The 2025–26 season was the 127th season in the history of Watford Football Club, and their fourth consecutive season in the Championship. In addition to the domestic league, the club also participated in the FA Cup and the EFL Cup.

Managerial changes Prior to the season starting, Paulo Pezzolano was appointed as the new Head Coach. On 8 October, he was sacked after just 10 games in charge and a win percentage of 30%, he was replaced by former head coach Javi Gracia. On 1 February, Gracia then resigned after twenty one games. A week later, Edward Still was appointed as the new head coach signing a two-and-a-half year deal having previously been in temporary charge at Anderlecht.

Transfers and contracts In DatePos.PlayerFromFeeRef. 1 July 2025 GK Nathan Baxter Bolton Wanderers Free 1 July 2025 LB Marc Bola Samsunspor 1 July 2025 CDM Hector Kyprianou Peterborough United 5 July 2025 CF Vivaldo Semedo Udinese Undisclosed 11 July 2025 RW Othmane Maamma Montpellier 18 July 2025 RW Nestory Irankunda Bayern Munich £3,500,000 30 July 2025 LW Remerio Moulton Brighton & Hove Albion Free 28 August 2025 CDM Nampalys Mendy Lens 1 September 2025 LW Nikoloz Chikovani Dinamo Tbilisi £500,000 RB Jeremy Petris Sporting Charleroi £1,300,000 21 January 2026 CM Edoardo Bove AS Roma Free

Out DatePos.PlayerToFeeRef. 19 June 2025 CB Francisco Sierralta Auxerre £1,500,000 15 July 2025 CF Mileta Rajović Legia Warsaw £2,600,000 29 July 2025 CB Antonio Tikvić Preußen Münster £610,000 4 August 2025 CB Ryan Porteous Los Angeles £750,000 6 August 2025 RB João Ferreira Saint-Étienne £2,600,000 31 August 2025 RB Ryan Andrews Young Boys £2,600,000 2 February 2026 LB James Morris Leyton Orient Free Transfer CM Moussa Sissoko Panathinaikos £300,000 Income: ≈ £10,960,000 (all fees converted into GBP)

Loaned in DatePos.PlayerFromDate untilRef. 30 June 2025 CB James Abankwah Udinese 31 May 2026 16 July 2025 CF Luca Kjerrumgaard 22 July 2025 LB Caleb Wiley Chelsea 9 January 2026 8 August 2025 CB Max Alleyne Manchester City 5 January 2026 1 September 2025 CB Formose Mendy Lorient 31 May 2026 30 January 2026 CB Stephen Mfuni Manchester City 31 May 2026 2 February 2026 CB Saba Goglichidze Udinese 3 February 2026 CDM Pierre Ekwah Saint-Étienne 31 May 2026

Loaned out DatePos.PlayerToDate untilRef. 27 June 2025 RW Michael Adu-Poku Barrow 21 January 2026 30 June 2025 GK Myles Roberts Walsall 31 May 2026 15 July 2025 CB James Clarridge Aldershot Town 1 January 2026 29 July 2025 CF Jorge Hurtado Millonarios 31 May 2026 12 August 2025 GK Daniel Bachmann Deportivo La Coruña 30 January 2026 23 August 2025 CF Jonathan Lawson Banbury United 28 November 2025 20 August 2025 RW Zavier Massiah-Edwards Eastleigh 14 October 2025 1 September 2025 CB Travis Akomeah Gillingham 31 May 2026 12 September 2025 CM Tom Dele-Bashiru Gençlerbirliği 31 May 2026 13 September 2025 GK Sam Morris Northwood 12 October 2025 29 September 2025 LW Nikoloz Chikovani Royal Charleroi 31 December 2025 30 September 2025 CB Tom Georgiou Leverstock Green 5 January 2026 1 November 2025 CF Kash Odiase Royston Town 27 November 2025 8 November 2025 GK Jonathan Macaulay Ebbsfleet United 2 February 2026 RB Ollie Stephenson Royston Town 5 January 2026 11 November 2025 CDM Leo Ramirez-Espain Yeovil Town 16 December 2025 28 November 2025 LW Josh Keyes Potters Bar Town 27 December 2025 29 November 2025 GK Roraigh Browne Welling United 8 December 2025 CAM Marats Galajevs Royston Town 30 December 2025 12 December 2025 GK Zack Braverman AFC Dunstable 7 January 2026 19 December 2025 GK Gabriel Ortelli St Albans City 15 February 2026 2 January 2026 CF Tobi Adeyemo Crawley Town 31 May 2026 10 January 2026 CF Jonathan Lawson Folkestone Invicta 7 February 2026 16 January 2026 LW Remiero Moulton Worthing 31 May 2026 21 January 2026 RW Michael Adu-Poku Wealdstone 31 May 2026 24 January 2026 RW Zavier Massiah-Edwards Braintree Town 31 May 2026 CM Amar Sanghrajka St Albans City 22 March 2026 30 January 2026 GK Daniel Bachmann Leyton Orient 31 May 2026 5 February 2026 CF Kash Odiase Walton & Hersham 5 March 2026 23 February 2026 GK Zack Braverman Walthamstow 31 March 2026 3 March 2026 GK Alfie Marriott Slough Town 6 April 2026 LB Tyler Notley Northwood 31 March 2026 10 March 2026 CB Ian Kamga Peterborough Sports 25 April 2026 14 March 2026 GK Sebastian Thrussell Concord Rangers 23 March 2026 GK Roraigh Browne Maidenhead United 31 May 2026 28 March 2026 CB James Clarridge Braintree Town 29 March 2026 GK Finley Murray Hendon

