Swansea host rivals Cardiff in the pick of Sky Sports’ live EFL matches in October.

After indifferent starts to the Sky Championship season, the South Wales rivals have the chance to boost their campaigns when they meet at the Swansea.com Stadium on October 23; kick-off 12pm.

The leading Championship and League One promotion hopefuls also feature throughout an extensive October EFL schedule on Sky Sports.

Queens Park Rangers host Reading on October 7, Norwich meet Watford for the first time following their relegation from the Premier League on October 15, before Sheffield United round off the month with a trip to West Brom on October 29.

Five of the top-six teams in Sky Bet League One appear live on Sky Sports in October.

Current leaders Portsmouth travel to Charlton on October 17, second-placed Ipswich host Derby on October 21, and third-placed Sheffield Wednesday entertain Bristol Rovers on October 26.

Fifth-placed Plymouth Argyle’s clash with south-west rivals Exeter City on October 31 completes Sky Sports’ League One schedule for the month.

Live Championship fixtures on Sky Sports

Friday, September 2: West Brom vs Burnley, 8pm

Saturday, September 3: Reading vs Stoke, 12pm

Monday, September 5: Middlesbrough vs Sunderland, 8pm

Friday, September 9: Burnley vs Norwich, 8pm

Tuesday, September 13: Preston vs Burnley, 8pm

Wednesday, September 14: West Brom vs Birmingham, 8pm (Camera coverage only)

Wednesday, September 14: Reading vs Sunderland, 8pm

Saturday, September 17: Swansea vs Hull, 12.30pm

Saturday, September 17: Middlesbrough vs Rotherham, 7.45pm

Friday, October 7: QPR vs Reading, 8pm

Sunday, October 9: Huddersfield vs Hull, 12pm

Saturday, October 15: Rotherham vs Huddersfield, 12.30pm

Saturday, October 15: Watford vs Norwich, 7.45pm

Tuesday, October 18: Blackburn vs Sunderland, 8pm

Tuesday, October 18: Stoke vs Rotherham, 8pm

Wednesday, October 19: Millwall vs Watford, 8pm

Sunday, October 23: Swansea vs Cardiff, 12pm

Friday, October 28: Birmingham vs QPR, 8pm

Saturday, October 29: West Brom vs Sheff Utd, 12.30pm

Live League One fixtures live on Sky Sports

Monday, October 17: Charlton vs Portsmouth, 8pm

Friday, October 21: Ipswich vs Derby, 8pm

Wednesday, October 26: Sheff Wed vs Bristol Rovers, 8pm

Monday, October 31: Plymouth vs Exeter, 8pm

Key dates for the 2022/23 season

The Championship will take a break in the middle of the season to accommodate a winter World Cup for the first time. As a result, the fixtures taking over the weekend of November 12/13 will be the final ones before players are called up by their countries for the tournament travel to Qatar.

The Championship will then resume on Saturday December 10, eight days before the World Cup final, which is scheduled to take place on Sunday December 18.

League One and League Two will continue as planned throughout the tournament, though fixtures may be postponed depending on player involvement in the World Cup.

The FA Cup first round proper begins on the weekend of Saturday November 5, with the second round three weeks later and third round on the weekend of Saturday January 7. The final will be held at Wembley Stadium on Saturday June 3.

The Carabao Cup begins during the week commencing August 10, with round two a fortnight later and round three during the week commencing November 9. The final will also be held at Wembley on Sunday February 26.

The Papa John’s Trophy begins with the first group games on the week commencing August 31. The quarter-finals take place week commencing January 11, the semi-finals during the week commencing February 1 and the final will also be held at Wembley on Sunday March 19 2023.