Overview
- The Championship match kicks off at 12:30pm BST on Saturday 29 August 2026 at the Riverside Stadium and will be shown live on Sky Sports Football.
- Pre-match team news puts Middlesbrough's Ashley Phillips back in contention while Tommy Conway is unavailable and West Brom's Aune Heggebo returns from a two-game ban.
- Summer signings are central to the preview: Middlesbrough striker Will Lankshear has scored regularly since joining from Tottenham and West Brom forward Jimmy-Jay Morgan has also netted frequently after his move from Chelsea.
- Both clubs arrive in form with strong early-season records and pundits predict similar starting XIs and tactics, leaving bookmakers short on Middlesbrough as favourites in most markets.
- The fixture carries extra interest because Middlesbrough have won each of the last five meetings at the Riverside, and an early result here could shape confidence and momentum for both sides across the Championship season.