The glitz and glamour of the Premier League may grab the majority of headlines when it comes to English football, but, as ever, the Championship, League One and League Two are alive and kicking in 2022/23.
However, with the 2022 World Cup in Qatar impacting the domestic calendar this season, the three lower tiers in the EFL have paused for at least the early part of the tournament.
The Championship season is 21 matchdays old but has already proved to be as exciting and competitive as ever. The three sides relegated from last season's Premier League have all impressed, with Burnley top of the table by three points, and Watford and Norwich City occupying the play-offs. Just six points separate third-placed Blackburn Rovers from Luton Town in 10th, and the relegation battle is equally competitive.
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League One has also seen an electrifying start, albeit one in which the top three of Plymouth Argyle, Ipswich Town and Sheffield Wednesday risk pulling away from the chasing pack, with the latter nine points ahead of Peterborough United in fourth. At the bottom, a six-point buffer also separates the bottom four from Cambridge United in 20th, with MK Dons, Burton Albion, Morecambe and Forest Green Rovers all occupying the relegation zone.
With four promotion spots available from League Two, the most of any in the EFL, the race for the summit has been an enticing one in 2022/23. Leyton Orient lead Stevenage in second by five points, while third-placed Northampton Town are ahead of Barrow in fourth by four points. A mere six separate Barrow from Doncaster Rovers in 10th place, while the gap between Hartlepool United at the bottom to Crawley Town in 19th is just six points.
Here is when the EFL season will resume amid the ongoing World Cup.
MORE: Carabao Cup fixtures 2022/23: Draw, results, dates, times, and how to watch
When does the Championship return from the World Cup break?
While the first full round of Championship fixtures following the World Cup break will take place from Saturday, December 10 to Monday, December 12, the first fixture back in England's second tier will take place on Saturday, December 3.
Sunderland take on Millwall at the Stadium of Light at 12:30 GMT in the only Championship match of that weekend before all 24 clubs return to action a week later, kicking off with a Lancashire derby between Blackburn Rovers and Preston North End at Ewood Park at 12:00 GMT on December 10.
When do League One and League Two return from the World Cup break?
While Sunderland vs. Millwall is the only Championship match on the weekend commencing December 3, League One and League Two will be in full swing by then.
Both divisions return on the evening of Friday, December 2, with six League One fixtures kicking off at 19:45 and six more in League Two signalling the fourth tier's resumption at the same time.
MORE: When is the Carabao Cup final 2022/23? League Cup fixture round dates and schedule
EFL on TV and streaming during the World Cup: Full fixture schedule
Championship
| Date | Time | Fixture | UK TV Channel |
| Sat, December 3 | 12:30 | Sunderland vs. Millwall | — |
| Sat, December 10 | 12:00 | Blackburn Rovers vs. Preston NE | Sky Sports Football |
| Sat, December 10 | 12:30 | Rotherham United vs. Bristol City | — |
| Sat, December 10 | 15:00 | Blackpool vs. Birmingham City | — |
| Sat, December 10 | 15:00 | Middlesbrough vs. Luton Town | — |
| Sat, December 10 | 15:00 | Millwall vs. Wigan Athletic | — |
| Sat, December 10 | 15:00 | Reading vs. Coventry City | — |
| Sat, December 10 | 15:00 | Sheffield United vs. Huddersfield Town | — |
| Sat, December 10 | 15:00 | Stoke City vs. Cardiff City | — |
| Sat, December 10 | 15:00 | Swansea City vs. Norwich City | — |
| Sun, December 11 | 13:00 | QPR vs. Burnley | Sky Sports Football |
| Sun, December 11 | 15:00 | Watford vs. Hull City | — |
| Mon, December 12 | 20:00 | Sunderland vs. West Bromwich Albion | Sky Sports Football |
| Fri, December 13 | 20:00 | Birmingham City vs. Reading | Sky Sports Football |
| Sat, December 17 | 15:00 | Bristol City vs. Stoke City | — |
| Sat, December 17 | 15:00 | Burnley vs. Middlesbrough | — |
| Sat, December 17 | 15:00 | Cardiff City vs. Blackpool | — |
| Sat, December 17 | 15:00 | Coventry City vs. Swansea City | — |
| Sat, December 17 | 15:00 | Huddersfield Town vs. Watford | — |
| Sat, December 17 | 15:00 | Hull City vs. Sunderland | — |
| Sat, December 17 | 15:00 | Preston NE vs. QPR | — |
| Sat, December 17 | 15:00 | West Bromwich Albion vs. Rotherham | — |
| Sat, December 17 | 17:30 | Norwich City vs. Blackburn Rovers | Sky Sports Football |
| Sun, December 18 | 12:00 | Luton Town vs. Millwall | Sky Sports Football |
All games on Sky Sports' Football channel can also be streamed via Sky Go and NOW TV.
