August is bowing out in style, as the final midweek of the month is jam-packed with action from across the county. With dramatic curtain raisers and closers still to come, this week could prove all-important to so many clubs.

Tuesday 25th August EFL Cup: Nottingham Forest v Leeds United 20:00

Leeds United will be coming quite accustomed to Nottingham and The City Ground as they venture to the Midlands for the second time in three days in hopes of progression to the second round.

The Whites got off to a winning start to their second successive Premier League season as they travelled to Nottingham Forest with hopes of a positive performance matching the expectations of their fans who are thinking big when it comes to where they will finish this season.

With optimism running high in West Yorkshire after a flurry of exciting signings, including Harry Wilson and James Trafford, it was not the performance they expected, as Forest held them close for the majority of the meeting. Up until a piece of magic from German midfielder Stach saw him blast the winner in from a long-range free kick.

Forest will be out for revenge, however, with new boss Oliver Glasner needing a fast start on Trent's side to avoid whispers of job danger with famously hot-headed Marinakis in charge, who has a propensity for giving managers the boot.

Another tight game is to be expected with progression in the cup on the line, and with the possibility of changes being made for both sides ahead of more Premier League action at the weekend, it could be a chance to see how more new faces in both teams perform.

Date: 25/08/2026
Time: 20:00
Venue: City Ground, Nottingham
The match will be shown on ITV 1, Sky Sports Football, and Sky Sports Main Event



Wednesday 26th August EFL Cup: Bradford City v Burnley 19:45

Staying in West Yorkshire now and to Valley Parade, where Bradford are looking to continue their 100% winning start to the season against a Burnley side who have failed to get their campaign off the ground.

The Bantams have had a stellar start to their League One and cup campaign with three wins from three in a trio of games that they have not let in a single goal.

First it was Rochdale in the EFL Cup and Peterborough in the league, who both fell to 2-0 defeats at the hands of Graham Alexander’s men, and then a more cagey affair in a heated Yorkshire derby at Hillsborough, where Aden Baldwin’s header was the difference maker as Bradford took three points from relegated Sheffield Wednesday in a 1-0 win.

Their great start to the season has led them to the summit of the League One table as the only side that has won their opening two matches, and they are already with a two-point gap ahead of Huddersfield in second.

Up next is a much harder prospect in Burnley, who have returned to second-tier football following a dismal season in the Premier League last year. Despite heavy expectations, however, they have failed to hit form in their opening fixtures, with a penalty win over League One Notts County being their only victory as of yet.

The Championship has proven a tough task, though, with an opening-day draw to fellow Premier League dropouts West Ham being their only points on the board after a damning 3-1 loss to West Brom at the weekend put them firmly in their place.

A less than favourable start means they are sitting in 18th at this early stage, something they will want to rectify as soon as possible. A win against Bradford could give them the confidence needed to really kick on for the remainder of the season, but a loss could compound more misery onto an already faltering return to the second tier.

Date: 26/08/2026
Time: 19:45
Venue: Valley Parade, Bradford
The match will be shown on Sky Sports+



Thursday 27th August Betfred Super League: Wigan Warriors v Hull KR 20:00

The Super League regular season is almost over, meaning every match is becoming all the more vital. This one falls directly in that camp, as Wigan look to hold onto second place with the visit of Hull Kr, defending champions who are hoping to cling to their spot in the playoff places.

The Warriors have been their usual colossal selves this year, with just five losses in 24 matches giving them an ample opportunity to once again make a charge in the playoffs.
And with an outrageous 14-match winning run in both the league and cups, they look value for money to take the crown from Hull as they did in the Challenge Cup final when they demolished a flailing Robins side 40-10 at Wembley.

They have not slowed down since claiming that silverware and now find themselves on 38 points in second and two clear of Warrington in third.

The Robins will be hoping they can take away some of that Warriors security with some of their own, as Willie Peter’s men are on the hunt for a turnaround following a couple of disappointing results recently, which has left them in a precarious spot.

Back-to-back losses against Warrington and Toulouse have given playoff chasers St Helens a boost, as the side currently in seventh need to get a win to match them on points if KR fails to beat Wigan.

It all looks slightly worrying for last year's quadruple winners, who, if not careful, could crash out of the playoff places altogether and not even get the chance to retain their title.

Date: 27/08/2026
Time: 20:00
Venue: The Brick Community Stadium, Wigan
The match will be shown on Sky Go



Friday 28th August Betfred Super League: St Helens v Leeds Rhinos 20:00

The table topping action continues in Super League to round midweek off as the high-flying Rhinos look to add breathing space between them and third place whilst St Helens chase a playoff spot.

The Rhinos remain at top spot, level on points with the Warriors despite a slight wobble in their 16-20 defeat to Leigh. Brad Arthur’s men seemingly put that behind them, though, as they went on to smash Super League new boys York 66-16 at the weekend.

That puts the Rhinos in a good spot in terms of league position but also for points difference, as they have the farthest the best, which could prove to be vital come the end of the season with so little separating the top three.

Saints need a win in order to keep up their chase of Hull KR, who look to be faltering at just the wrong time. For St Helens, though, this could be the lifeline they need at the right time, as back-to-back wins over Wakefield and Castleford have almost rectified their wrongs of suffering three straight defeats in late July to early August.

Thursday’s action will influence the feel of this one heavily; as if Wigan win, it will put more pressure on them to fetch the two points back home in order for Leeds to stay in the top two comfortably and for Saints to have a chance at the top six.

Both will need to be on top form if they are to come away with an all-important win, a win that could be the difference maker in either of the seasons as we end midweek with what could prove to be the game of the campaign.

Date: 28/08/2026
Time: 20:00
Venue: BrewDog Stadium
The match will be shown on Sky Go