Preview: Portsmouth vs Queens Park Rangers - prediction, team news, lineups

Portsmouth will welcome Queens Park Rangers to Fratton Park for Saturday's Championship opener.

The hosts finished 18th in the 2025-26 season, while the R's ended up three points better off in 15th position.

Match preview

Portsmouth are set to start their third consecutive Championship campaign since winning promotion from League One in 2023-24.

After being involved in relegation fights in the last two seasons, John Mousinho's side have bolstered their squad with several new recruits in an effort to create a squad that can avoid another battle for survival.

Pompey have made two new additions since last Saturday's EFL Cup clash against West Ham United, recruiting Benjamin Arthur on loan from Brentford and Abu Kamara on a permanent transfer from Hull City, the latter of whom is already a fan favourite at Fratton Park after enjoying a productive loan spell in the club's League One title-winning campaign.

Arthur and Kamara join a side that will be looking for a positive response after falling to a 3-1 defeat to the Hammers at the London Stadium, despite taking the lead through Adrian Segecic.

Taty Castellanos scored either side of a Jarrod Bowen effort to condemn Pompey to a third consecutive first-round exit.

Portsmouth should at least fancy their chances of avoiding a defeat on the opening weekend of the Championship season, considering they have not lost any of their previous five home matches against QPR (W1, D4).

Like Pompey, QPR experienced disappointment in the first round of the EFL Cup against Millwall, despite taking the tie to penalties thanks to a late own goal.

Millwall goalkeeper Lukas Jensen saved all four of QPR's spot-kicks to see his side through and leave the R's to reflect upon a fourth first-round exit in five seasons.

The focus will now be upon the 2026-27 Championship season, where they will aim to improve upon a run of four consecutive bottom-half finishes.

QPR have made six new additions ahead of the new campaign, including the recent addition of former Sunderland left-back Dennis Cirkin on a free transfer.

Julian Stephan's side have memories of their most recent meeting with Portsmouth in March, when they scored four goals in 55 minutes on their way to an emphatic 6-1 victory at Loftus Road.

However, they have not beaten Pompey at Fratton Park since running out 3-1 winners in a second division encounter in May 2000.

Portsmouth form (all competitions):

Queens Park Rangers form (all competitions):

Team News

Portsmouth start the season without the services of Josef Bursik, Jacob Farrell, Connor Ogilvie, Mark Kosznovszky, Franco Umeh, Keshi Anderson and Josh Murphy.

Thomas Waddingham is set for an extended spell on the sidelines after sustaining an ankle injury in the EFL Cup defeat to West Ham.

Midfielder Marlon Pack and winger Harvey Blair are also injury doubts, with the latter expected to depart before the end of the summer window.

As for the visitors, they are expected to be without two summer arrivals, Tariq Lamptey and Justin Obikwu, due to injury.

Karamoko Dembele remains unavailable for selection as he continues his rehabilitation from a long-term knee injury.

Dennis Cirkin and Glen Kamara are unlikely to start at Fratton Park due to their lack of match fitness.

Portsmouth possible starting lineup:

Schmid; Devlin, Poole, Shaughnessy, Swanson; Shein, Adams; Kamara, Segecic, Brooke-Smith; Bishop

Queens Park Rangers possible starting lineup:

Charles; Mbengue, Dunne, Edwards, Kemper; Vale, Madsen; Poku, Chair, Smyth; Kone

We say: Portsmouth 1-1 Queens Park Rangers

Portsmouth and QPR will be keen to start the new Championship season with a win, but considering they have drawn four of their last five meetings at Fratton Park, we think they both have to settle for a share of the spoils.

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