The 2026–27 season is the 124th season in the history of Bradford City Association Football Club and their second season back in League One since the 2018–19 season following their promotion from League Two in the 2024–25 season. In addition to the domestic league, the club will also participate in the FA Cup, the EFL Cup, and the EFL Trophy.
Managerial changes On 25 September 2026, manager Graham Alexander and assistant manager Chris Lucketti departed the club, and signed with EFL Championship club Preston North End. Mark Trueman and Colin Doyle took over as joint-caretaker managers following their departures. Eleven days later, the club appointed Michael Duff as the new manager on a four-year contract.
Squad
Current squad
NationalityNamePosition(s)Date of birth (age)Previous clubNotesGoalkeepers1Cameron DawsonGK Rotherham United—21Jon McCrackenGK Dundee—Defenders2Reece WelchCB Everton—3Ibou TourayLB Stockport County—5Macaulay GillespheyCB Charlton Athletic—6Callum ConnollyCB Stockport County—7Josh NeufvilleRB, RW AFC Wimbledon—14Hayden MatthewsCB Portsmouthon loan15Aden BaldwinCB Notts County—16George PrattCB Blackburn Roverson loan27Corey O'KeeffeRB, RWB, RW Barnsley—28Matthew PenningtonCB Blackpool—30Oscar LunnCBUnknownNone—Midfielders8Adam PhillipsAM Barnsley—10Antoni SarcevicCM, AM Stockport Countycaptain17Tyreik WrightLM Plymouth Argyle—20Henry CartwrightDM Leicester City—22Kieran MorganCM Queens Park Rangerson loan23Bobby PointonCMNone—25Nick PowellAM Stockport County—32George LapslieAM Gillingham—Forwards9Jake BeesleyST Burton Albion—11Stephen HumphrysCF Barnsley—19Kayden JacksonST Derby County—24Will SwanCF Crawley Town—29Harry IbbitsonCF Chorley—
Out on loan NationalityNamePosition(s)Date of birth (age)Current clubNotes20Tommy LeighAM, CM Bristol RoversReturns end of season31Zac HadiGK Spennymoor TownReturns on 6 September 2026
Staff ExecutiveCoaching staff
Transfers Transfers in/loans in NameTransferred fromFee/notesDateRef.9 Jake BeesleyFW Burton AlbionUndisclosed fee; two-year contract15 June 20268 Adam PhillipsMF BarnsleyUndisclosed fee; three-year contract19 June 20266 Callum ConnollyDF Stockport CountySigned on a free on 29 June 2025; two-year contract1 July 20265 Macaulay GillespheyDF Charlton AthleticUndisclosed fee; two-year contract1 July 202621 Jon McCrackenGK DundeeSigned on a free on 29 June 2026; three-year contract1 July 202620 Henry CartwrightMF Leicester CityUndisclosed fee; three-year contract3 July 2026 2 Reece Welch DF Everton Signed on a free on 5 August 2026; two-year contract 5 August 2026 1 Cameron DawsonGK Rotherham UnitedSigned from free agency13 August 2026 16 George Pratt DF Blackburn Rovers Season-long loan 27 August 2026 14 Hayden Matthews DF Portsmouth Season-long loan 31 August 2026 22 Kieran Morgan MF Queens Park Rangers Season-long loan 31 August 2026 27 Corey O'Keeffe DF Barnsley Undisclosed fee; two-year contract 1 September 2026
Transfers/loans out
NameTransferred/loaned toFee/notesDateRef.6 Max PowerMF Wigan AthleticUndisclosed fee; signed with Wigan Athletic on 6 June 202615 June 202621 Jenson MetcalfeMF MillwallUndisclosed fee15 June 202620 Tommy LeighMF Bristol RoversSeason-long loan17 June 202626 Curtis TiltDF Burton AlbionUndisclosed fee29 June 20265 Neill ByrneDF Doncaster RoversContract expired; signed with Doncaster Rovers on 9 June 202630 June 20269 Andy CookFW Grimsby TownContract expired; signed with Grimsby Town on 15 June 202630 June 20268 Lee EvansMF Northampton TownContract expired; signed with Northampton Town 7 August 202630 June 202635 George GoodmanDF Hull CityContract expired; signed with Hull City on 14 August 202630 June 202625 Joe HiltonGKContract expired30 June 202618 Ciarán KellyDF Bristol RoversContract expired; signed with Bristol Rovers on 22 June 202630 June 20268 Lee EvansMF Northampton TownContract expired; signed with Northampton Town on 7 August 202630 June 202612 Clarke OduorMFContract expired30 June 2026 31 Zac Hadi GK Spennymoor Town Loan until 6 September 2026 7 August 2026 1 Sam WalkerGK WatfordUndisclosed fee12 August 2026 4 Joe Wright DF Dundee Undisclosed fee 31 August 2026
New contracts DatePos.PlayerContract untilRef.18 May 2026DF Aden Baldwin30 June 202718 May 2026MF Antoni Sarcevic30 June 202718 May 2026DF Tyreik Wright30 June 20271 July 2026DF Oscar LunnUndisclosed 31 July 2026 DF Aden Baldwin 30 June 2028 7 August 2026 MF Nick Powell 30 June 2027 24 August 2026 MF Antoni Sarcevic 30 June 2028
Pre-season and friendlies On 10 June, Bradford City announced their pre-season schedule, with friendlies against FC United of Manchester, Halifax Town, Accrington Stanley, Campion, Bradford (Park Avenue), and Preston North End along with a training camp in Obertraun, Austria. Two planned friendlies, one in Austria, and another on 1 August at a yet to be determined location are yet to be finalized. On 14 July, Gmunden was confirmed as the pre-season opponents during the Austria trip. The final pre-season destination was determined to be an away fixture at Salford City.
Competitions
League One
League table
Results summary
Results by round
Matches On 25 June, the League One fixtures were announced, with Bradford hosting Peterborough United on the opening weekend.
1
FA Cup
EFL Cup
Bradford were drawn at home to EFL League Two club Rochdale in the first round. Bradford City defeated Rochdale 2–0, and were drawn against EFL Championship club Burnley at home in the second round. Burnley was defeated following a penalty shoot-out after the match ended scoreless, and Bradford City were drawn away against fellow League One side Leyton Orient in the third round. In the fourth round, a home tie against another League One club, Peterborough United, was drawn.
EFL Trophy
Bradford were drawn against York City, Rotherham United, and the Newcastle United U21s in the group stage.
Squad statistics
Appearances
Starting appearances are listed first, followed by substitute appearances after the + symbol where applicable.
Disciplinary record
Rank No. Pos. Nat. Name League One FA Cup EFL Cup EFL Trophy Total 1 3 DF Ibou Touray 2 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 3 0 0 6 MF Callum Connolly 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 3 0 0 10 MF Antoni Sarcevic 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 3 0 0 4 16 DF George Pratt 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 0 0 22 MF Kieran Morgan 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 2 0 0 32 MF George Lapslie 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 1 0 0 2 0 0 7 5 DF Macaulay Gillesphey 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 8 MF Adam Phillips 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 9 FW Jake Beesley 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 15 DF Aden Baldwin 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 19 FW Kayden Jackson 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 20 MF Henry Cartwright 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 23 MF Bobby Pointon 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 25 MF Nick Powell 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 27 DF Corey O'Keeffe 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 1 0 0 28 DF Matthew Pennington 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 Total19000003003002500
Awards EFL awards EFL League One Player of the Month MonthPlayer Ref.August Matthew Pennington
References