Sheffield Wednesday vs Bradford City prediction, lineups, team news and latest betting odds for Thursday's English League One clash at Hillsborough.
Sheffield Wednesday vs Bradford City Match Summary
Competition | English League One |
|---|---|
Match Date | Thursday 20 August 2026 |
Match Time | 20:00 UK time |
Venue (City, Stadium) | Hillsborough, Sheffield |
Broadcast (TV / Streaming / Radio / Bookmaker Streaming) | Sky Sports Football |
Two Yorkshire sides in fine early fettle meet under the Hillsborough lights, with Sheffield Wednesday vs Bradford City pitting two 100 per cent starts against each other in League One.
Sheffield Wednesday opened their campaign with a 2-1 win away at Leyton Orient, Callum Slattery and Jamal Lowe on target. This is the Owls' first home league outing of the season.
Bradford City could not have asked for a better start, easing to a 2-0 victory over Peterborough United at Valley Parade. The Bantams arrive full of confidence and unbeaten so far.
History points the visitors' way too. Bradford are undefeated in their last five matches against Sheff Wed in all competitions, so the head-to-head record makes for uncomfortable reading for the hosts.
Sheffield Wednesday vs Bradford City Form
The Owls come in flying, undefeated in 34 of their last 38 matches in League One. They kicked off this season with a 2-1 win at Leyton Orient after seeing off Bolton Wanderers in the Carabao Cup first round. Slattery and Jamal Lowe struck at Orient, and their outings tend to be open, with over 2.5 goals landing in eight of their last 10 League One games.
Bradford are enjoying a tidy start themselves, following up a 2-0 Carabao Cup win over Rochdale with a 2-0 League One victory against Peterborough United. Graham Alexander's side, play-off semi-finalists last term, look stubborn at the back, and under 2.5 goals has landed in five of their last six League One matches. Jake Beesley leads the line.
Sheffield Wednesday vs Bradford City Lineups & Team News
Injuries & Suspensions
Sheffield Wednesday: D. Bernard (Injured/out), C. McGhee (Injured/out), T. Onyango (Injured/out), B. Mitchell (Injured/doubtful)
Bradford City: T. Wright (Injured/out)
Sheffield Wednesday
Tyler Onyango suffered a knee injury on his debut last weekend and misses the visit of Bradford, with Jarvis Thornton expected to come in for a like-for-like change in the engine room. Louie Barry could also step into the starting XI in gameweek two. Bernard and McGhee remain out injured, while Mitchell is rated doubtful.
Bradford City
Adam Phillips impressed off the bench against Peterborough United and could earn a start at Hillsborough. Bobby Pointon is also likely to be recalled in place of Will Swan. Wing-back Tyreik Wright is undergoing a scan after picking up an injury in training and misses out.
Sheffield Wednesday vs Bradford City Predicted Lineup
Sheffield Wednesday
Formation: 4-3-2-1
Predicted Starting Lineup: Lumley; M. Lowe, Swinkels, Otegbayo, Palmer; Bannan, Thornton, Liongola; Barry, Slattery; J. Lowe
Bradford City
Formation: 3-4-2-1
Predicted Starting Lineup: McCracken; Gillesphey, Baldwin, Pennington; Touray, Connolly, Sarcevic, Neufville; Pointon, Phillips; Beesley
Sheffield Wednesday vs Bradford City Key Stats & Match Facts
Sheff Wed are undefeated in 34 of their last 38 matches in League One.
There have been over 2.5 goals scored in 8 of Sheff Wed's last 10 games in League One.
There have been under 2.5 goals scored in 5 of Bradford's last 6 games in League One.
Bradford are undefeated in their last 5 matches against Sheff Wed in all competitions.
Adam Phillips has been carded in 2 of his last 3 apps vs Sheffield Wednesday in League One.
Sheffield Wednesday vs Bradford City Prediction & Best Bets
Our prediction: This one has the look of a tight, evenly matched fixture between two in-form sides, and we make the visitors marginal favourites. Bradford's head-to-head hold over the Owls tips the balance, and there should be goals at both ends. The Sheffield Wednesday vs Bradford City prediction is a narrow away win.
Best Bets
Bradford City to win away against Sheffield Wednesday in the Win Market. The numbers make the Bantams narrow favourites here, carrying a positive value edge, and that stands up against their five-match unbeaten record in head-to-head meetings. This is the standout pick among the Sheffield Wednesday vs Bradford City best bets.
Both teams to score in Thursday's League One clash at Hillsborough. A projected 1-1 sort of scoreline points to goals at both ends, with a shade under 57 per cent probability attached to both teams finding the net, and that fits Wednesday's taste for open games. Worth a look if you are weighing up the Sheffield Wednesday vs Bradford City betting odds.
Sheffield Wednesday vs Bradford City Bet Builder
Four legs make up this Sheffield Wednesday vs Bradford City bet builder: Bradford City to win, both teams to score, Jake Beesley to net anytime and Callum Slattery to be shown a card.
Bradford City to win leads it off, with the Bantams rated marginal favourites and holding an unbeaten record across their last five head-to-head meetings with Wednesday.
Both teams to score fits the pattern too, with over 2.5 goals landing in eight of Sheffield Wednesday's last 10 League One games and the projection pointing to goals at both ends.
Jake Beesley to score anytime completes the attacking angle, with the striker leading the line for Bradford and their key threat in the final third.
Callum Slattery to be shown a card adds disciplinary cover in a physical central midfield battle, rounding out the four legs.
At the time of writing, this bet builder pays a best price of 22/1 and is as short as 17/1 elsewhere. That's a difference in potential winnings of £45 from best to worst price.
Make sure to get the best odds on your Bet Builder with Oddschecker's Exclusive Bet Builder Comparison Tool.
Bet builder odds correct at time of publishing.
Sheffield Wednesday vs Bradford City Talking Points
This is Sheffield Wednesday's first home match of the season after relegation from the Championship last term, and the Owls will want to lay down a marker in front of their own supporters. Standing in their way are a Bradford side who have kept clean sheets in both of their opening competitive fixtures and travel with real belief. The Bantams' five-match unbeaten run in Yorkshire derby meetings gives them plenty to lean on. Something has to give between two unbeaten starts, and with that head-to-head record and a stubborn back line behind them, Bradford shape up as the side to catch at Hillsborough on Thursday night.
Sheffield Wednesday vs Bradford City Predictions FAQs
When is the Sheffield Wednesday vs Bradford City match?
The Sheffield Wednesday vs Bradford City match is scheduled for Thursday, 20 August 2026, kicking off at 20:00 UK time.
Where is Sheffield Wednesday vs Bradford City being played?
The match will be played at Hillsborough, the home stadium of Sheffield Wednesday.
What is the prediction for Sheffield Wednesday vs Bradford City?
Both teams enter the fixture with competitive chances. Please refer to the best-bets and predictions section in the main article for our complete analysis.
What are the probable lineups for Sheffield Wednesday vs Bradford City?
Sheffield Wednesday are expected to set up in a 4-3-2-1 formation, while Bradford City are projected to feature in a 3-4-2-1 system. Detailed team news and starting XIs are available in the preview.
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