Bradford City Set Their Sights on Championship Return After Seven-Year Wait

Bradford City are beginning to dream of a return to the Championship after seven years away from English football’s second tier.

The 123-year-old club have made an impressive start to the 2026/27 League One campaign, moving to the top of the table after a hard-fought 1–0 victory away to Luton Town on Saturday.

Bobby Pointon scored in the fourth minute at Kenilworth Road, giving Bradford their third consecutive victory and taking their record to five wins and two defeats from seven league matches. The Bantams currently have 15 points, one clear of Sheffield Wednesday.

For Bradford supporters, the prospect of Championship football carries particular significance. The club last played in the Championship during the 2018/19 season before relegation, meaning seven years have now passed since their last appearance in the division. Bradford’s previous promotion to the Championship came in 2013.

The man leading the latest push is manager Graham Alexander, who has been in charge since November 2023. Alexander already guided Bradford to promotion from League Two in 2024/25, ending the club’s 12-year wait to return to League One. He then led them to fourth place in League One in 2025/26 and a place in the play-offs.

Now, with Bradford sitting at the summit after seven matches, the conversation has naturally shifted towards another promotion campaign.

There is still a long way to go. League One is a 46-game season, and Bradford will face plenty of challenges before the promotion picture becomes clear. But their early results have given supporters genuine reason to believe that another push towards the Championship could be on the cards.

The Bantams’ immediate task is to maintain that momentum. Their next scheduled fixture is a home meeting with Newcastle United U21 in the EFL Trophy on Tuesday, before they return to league action against Barnsley.

For a club that has spent seven years outside the Championship, the target is becoming increasingly clear: Bradford City want to make the journey back to the second tier.