Preview: Sheffield Wednesday vs West Bromwich Albion - prediction, team news, lineups

In a repeat of the final game of the 2025-26 Championship season, Sheffield Wednesday and West Bromwich Albion will meet in a pre-season friendly at St George's Park on Saturday.

Sheffield Wednesday prevailed in that game but are now preparing for life in League One, starting with what will be both sides' first outings of pre-season.

Match preview

While Sheffield Wednesday are now preparing for a season in League One after their Championship relegation, optimism around Hillsborough is far higher than it has been in recent years.

The Owls were fighting from behind last term, having entered administration and been dealt deductions totalling 18 points, eventually finishing on zero having won 2 games and lost 32 while conceding 89 goals.

Things did start to look up late in the campaign, though, as a takeover was completed by a US consortium led by David Storch, who attended their final game of the season against West Bromwich Albion, in which they managed a first home league win of the campaign.

Perhaps more importantly, that day saw the confirmation that the South Yorkshire club's anticipated points deductions in League One would no longer be handed out, and Henrik Pedersen's side now find themselves in the midst of an exciting summer transfer window having quickly built on last term's thin squad.

Sheffield Wednesday now head into their first friendly aiming to again get the better of West Brom and build further confidence in their ranks.

Their opponents, meanwhile, will also kick off their pre-season preparations after steering clear of Championship relegation themselves late last term.

Despite their final-day defeat to Saturday's opponents, West Bromwich Albion were able to maintain their second-tier status with a strong end to a disappointing campaign.

The Baggies finished 21st after a late two-point deduction on 51 points, four above the drop zone having enjoyed a 10-game unbeaten streak including four wins to escape the bottom three before the final day.

That came under James Morrison, who took initial temporary charge in February, overseeing 12 games and 18 crucial points before being handed the permanent job heading into the summer.

West Brom now turn their focus to the 2026-27 campaign with the hopes of climbing up the Championship table and challenging at the right end, beginning their preparations at St James' Park before the term kicks off in mid-August.

Sheffield Wednesday form (all competitions):

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West Bromwich Albion form (all competitions):

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Team News

Sheffield Wednesday head into pre-season with a somewhat new-look squad from the group that finished the 2025-26 campaign, with Svante Ingelsson, Dominic Iorfa and Nathaniel Chalobah among those to depart.

They have been able to strengthen, though, with defenders Sil Swinkels and Ricardo Santos, midfielders Callum Slattery and Jordi Liongola and attackers Harry Gray and Louie Barry all arriving and hoping to feature for the first time.

Most notably, the Owls confirmed the return of Barry Bannan, who departed for Millwall in January after making over 450 appearances for the club, while defender Di'Shon Bernard is back in contention after missing the entirety of last term through injury.

West Bromwich Albion have also seen several arrivals and departures so far this summer, with goalkeeper Josh Griffiths and attackers Jed Wallace and Daryl Dike leaving the club.

James Morrison has added to his attack with the signings of Barney Stewart and Jimmy-Jay Morgan from Falkirk and Chelsea respectively, and they may both feature from the outset at St George's Park.

Winger Mikey Johnston, meanwhile, has been out of action through injury since mid-March, also missing international duty with Republic of Ireland over the summer, and will not make Saturday's friendly.

Sheffield Wednesday possible starting lineup:

Stretch; Swinkels, Santos, Cooper; Palmer, Slattery, Bannan, Johnson; Liongola, Lowe, Barry

West Bromwich Albion possible starting lineup:

O'Leary; Gilchrist, Campbell, Phillips, Styles; Diakite, Mowatt, Price; Morgan, Heggebo, Stewart

We say: Sheffield Wednesday 1-3 West Bromwich Albion

Things are certainly looking up for Sheffield Wednesday as the Owls' squad and mood in the camp picks up ahead of a fresh start, but Saturday's game will be a tough test and we back West Brom to kick pre-season off with a win.

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