis were added, while the surprise signing of Premier League veteran Ashley Young gives the dressing room a lot of experience.
Wes Burns will be out of this match due to a long-term injury, while the visitors will hope Szmodics can play the entire game. Last time he played a full Championship season, he scored 27 goals for Blackburn Rovers.
Birmingham - Ipswich Town Key Points
- Birmingham scored in three of their last four friendly matches.
- Birmingham ended last competitive season with goals in their final five matches.
- In four of their last five matches, including friendlies, Ipswich saw both teams score goals.
- Ipswich ended last season with BTTS as the winning pick in nine of their final 12 away competitive games.
- The last four matches between these sides ended with goals from both teams, played between 2018 and 2024.
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Our Birmingham vs Ipswich Town Prediction
A match between a side relegated from the Premier League and one that earned promotion from League One and can easily be brushed aside as a mismatch. Yet, these two sides are firmly being tipped to be there or thereabouts in the race for promotion from this year's Championship. Birmingham have spent well in the transfer market, while Ipswich have a point to prove after a disastrous Premier League campaign last year.
Both teams are likely to go all out to prove their credentials, and that's why our Birmingham vs Ipswich Town prediction is both teams to score.
Birmingham vs Ipswich Town - Other Interesting Predictions
Sammie Szmodics to score anytime
Sammie Szmodics was expected to do wonders for Ipswich in the Premier League last season but struggled to match the expectations. He comes back to a level where he won the Golden Boot last time he played in the 2023-24 campaign, with Blackburn Rovers. He will fancy his chances of getting on the scoresheet here.
Use £/€50 free bets for the Birmingham vs. Ipswich Town game!
Are you planning to bet on the upcoming match between Birmingham and Ipswich Town? Why not take advantage of the free bets from Bet365? Use our promo code STYVIP1 and open your account. Bet365 offers a welcome package of €/£50 free bet credits if you bet €/£10 as a new player.
Try your luck on this year's Championship! You need to make your qualifying bet of €/£10 within 30 days of opening an account and this can be on any sport with at least one selection priced at 1.2 (1/5) or bigger.
Birmingham vs Ipswich Town match : Frequently asked questions
The Birmingham vs Ipswich Town EFL Championship match will take place at St. Andrew's. This famous stadium is known as St. Andrew's @ Knighthead Park since 2024 for sponsorship reasons. It has been the home ground of Birmingham City Football Club for more than a century. The capacity is 29,409, and it is the third largest sporting venue in the West Midlands.
The Birmingham vs Ipswich Town EFL Championship match will be live on Sky Sports in the UK.
You can follow the game through our live scores. Check out our EFL Championship Livescore page!
This is straight out of a Hollywood drama flick! Chuba Akpom's transfer saga just days before the kickoff of this match has added extra spice to this contest.
The Ajax striker was close to joining Birmingham, with a deal agreed between the clubs and a medical booked for the player. Just when it looked like things were going smoothly, Ipswich entered the fray.
The late move led to Akpom's Birmingham medical being cancelled, with the Tractor Boys leading the race for his signature now. The Blues added to the spice by making a better offer for the English forward. Akpom is reported to prefer a move to Ipswich, while Ajax favor a move to Birmingham.
Ipswich seem to have won that race, but Birmingham aren't ready to accept loss yet. The fans are likely to have their say in the game, adding spice to this opening day contest!
All tips are fully researched and given in good faith, but profits cannot be guaranteed.
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