League One
| Date | Time | Fixture | UK TV Channel |
| Fri, December 2 | 19:45 | Bolton Wanderers vs. Bristol Rovers | — |
| Fri, December 2 | 19:45 | Charlton Athletic vs. Cheltenham Town | — |
| Fri, December 2 | 19:45 | Ipswich Town vs. Fleetwood Town | — |
| Fri, December 2 | 19:45 | Morecambe vs. Exeter City | — |
| Fri, December 2 | 19:45 | Peterborough United vs. Barnsley | — |
| Fri, December 2 | 19:45 | Plymouth Argyle vs. Port Vale | — |
| Sat, December 3 | 12:30 | Derby County vs. Sheffield Wednesday | — |
| Sat, December 3 | 12:30 | MK Dons vs. Burton Albion | — |
| Sat, December 3 | 12:30 | Shrewsbury vs. Lincoln City | — |
| Sat, December 3 | 13:00 | Forest Green vs. Cambridge United | — |
| Sat, December 3 | 15:00 | Accrington Stanley vs. Oxford United | — |
| Sun, December 4 | 12:30 | Wycombe Wanderers vs. Portsmouth | Sky Sports Football |
| Sat, December 10 | 12:30 | Ipswich Town vs. Peterborough United | — |
| Sat, December 10 | 12:30 | Shrewsbury vs. Bolton Wanderers | — |
| Sat, December 10 | 15:00 | Accrington Stanley vs. Portsmouth | — |
| Sat, December 10 | 15:00 | Bristol Rovers vs. Port Vale | — |
| Sat, December 10 | 15:00 | Burton Albion vs. Derby County | — |
| Sat, December 10 | 15:00 | Cambridge United vs. Plymouth Argyle | — |
| Sat, December 10 | 15:00 | Exeter City vs. Sheffield Wednesday | — |
| Sat, December 10 | 15:00 | Forest Green vs. Cheltenham Town | — |
| Sat, December 10 | 15:00 | Lincoln City vs. Wycombe Wanderers | — |
| Sat, December 10 | 15:00 | MK Dons vs. Fleetwood Town | — |
| Sat, December 10 | 15:00 | Morecambe vs. Charlton Athletic | — |
| Sat, December 10 | 15:00 | Oxford United vs. Barnsley | — |
| Sat, December 17 | 15:00 | Barnsley vs. Burton Albion | — |
| Sat, December 17 | 15:00 | Bolton Wanderers vs. Exeter City | — |
| Sat, December 17 | 15:00 | Charlton Athletic vs. Bristol Rovers | — |
| Sat, December 17 | 15:00 | Cheltenham Town vs. Lincoln City | — |
| Sat, December 17 | 15:00 | Derby County vs. Forest Green | — |
| Sat, December 17 | 15:00 | Fleetwood Town vs. Cambridge United | — |
| Sat, December 17 | 15:00 | Peterborough United vs. Shrewsbury | — |
| Sat, December 17 | 15:00 | Plymouth Argyle vs. Morecambe | — |
| Sat, December 17 | 15:00 | Port Vale vs. Accrington Stanley | — |
| Sat, December 17 | 15:00 | Portsmouth vs. MK Dons | — |
| Sat, December 17 | 15:00 | Sheffield Wednesday vs. Oxford United | — |
| Sat, December 17 | 15:00 | Wycombe Wanderers vs. Ipswich Town | — |
All games on Sky Sports' Football channel can also be streamed via Sky Go and NOW TV.
