The release of the 2026-27 English Football League fixtures has handed supporters across the country something to circle on their calendars, with a host of long-dormant derby matches returning after promotion and relegation reshaped the divisions last season.
Chief among them is the renewal of the fierce Millwall versus West Ham rivalry, often referred to as the Dockers Derby due to both clubs' origins in London's shipyard communities. The two sides have not met in almost 15 years, but they will finally do battle again this weekend at The Den. Since their first meeting in 1899, when Millwall Athletic beat West Ham 2-1 in the FA Cup, the clubs have faced off 60 times, though only seven of those matches have taken place in the last 33 years.
The fixture carries a heavy history, including ugly scenes during a 2009 cup meeting that marred the rivalry's reputation. BBC Radio London's Nick Godwin described the derby as one that "walks a tightrope whenever and wherever it is played," noting that its rarity only adds to the unpredictability surrounding it. West Ham have not won at Millwall's home ground since December 1988, and Godwin suggested that whichever side handles the occasion better could hold the edge, saying, "If Millwall can rise to the occasion then don't count them out. If West Ham can blot out the noise, their promotion credentials will be burnished." The return fixture will be played at the London Stadium in February.
Elsewhere, the Black Country derby returns on Sunday for the first time since a bad-tempered FA Cup tie in January 2024, which was halted for 38 minutes because of crowd disorder and later resulted in West Bromwich Albion being fined by the Football Association. Wolverhampton Wanderers won that game 2-0, but this weekend's meeting will be just the second time in 15 years the sides have shared a division outside of the pandemic-affected 2021 campaign, when matches were played without fans. BBC Radio WM's Mike Taylor said Wolves' relegation from the Premier League had at least restored the derby to the calendar, adding that a victory could provide