The 2025–26 season was the 128th season in the history of Bristol City Football Club, and the club's eleventh consecutive season in the Championship. In addition to the domestic league, the club also participated in the FA Cup and the EFL Cup.
Prior to the season starting, the club appointed Gerhard Struber as the new head coach on a three-year contract. Later in the month, the club announced the appointment of Bernd Eibler as assistant coach. On 27 March 2026, Bristol City announced the departure of Gerhard Struber and Bernd Eibler and they were replaced by former England national team and Crystal Palace manager Roy Hodgson as the interim manager until the conclusion of the season.
Transfers and contracts In DatePosPlayerTransferred fromFeeRef. 1 July 2025 FW Yū Hirakawa Machida Zelvia Undisclosed FW Emil Riis Jakobsen Preston North End Free GK Joe Lumley Southampton MF Adam Randell Plymouth Argyle Undisclosed 2 January 2026 MF Sam Morsy Kuwait SC Free FW Ranel Young Ušće Novi Beograd 29 January 2026 DF Seb Naylor Manchester City Undisclosed 2 February 2026 MF Tomi Horvat Sturm Graz DF Noah Eile New York Red Bulls 11 February 2026 FW Rhys Knight Bray Wanderers
Out DatePosPlayerTransferred toFeeRef. 30 June 2025 FW Tim Ap Sion Cardiff Metropolitan University Free GK Stefan Bajic Strasbourg Free MF Ayman Benarous Plymouth Argyle Free MF Kai Churchley Merthyr Town Free DF Kal Naismith Luton Town Free MF Marley Rose Taunton Town Free DF Romani Rowe Corsham Town Free FW Nahki Wells Luton Town Free DF Callum Wood Weston-super-Mare Free 1 July 2025 MF Taylor Gardner-Hickman Birmingham City £1,500,000 FW Seb Palmer-Houlden Gillingham Undisclosed 23 July 2025 MF Marcus McGuane Huddersfield Town Undisclosed 6 January 2026 DF Raphael Araoye SC Verl Undisclosed 21 January 2026 DF Haydon Roberts Reading Undisclosed 22 January 2026 GK Max O'Leary West Bromwich Albion Undisclosed 23 January 2026 MF Anis Mehmeti Ipswich Town £3,000,000 1 February 2026 DF Zak Vyner Wrexham £1,500,000 2 February 2026 FW Fally Mayulu Arouca Undisclosed 13 February 2026 MF Jed Meerholz Aldershot Town Free Transfer
Loaned in DatePosPlayerLoaned fromUntilRef. 28 July 2025 GK Radek Vítek Manchester United 31 May 2026 31 August 2025 DF Neto Borges Middlesbrough 31 May 2026 9 January 2026 MF George Earthy West Ham United 31 May 2026 29 January 2026 FW Delano Burgzorg Middlesbrough 31 May 2026
Loaned out DatePos.PlayerLoaned toUntilRef. 1 July 2025 MF Jed Meerholz Aldershot Town 17 October 2025 4 July 2025 GK Ben Clark Weymouth 31 May 2026 7 July 2025 DF Taine Anderson Cheltenham Town 7 January 2026 6 August 2025 FW Luke Skinner Weston-super-Mare 1 October 2025 1 September 2025 FW Sam Bell Wycombe Wanderers 1 January 2026 DF Jamie Knight-Lebel Swindon Town 31 May 2026 MF Adam Murphy 9 January 2026 2 September 2025 GK Isaac Finch Bath City 30 September 2025 4 October 2025 FW Luke Skinner Eastleigh 15 November 2025 21 October 2025 GK Joe Lumley Sheffield Wednesday 28 October 2025 18 November 2025 MF Tom Chaplin Taunton Town 16 December 2025 17 December 2025 FW Billy Phillips Chippenham Town 15 January 2026 6 January 2026 FW Josh Stokes Stockport County 31 May 2026 7 January 2026 FW Olly Thomas Dunfermline Athletic 9 January 2026 MF Ruebin Sheppard Bath City 7 February 2026 13 January 2026 MF Elijah Morrison Forest Green Rovers 31 May 2026 GK Jack Witchard Bristol Manor Farm 17 January 2026 FW Harry Cornick Stevenage 19 January 2026 Yū Hirakawa Hull City 12 February 2026 DF Zack Ali Gloucester City 13 February 2026 GK Isaac Finch Taunton Town 20 February 2026 MF Tom Chaplin Hungerford Town FW Luke Skinner Bath City 31 May 2026 21 February 2026 MF Leo Pecover Weston-super-Mare 10 March 2026 GK Joe Duncan Farnborough 26 March 2026 FW Ephraim Yeboah Carlisle United
New Contracts DatePosPlayerContracted untilRef. First team 18 June 2025 FW Josh Stokes 30 June 2028 23 June 2025 DF Rob Atkinson 1 July 2025 GK Lewis Thomas 30 June 2027 15 October 2025 DF Robert Dickie 30 June 2028 9 April 2026 DF Jamie Knight-Lebel 30 June 2029 Academy10 June 2025DF Josh Campbell-Slowey30 June 2028 24 June 2025 FW Leo Pecover Undisclosed 25 June 2025 GK Joe Duncan 30 June 2027 28 July 2025 FW Olly Thomas 30 June 2026 29 July 2025 DF Raphael Araoye 30 July 2025 DF Taine Anderson 30 June 2028 8 October 2025 GK Freddie Godden 30 June 2026 9 October 2025 MF Louie Derrick 30 June 2028 7 January 2026 FW Olly Thomas 30 June 2028 22 January 2026 MF Harry Hogg Undisclosed DF Marley Thelwell 3 February 2026 MF Daniel Ezendu 30 April 2026 FW Victor Akinbo DF Tomos Gibbs FW Excellent Ikpeama
Pre-season and friendlies On 4 June, Bristol City announced their first pre-season fixture against Milton Keynes Dons. Six days later, three more fixtures were confirmed against Bournemouth, Newport County and Cheltenham Town. A fifth fixture was later added, against Plymouth Argyle. On 10 July, a home friendly against Real Valladolid was announced.
Competitions Overall record
Championship
League table
Results summary
Results by round
Matches On 26 June, the fixtures were released.
FA Cup
Bristol City were drawn at home to Watford in the third round and away to Port Vale in the fourth round.
EFL Cup
Bristol City were drawn at home to Milton Keynes Dons in the first round and away to Fulham in the second round.
Statistics Appearances and goals Players with no appearances are not included on the list, italics indicate a loaned in player
|colspan="14"|Players who featured but departed the club during the season:
References