The 2026–27 season is the 128th season in the history of Watford and their fifth consecutive season in the Championship. The club are participating in the Championship, the FA Cup, and the EFL Cup.
Managerial changes Prior to the season starting, Alessio Dionisi was appointed as the new head coach on a two-year contract.
Transfers and contracts In DatePos.PlayerFromFeeRef. 16 July 2026 RB Omar Traoré Udinese Free transfer 24 July 2026 CF Iker Bravo £3,400,000 CF Luca Kjerrumgaard Undisclosed 31 July 2026 CM Martín Payero £3,400,000 GK Federico Ravaglia Bologna Undisclosed 12 August 2026 GK Sam Walker Bradford City Undisclosed 1 September 2026 CF Myron Boadu PSV Eindhoven Free 11 September 2026 CF Michail Antonio Al-Sailya 1 October 2026 RWB Krépin Diatta Monaco
Out DatePos.PlayerToFeeRef. 3 July 2026 GK Nathan Baxter Leyton Orient Undisclosed 6 July 2026 CAM Giorgi Chakvetadze Udinese 22 July 2026 CDM Tom Dele-Bashiru Aris Thessaloniki £425,000 14 August 2026 RB Jeremy Petris £1,680,000 15 August 2026 RW Nestory Irankunda Sporting CP £15,000,000 28 August 2026 CM Imrân Louza Panathinaikos £7,000,000 CM Amar Sanghrajka Queens Park Rangers Undisclosed
Loaned in DatePos.PlayerFromLoaned untilRef. 2 August 2026 LB Jordan Zemura Udinese End of Season 1 September 2026 CB Soumaïla Coulibaly Strasbourg LW Stephy Mavididi Leicester City CB Branimir Mlačić Udinese
Loaned out DatePos.PlayerToLoaned untilRef. 23 June 2026 CF Jorge Hurtado Deportes Tolima End of Season 16 July 2026 CF Vivaldo Semedo Alverca 17 July 2026 RB Conrad Hunt Coleraine 6 October 2026 3 August 2026 CB Joshua Mullins Wealdstone 31 August 2026 4 August 2026 GK Alfie Marriott Chelmsford City 4 January 2027 7 August 2026 CB Tom Georgiou Berkhamsted 6 January 2027 8 August 2026 LW Remiero Moulton Worthing 7 September 2026 13 August 2026 GK Egil Selvik Brest End of Season 21 August 2026 CF Kash Odiase Chelmsford City 21 September 2026 1 September 2026 RW Michael Adu-Poku Newport County End of Season 3 September 2026 CF Max Smith Oxford City 31 October 2026 4 September 2026 CDM Leo Ramirez-Espain Hemel Hempstead Town 30 December 2026 5 September 2026 GK Jonathan Macaulay Aldershot Town 2 October 2026 18 September 2026 GK Sebastian Thrussell Maldon & Tiptree 13 October 2026 21 September 2026 CDM Jai-Dea Moulton St Albans City 19 October 2026 25 September 2026 CM Tobi Akinyimika St Albans City 21 October 2026 GK Sam Morris Uxbridge 3 January 2027 LW Remiero Moulton Dagenham & Redbridge 24 December 2026 GK Finlay Murray Egham Town 29 September 2026 2 October 2026 GK Jonathan Macaulay Tamworth 30 October 2026 6 October 2026 RB Conrad Hunt Farnham Town 2 November 2026
Released / Out of Contract DatePos.PlayerSubsequent clubJoined dateRef. 30 June 2026 CF Jonathan Lawson FF Jaro 13 July 2026 RW Tom Ince Tranmere Rovers 27 July 2026 CDM Nampalys Mendy Metz 31 July 2026 CB Ian Kamga Tondela 18 August 2026 CF Tobi Adeyemo CM Hayden Barrett CM Pierre Dwomoh LW Josh Keyes GK Myles Roberts RW Kristian Shevchenko
New Contract DatePos.PlayerExpirationRef. 22 May 2026 CDM Tom Dele-Bashiru 30 June 2027 CF Jack Grieves CM Edo Kayembe 17 July 2026 LB Tomiwa Akinyimika 30 June 2027 GK Roraigh Browne RB Conrad Hunt CDM Jai-Dea Moulton RW Kymani Smith Daley GK Sebastian Thrussell 11 August 2026 LB Marc Bola 30 June 2030
Pre-season and friendlies On 14 January, Watford confirmed their first pre-season friendly against Hansa Rostock to celebrate the German side's 60th anniversary. Two further friendlies were confirmed by the club in May, against Boreham Wood and Barnet. On 18 June, it was announced that Fiorentina would visit during pre-season. It was then confirmed by the club that Watford participated in a behind-closed-doors friendly against Brentford F.C..
Competitions Overall record
Championship
League table
Results summary
Results by round
Matches On 25 June, the Championship fixtures were revealed.
FA Cup
EFL Cup
Watford were drawn at home Crawley Town in the first round and to Peterborough United in the second round.
Statistics Appearances and goals
Players with no appearances are not included on the list; italics indicate loaned in player
Disciplinary record
Rank Name Championship FA Cup EFL Cup Total 1 17 CF Iker Bravo 2 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 3 0 0 21 LW Amin Nabizada 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 3 0 0 3 4 CB Kévin Keben 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 0 0 5 CDM Hector Kyprianou 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 0 0 6 CB Mattie Pollock 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 0 0 7 RW Othmane Maamma 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 0 0 8 CM Edoardo Bove 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 2 0 0 20 CF Mamadou Doumbia 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 0 0 22 CM Martín Payero 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 0 0 39 CM Edo Kayembe 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 0 0 11 23 RB Omar Haktab Traoré 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 29 CB Branimir Mlačić 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 33 LB Jordan Zemura 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 Total 23 0 0 0 0 0 2 0 0 25 0 0
Awards Player Awards EFL Championship Goal of the Month MonthPlayerOppositionResultRef.August Amin Nabizadav. West Ham United
References