League Two
| Date | Time | Fixture | UK TV Channel |
| Fri, December 2 | 19:45 | Crewe Alexandra vs. Newport County | — |
| Fri, December 2 | 19:45 | Doncaster Rovers vs. Walsall | — |
| Fri, December 2 | 19:45 | Stevenage vs. Barrow | — |
| Sat, December 3 | 12:30 | AFC Wimbledon vs. Grimsby Town | — |
| Sat, December 3 | 12:30 | Gillingham vs. Salford City | — |
| Sat, December 3 | 12:30 | Leyton Orient vs. Bradford City | — |
| Sat, December 3 | 13:00 | Carlisle United vs. Sutton United | — |
| Sat, December 3 | 15:00 | Crawley Town vs. Swindon Town | — |
| Sat, December 3 | 15:00 | Hartlepool United vs. Stockport County | — |
| Sat, December 3 | 15:00 | Mansfield Town vs. Colchester United | — |
| Sat, December 3 | 15:00 | Northampton Town vs. Tranmere Rovers | — |
| Sat, December 3 | 15:00 | Rochdale vs. Harrogate Town | — |
| Sat, December 10 | 13:00 | Carlisle United vs. Barrow | — |
| Sat, December 10 | 13:00 | Crewe Alexandra vs. Leyton Orient | — |
| Sat, December 10 | 15:00 | Crawley Town vs. Hartlepool United | — |
| Sat, December 10 | 15:00 | Gillingham vs. Bradford City | — |
| Sat, December 10 | 15:00 | Grimsby Town vs. Tranmere Rovers | — |
| Sat, December 10 | 15:00 | Harrogate Town vs. Northampton Town | — |
| Sat, December 10 | 15:00 | Newport County vs. Doncaster Rovers | — |
| Sat, December 10 | 15:00 | Rochdale vs. Stockport County | — |
| Sat, December 10 | 15:00 | Salford City vs. Rochdale | — |
| Sat, December 10 | 15:00 | Stevenage vs. Mansfield Town | — |
| Sat, December 10 | 15:00 | Sutton United vs. Colchester United | — |
| Sat, December 10 | 15:00 | Swindon Town vs. AFC Wimbledon | — |
| Sat, December 17 | 15:00 | AFC Wimbledon vs. Stevenage | — |
| Sat, December 17 | 15:00 | Barrow vs. Swindon Town | — |
| Sat, December 17 | 15:00 | Bradford City vs. Rochdale | — |
| Sat, December 17 | 15:00 | Colchester United vs. Salford City | — |
| Sat, December 17 | 15:00 | Doncaster Rovers vs. Harrogate Town | — |
| Sat, December 17 | 15:00 | Hartlepool United vs. Newport County | — |
| Sat, December 17 | 15:00 | Leyton Orient vs. Sutton United | — |
| Sat, December 17 | 15:00 | Mansfield Town vs. Grimsby Town | — |
| Sat, December 17 | 15:00 | Northampton Town vs. Carlisle United | — |
| Sat, December 17 | 15:00 | Stockport County vs. Gillingham | — |
| Sat, December 17 | 15:00 | Tranmere Rovers vs. Crawley Town | — |
| Sat, December 17 | 15:00 | Walsall vs. Crewe Alexandra | — |
All games on Sky Sports' Football channel can also be streamed via Sky Go and NOW TV.