Released / Out of Contract DatePos.PlayerSubsequent clubJoin dateRef.30 June 2025 CB George Abbott Górnik Łęczna 12 July 2025 CM Freddie Buers CB Aidan Coyne CM Zak Fraser-Grante CM Ignacio Garcia-Romero DM Luigi Gaspar CB Ali Gould CB Angelo Ogbonna LM Prince Sikiru CF Jake Watkiss

New Contract DatePos.PlayerContract untilRef.22 July 2025 CM Hayden Barrett 30 June 2026 LM Marats Galajevs 30 June 2027 CB Tom Georgiou RB Conrad Hunt 30 June 2026 CF Jonathan Lawson GK Sam Morris 30 June 2027 CF Kash Odiase CM Omar Sanghrajka RW Kristian Shevchenko 30 June 2026 CF Max Smith 30 June 2027 RB Ollie Stephenson LB Raul Vancea 21 November 2025 CB Joshua Mullins 30 June 2027 GK Gabriel Ortelli 30 June 2029 10 December 2025 LW Amin Nabizada 30 June 2030

Pre-season and friendlies On 30 May, Watford announced their first two pre-season friendlies, against Boreham Wood and Leyton Orient. Ten days later, a third fixture was added against AFC Wimbledon. A home friendly was later announced, against Deportivo La Coruña.

Competitions Overall record

Championship

League table

Results summary

Results by round

Matches On 26 June, the Championship fixtures were released.

FA Cup

Watford were drawn away to Bristol City in the third round.

EFL Cup

Watford were drawn at home to Norwich City in the first round.

Statistics Appearances, goals and discipline Players with no appearances are not included on the list; italics indicate loaned in player No.Pos.Nat.NameLeagueFA CupEFL CupTotalDisciplineAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals 1 GK Egil Selvik 40 0 0 0 1 0 41 0 3 0 2 DF Jeremy Ngakia 29+4 3 0 0 0+1 0 29+5 3 5 0 3 DF Saba Goglichidze 11+1 0 0 0 0 0 11+1 0 2 0 4 DF Kévin Keben 22+7 0 1 0 0+1 0 23+8 0 3 0 5 MF Hector Kyprianou 22+3 0 0 0 1 0 23+3 0 8 0 6 DF Mattie Pollock 31+3 1 1 0 0 0 32+3 1 6 0 7 FW Tom Ince 10+17 4 0 0 1 0 11+17 4 0 0 8 MF Giorgi Chakvetadze 22+7 0 0 0 0 0 22+7 0 6 0 9 FW Luca Kjerrumgaard 35+7 9 0 0 0+1 0 35+8 9 1 0 10 MF Imran Louza 41+1 7 1 0 0+1 0 42+2 7 10 1 11 FW Rocco Vata 6+6 2 0 0 0 0 6+6 2 0 0 12 GK Nathan Baxter 6+1 0 1 0 0 0 7+1 0 0 0 14 MF Pierre Dwomoh 0+1 0 0 0 0 0 0+1 0 0 0 15 MF Edoardo Bove 2+9 1 0 0 0 0 2+9 1 1 0 16 DF Marc Bola 31+6 2 0+1 0 1 0 32+7 2 2 0 17 MF Pierre Ekwah 3+4 0 0 0 0 0 3+4 0 1 0 18 FW Vivaldo Semedo 6+20 4 1 0 1 0 8+20 4 2 0 20 FW Mamadou Doumbia 18+15 5 0 0 0 0 18+15 5 5 0 21 DF Stephen Mfuni 8 0 0 0 0 0 8 0 2 0 23 MF Nampalys Mendy 17+8 0 1 0 0 0 18+8 0 2 0 24 MF Tom Dele-Bashiru 0+1 0 0 0 1 0 1+1 0 0 0 25 DF James Abankwah 30+1 1 1 0 0 0 31+1 1 6 1 27 DF Formose Mendy 2+4 0 0 0 0 0 2+4 0 1 0 29 DF Jeremy Petris 12+5 0 1 0 0 0 13+5 0 3 0 34 FW Kwadwo Baah 6+20 1 0+1 0 0+1 1 6+22 1 4 0 39 MF Edo Kayembe 28+9 4 0 0 1 0 29+9 4 5 0 42 FW Othmane Maamma 21+4 4 0 0 0 0 21+4 4 1 0 43 FW Jack Grieves 0+3 0 0+1 1 1 0 1+4 1 0 0 53 MF Amin Nabizada 0+3 0 0+0 0 0 0 0+3 0 0 0 64 FW Jonathan Lawson 0+1 0 0 0 0 0 0+1 0 0 0 66 FW Nestory Irankunda 22+18 4 1 0 1 0 24+18 4 9 1Players who featured but departed the club during the season: 3 DF Max Alleyne 14+2 0 0 0 1 0 15+2 0 2 0 17 MF Moussa Sissoko 8+12 0 1 0 0 0 9+12 0 0 0 22 DF James Morris 0+2 0 1 0 0 0 1+2 0 1 0 26 DF Caleb Wiley 3+2 0 0 0 0 0 3+2 0 0 0 45 DF Ryan Andrews 0+3 0 0 0 1 0 1+3 0 1 0

References