Burnley vs West Ham United

Burnley host West Ham at Turf Moor on the opening day of the 2026/27 Championship season, as both clubs begin life after relegation from the Premier League. It's a heavyweight curtain-raiser: bookmakers list West Ham as heavy favourites for an instant return, with Burnley not far behind in the promotion betting. West Ham head in with proven quality up top — Jarrod Bowen was their leading scorer last season and Mateus Fernandes has been among their standout performers. Burnley arrive under new head coach Nicky Hayen, a Belgian recruited from Genk after Scott Parker's exit, though a winless pre-season leaves little to judge them on. Zian Flemming, the Clarets' top scorer last term, remains their main attacking outlet. Historically the Hammers have the edge, winning 13 of the last 24 meetings to Burnley's 6. Our prediction: 1-1