EFL kick-off times explained with games delayed one minute this weekend
February 6, 2026 / /
Need to know
The EFL has announced that all 72 clubs across the three divisions will shift their scheduled kick-off times back by exactly one minute this weekend, with the Championship’s 12 matches all affected
Here, Mirror Football takes a look at the reasons why all 12 Championship matches, as well as fixtures in League One and League Two, will have different kick-off times this weekend…
- Delay explained: All 72 EFL clubs, including the 24 Championship teams, will push back their scheduled kick-off times by precisely one minute this weekend. This symbolic delay serves as a potent, “stark reminder” to fans and the public that every single minute is crucial when performing life-saving CPR on someone in cardiac arrest.
- Friday night opener: The Championship’s schedule change starts with the match between Charlton Athletic and QPR on Friday, February 6. Originally pencilled in for a standard 8pm slot, the game will now kick off at 8:01 pm to signal the start of the weekend’s “Every Minute Matters” campaign.
- Every Minute Matters: The initiative forms a central part of the “Every Minute Matters” campaign. This partnership between Sky Bet and the British Heart Foundation (BHF), fully backed by the EFL, aims to shift the dialogue around heart health and emergency response across the UK.
- Heart Month awareness: The timing of the schedule shift is deliberate, aligning with February being “Heart Month.” The campaign is using the high-profile nature of professional football to galvanise the nation and raise awareness of cardiovascular health during this time, reports the Express.
- CPR training aim: The campaign’s main goal is to motivate half a million individuals to start learning CPR by the end of February. Since its inception in May 2024, the initiative has already successfully persuaded over 400,000 supporters to start their training.
- Free educational resources: Supporters are being encouraged to utilise “RevivR,” the British Heart Foundation’s free, user-friendly online training tool. It only takes 15 minutes to acquire the vital skills needed to save a life, making life-saving knowledge available to anyone with internet access.
- Real-world impact: Bristol Rovers star Tom Lockyer, who experienced a cardiac arrest during a match, champions the campaign. His involvement emphasises that these emergencies can occur to anyone, anywhere, and that immediate CPR is often the sole reason a person survives to return home.
- Community engagement: EFL Chief Executive Trevor Birch stressed that football clubs are at the “heart of their communities.” By rallying for this cause, the league aims to leverage its extensive reach to effect tangible change and ensure fans are ready to respond in emergencies.
- Vital survival window: Each minute without CPR significantly reduces a person’s chances of survival. With over 40,000 out-of-hospital cardiac arrests happening per year in the UK, the one-minute shift emphasises the brief window available to save a life and the importance of immediate intervention.
Full Championship schedule (Feb 6-9):
- Friday (Feb 6), 8:01 pm: Charlton Athletic vs QPR
- Saturday (Feb 7), 12:31 pm: Derby County vs Ipswich Town
- Saturday (Feb 7), 12:31 pm: Norwich City vs Blackburn Rovers
- Saturday (Feb 7), 12:31 pm: Southampton vs Watford
- Saturday (Feb 7), 3:01 pm: Birmingham City vs Leicester City
- Saturday (Feb 7), 3:01 pm: Coventry City vs Oxford United
- Saturday (Feb 7), 3:01 pm: Hull City vs Bristol City
- Saturday (Feb 7), 3:01 pm: Preston North End vs Portsmouth
- Saturday (Feb 7), 3:01 pm: West Brom vs Stoke City
- Saturday (Feb 7), 3:01 pm: Wrexham vs Millwall
- Sunday (Feb 8), 12:01 pm: Swansea City vs Sheffield Wednesday
- Monday (Feb 9), 8:01 pm: Sheffield United vs Middlesbrough
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