The upcoming EFL League Two season is just over two weeks away and plenty of new clubs, players and managers will face off against each other across 46 matchdays.
While we wait for August 1 to arrive, we take a look at all the key details surrounding the new campaign, including dates, clubs, and stadiums.
League Two Clubs 2025/26
As always, 24 teams will compete against each other in the league this season, with 18 familiar faces and six new incomers making up the division following relegation from League One and promotion from the National League.
The sides that have remained in League Two are as follows:
- Accrington Stanley
- Barrow
- Bromley
- Cheltenham Town
- Chesterfield
- Colchester United
- Crewe Alexandra
- Fleetwood Town
- Gillingham
- Grimsby Town
- Harrogate Town
- MK Dons
- Newport County
- Notts County
- Salford City
- Swindon Town
- Tranmere Rovers
- Walsall
Who has been relegated from League One?
Joining League Two from the third tier this year are:
- Crawley Town
- Bristol Rovers
- Cambridge United
- Shrewsbury Town
Who has been promoted from the National League?
Two teams from the fifth tier have been promoted to League Two, one automatically and one via the play-offs:
- Barnet
- Oldham Athletic (play-offs)
What is the biggest stadium in League Two next season?
League Two will have its fair share of large grounds this season, with 10 clubs boasting a stadium capacity of over 10,000, including four of 15,000 or more.
MK Dons’ Stadium MK is a huge outlier with its capacity of 30,500, meaning it holds an extra 10,000 more seats than the second biggest ground in the division – Notts County’s Meadow Lane.
Stadium MK also has a bigger capacity than all but one League One stadium (Cardiff City’s Cardiff City Stadium, which holds 33,280).
Here are the top 10 biggest stadiums in League Two 2025/26
- MK Dons – Stadium MK – 30,500
- Notts County – Meadow Lane – 19,841
- Tranmere Rovers – Prenton Park – 16,789
- Swindon Town – County Ground – 15,728
- Oldham Athletic – Boundary Park – 13,513
- Gillingham – Priestfield Stadium – 11,582
- Walsall – Bescot Stadium – 11,300
- Chesterfield – SMH Group Stadium – 10,504
- Crewe Alexandra – Gresty Road – 10,153
- Colchester United – Colchester Community Stadium – 10,105
What is the smallest stadium in League Two next season?
Several clubs’ stadiums have relatively small capacities, including seven with less than 6,000, but Harrogate Town’s Wetherby Road holds the least with exactly 5,000.
Here are the top 5 smallest stadiums in League Two 2025/26
- Harrogate Town – Wetherby Road – 5,000
- Salford City – Moor Lane – 5,108
- Bromley – Hayes Lane – 5,300
- Fleetwood Town – Highbury Stadium – 5,327
- Accrington Stanley – Crown Ground – 5,450
What new managers can we expect next season?
Several League Two sides have welcomed new faces into the managerial position this summer, with one having suffered relegation from the third tier and the other three remaining in the fourth tier.
- Bristol Rovers – Darrell Clarke
- Newport County – David Hughes
- Notts County – Martin Paterson
- Tranmere Rovers – Andy Crosby
Who is the longest-serving manager in League Two?
Currently, the longest-serving manager in the division is Harrogate Town’s Simon Weaver, who has been in charge for a staggering 14 years and 1 month.
Half of the league’s current managers have been in their position for less than a year.
Top Five Longest Serving Managers in League Two
- Simon Weaver – Harrogate Town – 14 years 1 month
- Andy Woodman – Bromley Town – 4 years 3 months
- Paul Cook – Chesterfield – 3 years 5 months
- Dean Brennan – Barnet – 3 years 4 months
- Lee Bell – Crewe Alexandra – 2 years 7 months
What are the key dates this season?
EFL League Two Season Start Dates 2025
- Start Dates: Friday 1st August 2025 – Sunday 3rd August 2025
League Two Final Games of the Season and Play-Offs
- Final Games: Weekend of 2nd/3rd May 2026
- League Two Play-Off Final: Monday 25th May 2026, Wembley Stadium
EFL Trophy Dates / Vertu Trophy
- Group Stage Draw Date: Thursday 26th June 2025
- Matchday One: Week starting Monday 1st September 2025
- Vertu Trophy Final at Wembley: Sunday 12th April 2026
Carabao Cup Dates
- Round One Draw Date: Thursday 26th June 2025
- Round One Fixtures: Week starting Monday 11th August 2025
- Carabao Cup Final Date: Sunday 22nd March 2026 at Wembley Stadium
FA Cup Dates
- First Round Proper: Saturday 1 November 2025
- Second Round Proper: Saturday 6 December 2025
- Third Round Proper: Saturday 10 January 2026
- Fourth Round Proper: Saturday 14 February 2026
- Fifth Round Proper: Saturday 7 March 2026
- Quarter Final: Saturday 4 April 2026
- Semi-Final: Saturday 25 April 2026
- The Final: Saturday 16 May 2026
This guide will continue to be updated as and when more information is released.
Is there a League Two Podcast we can listen to each week?
There is a whole host of podcasts available that cover their own specific clubs. However, if you want a show that covers the previews and reviews of all the action across the third tier we recommend the Fourth Tier Fever, which is available on both YouTube and Spotify (as well as all good streaming platforms).
Where can I find the latest news from across League One?
The Football Deck covers the majority of the major news from across League One, however you can find more news at Football League World, The72, the BBC and SkySports.