What channel is Middlesbrough v Bolton on?
Middlesbrough v Bolton kicks off on Tuesday 29 December at 7:45pm UK time, at Riverside Stadium, in the Championship, matchday 24. The UK broadcasters have not confirmed a channel for this match yet; this page updates as soon as they do.
Middlesbrough are 3rd with 22 points from 11 matches (6 won, 4 drawn, 1 lost), unbeaten in 9; Bolton are 15th with 14 points from 11 (4 won, 2 drawn, 5 lost). Goals: Middlesbrough have scored 22 and conceded 16 (+6), Bolton have scored 15 and conceded 18 (-3). Middlesbrough have taken 14 points from 6 home matches, Bolton 8 points from 6 away matches. Leading scorers: Will Lankshear (9) for Middlesbrough, Sam Dalby (4) for Bolton. Arena Rete's model makes Middlesbrough favourites (63%), with 2-1 the most likely score. In the 15 previous meetings on record: 13 wins for Middlesbrough, 1 draw, 1 win for Bolton.
How to watch Middlesbrough v Bolton in the UK
The Championship TV guide →No channel has been announced for Middlesbrough v Bolton yet. The UK rights to the Championship are held by:
- Sky SportsThe selected the Championship matches on Sky Sports Football and Sky Sports Main Event; Sky shows more than 1,000 EFL matches a season under a deal that runs to 2028/29.
- ITVfreeTen EFL matches a season live and free to air on ITV1 and ITVX, shown alongside Sky.
The streaming services that carry the Championship:
- Sky Sports+The matches not on the main Sky Sports channels; included with Sky Sports at no extra cost: the Sky Sports+ channel and the Sky Sports app on Sky Q, Sky Glass, Sky Stream and mobile.
- Sky GoEvery match shown on the Sky Sports channels; included for Sky Sports customers, on phones, tablets, laptops and consoles.
- NOWEvery match shown on the Sky Sports channels; with a NOW Sports membership, no long contract.
- ITVXfreeThe ten free-to-air matches and the highlights; free, with registration.
Matches kicking off between 2:45pm and 5:15pm on a Saturday are not shown live anywhere in the UK: it is the long-standing "closed period" that protects attendances across the football pyramid. Ten EFL matches a season are live and free on ITV1 and ITVX. Everything else needs Sky Sports or NOW. ITV shows free highlights with every goal from the three EFL divisions, on ITVX. Rights checked on 1 October 2026.
How they come into it
Full head to head →
- Sat 17 OctMiddlesbrough 2-2 Cardiff
- Tue 13 OctStoke City 2-3 Middlesbrough
- Sat 10 OctMiddlesbrough 1-0 Wolves
- Sat 19 SeptBirmingham 2-2 Middlesbrough
- Tue 15 SeptMiddlesbrough 2-2 Millwall
- Sat 17 OctSouthampton 0-0 Bolton
- Tue 13 OctWolves 1-3 Bolton
- Sat 10 OctBolton 1-2 Stoke City
- Sun 20 SeptNorwich 3-4 Bolton
- Sat 12 SeptBolton 1-0 Cardiff
What is at stake
If it ended today →Middlesbrough are 3rd, in the play-off places: level on points with automatic promotion and 14 pts clear of the relegation zone. Bolton are 15th: 5 pts off the play-offs and 6 pts clear of the relegation zone. 8 points separate the two sides.
In the Championship: The top two go up automatically. Play-offs from third to sixth. The bottom three are relegated. Positions and points are from the official table.
Line-ups appear here as soon as our data provider publishes them, usually an hour before kick-off.
The data forecast
Full head to head →Poisson model on 11 league matches for Middlesbrough and 11 for Bolton, actual goals and expected goals weighted equally; early in the season teams start from the league average. This is an estimate, not betting advice.
Head-to-head record
Middlesbrough v Bolton down the years15 meetings in our data provider's archive · goals: Middlesbrough 31, Bolton 9 · 2.7 per match
- 20 Jul 2024Middlesbrough3-0BoltonClub Friendlies
- 29 Aug 2023Bolton1-3MiddlesbroughEFL Cup
- 9 Apr 2019Bolton0-2MiddlesbroughChampionship
- 19 Sept 2018Middlesbrough2-0BoltonChampionship
- 26 Dec 2017Middlesbrough2-0BoltonChampionship
- 9 Sept 2017Bolton0-3MiddlesbroughChampionship
- 16 Apr 2016Bolton1-2MiddlesbroughChampionship
- 15 Aug 2015Middlesbrough3-0BoltonChampionship
- 24 Feb 2015Middlesbrough1-0BoltonChampionship
- 19 Aug 2014Bolton1-2MiddlesbroughChampionship
and 5 older ones.
The last meeting was on 20 Jul 2024: Middlesbrough 3-0 Bolton. With Middlesbrough at home: 7 home wins, 0 draws and 0 away wins in 7 matches, goals 14-1. Middlesbrough last won this fixture on 20 Jul 2024 (Middlesbrough 3-0 Bolton). Bolton last won it on 20 Apr 2013 (Bolton 2-1 Middlesbrough).
The numbers compared
All Championship team stats →Middlesbrough on the left, Bolton on the right: league matches only, 11 and 11 played.
The questions people ask
- What time does Middlesbrough v Bolton kick off?
- Tuesday 29 December at 7:45pm UK time, at Riverside Stadium.
- What channel is Middlesbrough v Bolton on in the UK?
- The channel has not been confirmed yet. TV selections are usually announced about six weeks before the match.
- Is Middlesbrough v Bolton on free-to-air TV?
- No. Ten EFL matches a season are live and free on ITV1 and ITVX. Everything else needs Sky Sports or NOW.
- Where can I watch Middlesbrough v Bolton highlights?
- ITV shows free highlights with every goal from the three EFL divisions, on ITVX.
- Where is Middlesbrough v Bolton being played?
- At Riverside Stadium, capacity 34,742. Middlesbrough are the home side.
- Where are Middlesbrough and Bolton in the table?
- Middlesbrough are 3rd with 22 points from 11 matches; Bolton are 15th with 14 points from 11. Middlesbrough are 3rd, in the play-off places: level on points with automatic promotion and 14 pts clear of the relegation zone. Bolton are 15th: 5 pts off the play-offs and 6 pts clear of the relegation zone.
- What form are Middlesbrough and Bolton in?
- Last league results, most recent first. Middlesbrough: D W W D D (unbeaten in 9). Bolton: D W L W W.
- Who are the top scorers for Middlesbrough and Bolton?
- Middlesbrough: Will Lankshear (9). Bolton: Sam Dalby (4). Championship goals only.
- Who is the favourite in Middlesbrough v Bolton?
- Arena Rete's model makes Middlesbrough favourites (63%), from the two sides' league results. Most likely score: 2-1. It is an estimate, not betting advice.
- What is the head-to-head record between Middlesbrough and Bolton?
- 15 meetings on record: 13 wins for Middlesbrough, 1 draw, 1 win for Bolton; goals 31-9.
- When did Middlesbrough and Bolton last meet?
- On 20 Jul 2024 (Club Friendlies): Middlesbrough 3-0 Bolton.
- Where can I follow Middlesbrough v Bolton live?
- On Arena Rete's match page: the score, the goalscorers and the line-ups update on their own.
The rest of the round on TV
The Championship TV guide →This page is for viewers in the United Kingdom, and its times are UK time. Rights and channels change: check the broadcaster's own listing on the day. League tables rebuilt from results do not include points deductions; expected goals and team stats come from our data provider, where it supplies them. We earn nothing from these links.