What channel is Preston v Middlesbrough on?
Preston v Middlesbrough kicks off on Saturday 12 December at 12:30pm UK time, at Deepdale, in the Championship, matchday 21. The UK broadcasters have not confirmed a channel for this match yet; this page updates as soon as they do.
Preston are 24th with 4 points from 11 matches (1 won, 1 drawn, 9 lost), 3 defeats in a row; Middlesbrough are 3rd with 22 points from 11 (6 won, 4 drawn, 1 lost), unbeaten in 9. Goals: Preston have scored 9 and conceded 24 (-15), Middlesbrough have scored 22 and conceded 16 (+6). Preston have taken 3 points from 5 home matches, Middlesbrough 8 points from 5 away matches. Leading scorers: Will Lankshear (9) for Middlesbrough. Arena Rete's model makes Middlesbrough favourites (56%), with 1-1 the most likely score. In the 15 previous meetings on record: 7 wins for Preston, 3 draws, 5 wins for Middlesbrough.
How to watch Preston v Middlesbrough in the UK
The Championship TV guide →No channel has been announced for Preston v Middlesbrough 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 OctWrexham 4-1 Preston
- Tue 13 OctBirmingham 4-0 Preston
- Sat 10 OctPreston 0-1 Millwall
- Sat 19 SeptQPR 2-2 Preston
- Sat 12 SeptPreston 0-1 Lincoln
- 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
What is at stake
If it ended today →Preston are 24th, in the relegation zone: 15 pts off the play-offs. Middlesbrough are 3rd, in the play-off places: level on points with automatic promotion and 14 pts clear of the relegation zone. 18 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 Preston and 11 for Middlesbrough, 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
Preston v Middlesbrough down the years15 meetings in our data provider's archive · goals: Preston 21, Middlesbrough 26 · 3.1 per match
- 24 Jan 2026Middlesbrough4-0PrestonChampionship
- 13 Sept 2025Preston2-2MiddlesbroughChampionship
- 25 Jan 2025Preston2-1MiddlesbroughChampionship
- 14 Sept 2024Middlesbrough1-1PrestonChampionship
- 14 Feb 2024Preston2-1MiddlesbroughChampionship
- 28 Nov 2023Middlesbrough4-0PrestonChampionship
- 18 Mar 2023Middlesbrough4-0PrestonChampionship
- 29 Oct 2022Preston2-1MiddlesbroughChampionship
- 7 May 2022Preston4-1MiddlesbroughChampionship
- 23 Nov 2021Middlesbrough1-2PrestonChampionship
and 5 older ones.
The last meeting was on 24 Jan 2026: Middlesbrough 4-0 Preston. With Preston at home: 5 home wins, 1 draw and 1 away win in 7 matches, goals 15-8. Preston last won this fixture on 25 Jan 2025 (Preston 2-1 Middlesbrough). Middlesbrough last won it on 24 Jan 2026 (Middlesbrough 4-0 Preston).
The numbers compared
All Championship team stats →Preston on the left, Middlesbrough on the right: league matches only, 11 and 11 played.
The questions people ask
- What time does Preston v Middlesbrough kick off?
- Saturday 12 December at 12:30pm UK time, at Deepdale.
- What channel is Preston v Middlesbrough on in the UK?
- The channel has not been confirmed yet. TV selections are usually announced about six weeks before the match.
- Is Preston v Middlesbrough 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 Preston v Middlesbrough highlights?
- ITV shows free highlights with every goal from the three EFL divisions, on ITVX.
- Where is Preston v Middlesbrough being played?
- At Deepdale, capacity 23,408. Preston are the home side.
- Where are Preston and Middlesbrough in the table?
- Preston are 24th with 4 points from 11 matches; Middlesbrough are 3rd with 22 points from 11. Preston are 24th, in the relegation zone: 15 pts off the play-offs. Middlesbrough are 3rd, in the play-off places: level on points with automatic promotion and 14 pts clear of the relegation zone.
- What form are Preston and Middlesbrough in?
- Last league results, most recent first. Preston: L L L D L (3 defeats in a row). Middlesbrough: D W W D D (unbeaten in 9).
- Who are the top scorers for Preston and Middlesbrough?
- Middlesbrough: Will Lankshear (9). Championship goals only.
- Who is the favourite in Preston v Middlesbrough?
- Arena Rete's model makes Middlesbrough favourites (56%), from the two sides' league results. Most likely score: 1-1. It is an estimate, not betting advice.
- What is the head-to-head record between Preston and Middlesbrough?
- 15 meetings on record: 7 wins for Preston, 3 draws, 5 wins for Middlesbrough; goals 21-26.
- When did Preston and Middlesbrough last meet?
- On 24 Jan 2026 (Championship): Middlesbrough 4-0 Preston.
- Where can I follow Preston v Middlesbrough 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.