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Today at the Africa Cup of NationsGelson Dala salutes the fans after giving Angola a 1-0 lead over Zimbabwe at Marrakesh Stadium. Photograph: Khaled Desouki/AFP/Getty ImagesShare
Championship: In today’s early kick-off, Derby County lead Birmingham City courtesy of a Patrick Agemang header in the 27th minute, but are down to 10 men following the dimissal of Joe Ward. The Derby winger picked up a silly yellow card for trying to delay a free-kick and was sent off for his second bookable offence 10 minutes later. His crime? Cynically tripping Jonathan Roberts as he advanced on the visitors’ penalty area. He can have no complaints about either caution.
They’re approaching half-time at St Andrew’s, while it’s scoreless at the Den in today’s slightly later kick-off between Millwall and Ipswich Town after 19 minutes.
Derby County’s Joe Ward (centre) ponders his life choices after being shown a red card by referee Ben Toner for two bookable offences. Photograph: David Davies/PAShareBoxing Day Championship fixtures
Birmingham City 0-1 Derby County (L)
Millwall 0-0 Ipswich Town (L)
Coventry City v Swansea City
Leicester City v Watford
Middlesbrough v Blackburn
Norwich City v Charlton Athletic
Oxford United v Southampton
Portsmouth v QPR
Sheffield Wednesday v Hull City
Stoke City v Preston
West Brom v Bristol City
Wrexham v Sheffield United (5.30pm GMT)
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Good afternoon and season’s greetings to you all. If you’re currently nursing a mild Harvey’s Bristol Cream headache, staring at a mountain of cold turkey and unable to get to the TV because nan and the kids are watching Minions: The Rise of Gru you’ve come to the right place. And obviously, if you’re watching Minions: The Rise of Gru but wish to simultaneously wish keep tabs on all of his afternoon’s football action, then you’ve also come to the right place.
It is a strange, lean day for the top flight; a quirk of the 2025 calendar and broadcasting demands means the Premier League has largely pulled up the drawbridge, leaving us with just a solitary nightcap at Old Trafford later on. But fear not, for the EFL remains the heart and soul of the festive schedule. We have a full slate of 3pm kick-offs, in the Championship, including leaders Coventry City hosting Swansea and a high-stakes clash between Middlesbrough and Blackburn.
Beyond the second tier, we’ll be scanning the EFL for any news of note — and for those craving something a bit more exotic than a drizzly afternoon in Gillingham, we’re also keeping tabs on Afcon goings-on in Morocco. Angola and Zimbabwe’s Group B game is already under way, while Egypt and South Africa are due to kick off in Agadir at 3pm (GMT) in Agadir. It’s a tie that promises to be far more appetising than the bread sauce left over from yesterday’s festive lunch. Settle in, grab a mince pie, and let’s get to it.