Uwe Rösler’s attempt to restore Leeds United to their former glory, or at least to fuel optimism at the long-suffering club, will face a stern early test, as the Elland Road side kick off their campaign at home to Burnley, latterly of the Premier League.

Leeds will then travel to Reading before hosting Bristol City, the commanding winners of League One last season. Steve Cotterill’s side, meanwhile, will begin their Championship campaign at Sheffield Wednesday before hosting Brentford in their first home game.

Brentford’s season will be tracked with much curiosity, as they begin under the Dutchman Marinus Dijkhuizen following the departure of Mark Warburton as manager. For his debut in English football, Dijkhuizen has been pitted against one of the most wily managers in the Championship, as Mick McCarthy will take Ipswich Town to Griffin Park.

Milton Keynes Dons will kick off their first season in the Championship away to Rotherham United and then entertain Preston North End at home. Preston would have been two leagues apart from Middlesbrough if play-off results had gone differently in May, but instead the two clubs will meet on the opening day of the Championship season, with Aitor Karanka hoping his team will have shaken off the disappointment of missing out on the Premier League by the time they travel to Deepdale in early August.

Hull City’s reintroduction to the lower leagues will begin at home to Huddersfield Town, followed by a trip to Wolverhampton Wanderers and then a meeting with another recent Premier League club, Fulham, whose first match of the season is at Cardiff City. The Welsh side will then travel to Queens Park Rangers, who start their season with a short trip to Charlton Athletic.

Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink’s Burton Albion, League Two champions last season, will start their third-tier campaign at home to Scunthorpe United before away matches at Barnsley and beleaguered Blackpool, whose first League One match in a decade will be at Colchester United.

Relegated Millwall will start their attempted recovery at Shrewsbury Town before entertaining Coventry City, while the League Two play-off winners Southend United will be at Fleetwood Town.

Barnet will mark their return to the Football League by visiting Leyton Orient and then contest a home game against Wycombe Wanderers, last season’s beaten play-off finalists. Meanwhile, the 40,000 Bristol Rovers supporters who travelled to witness the narrow play-off victory over Grimsby Town can begin scrambling for tickets for their first match back in the football league after a 12-month absence – a home game against Northampton Town.

Championship opening day fixtures (8 August)

Birmingham City v Reading

Blackburn Rovers v Wolverhampton

Bolton Wanderers v Derby County

Brentford v Ipswich Town

Brighton v Nottingham Forest

Cardiff City v Fulham

Charlton Athletic v QPR

Hull City v Huddersfield Town

Leeds United v Burnley

Preston North End v Middlesbrough

Rotherham United v MK Dons

Sheffield Wednesday v Bristol City