No previous meetings between these teams.
-
1
Nick Powell1 - 2Macaulay Gillesphey1
- 3
Jamal Lowe1 - 4Callum Slattery1
- 1Jamal Lowe4
- 2Jake Beesley3
- 3Will Swan3
- 4Barry Bannan3
- 5Macaulay Gillesphey2
- 6Callum Slattery2
- 7Adam Phillips2
- 8Antoni Sarcevic1
- 9Sil Swinkels1
- 10Nick Powell1
- 1Josh Neufville3
- 2Matthew Pennington3
- 3Antoni Sarcevic2
- 4Kayden Jackson2
- 5Max Lowe1
- 6Jarvis Thornton1
- 7Harry Gray1
- 8Bobby Pointon1
- 9Louie Barry1
- 10Will Swan1
- 1Adam Phillips1
- 2Callum Connolly1
- 1Callum Slattery3
- 2Callum Connolly3
- 3Kayden Jackson2
- 4Bobby Pointon2
- 5Josh Neufville2
- 6Louie Barry2
- 7Adam Phillips2
- 8Antoni Sarcevic1
- 9Macaulay Gillesphey1
- 10Jarvis Thornton1
- 1Macaulay Gillesphey41
- 2Matthew Pennington38
- 3Ibou Touray38
- 4Aden Baldwin32
- 5Callum Connolly26
- 6Max Lowe23
- 7Joe Lumley23
- 8Sil Swinkels21
- 9Barry Bannan21
- 10Bobby Pointon20
- 1Max Lowe1
- 2Jarvis Thornton1
- 3Jake Beesley1
- 4Jordi Liongola1
- 5Ibou Touray1
- 6Callum Slattery1
- 7Will Swan1
- 8Barry Bannan1
- 1Matthew Pennington3
- 2Sil Swinkels2
- 3Aden Baldwin2
- 4Max Lowe1
- 5Macaulay Gillesphey1
- 6Josh Neufville1
- 7Louie Barry1
- 8Jordi Liongola1
- 9Ibou Touray1
- 10Callum Connolly1
Sheffield WednesdayNo absentees
Bradford CityNo absentees
Sheffield Wednesday vs Bradford City is a League One clash at Hillsborough on Thursday, with two clubs arriving in very different shape after contrasting campaigns.
Wednesday drop into the third tier after a turbulent, relegation-hit season, while Bradford come off the back of a play-off push in League One. Andy Francis has the best bets, our score prediction and the head-to-head record below. The game kicks off at 8pm BST on Thursday, August 20th.
Premium Tips
Andy sees a competitive opener between a rebuilding home side and a settled visiting one, and the best value looks to be with Bradford and the goals.
| Premium Tip | Odds | Why we’re backing it |
|---|---|---|
| Sheffield Wednesday To Lead At Half Time | 9/4 | Wednesday’s rebuild brings uncertainty over personnel, but it also means a raft of fresh faces, including new arrival Mason Burstow up front, and Hillsborough should be roaring for the club’s first game of this new era. Bradford are the more settled, better-drilled side, but they’re also the ones adjusting to away support and a step up in expectation after last season’s play-off push. Newly assembled sides often start games on the front foot at home, riding the occasion before the opposition’s greater cohesion tells over 90 minutes, so backing the hosts to be ahead at the break looks the smarter angle than a full-time result. |
| Draw, Under 2.5 goals and Mason Burstow over 1.5 shots on target | 7/1 | Wednesday’s overhaul and Bradford’s settled, well-drilled squad point to a cagey opener before either side finds real rhythm, and there’s no recent head-to-head to suggest goals will flow between these two. New Wednesday signing Mason Burstow, in after a productive loan spell at Hull City, should get an early chance to lead the line and stake his claim, with shot volume more likely than end product in his first outing for a side still finding cohesion. Backing a tight, low-scoring stalemate alongside Burstow testing the target repeatedly captures both team form and his individual introduction at 7/1. |
18+ only. Please gamble responsibly. GambleAware — gambleaware.org · Odds correct at time of publishing.
How Sheffield Wednesday go into the game
Sheffield Wednesday endured a nightmare 2025-26, a season wrecked by a heavy points deduction and off-field turmoil that ultimately sent them down from the Championship. They scored just 29 goals and shipped 89 on the way to the bottom of the table.
A summer of rebuilding at Hillsborough means real uncertainty over the starting XI, but the famous old ground and its passionate support remain a powerful weapon. Louie Barry and Jamal Lowe offer attacking hope as the Owls look to steady the ship in League One.
How Bradford City go into the game
Bradford City were one of League One’s stronger sides last season, finishing fourth on 77 points and reaching the play-offs before falling short. Consolidating that progress and pushing for automatic promotion is the aim this term.
Jake Beesley leads the line, with Stephen Humphrys and Will Swan adding a threat in behind. A settled squad against a club still finding its feet makes Bradford a genuine danger on the road.
Sheffield Wednesday vs Bradford City head-to-head
| Date | Home | Score | Away |
|---|---|---|---|
| — | No competitive meetings in recent seasons | — | — |
The clubs have spent recent years in different divisions, so there is no meaningful recent head-to-head to lean on ahead of Thursday’s opener.
Sheffield Wednesday vs Bradford City predictions & betting tips
| Our Prediction | Odds & Bookmaker | Confidence | Why We’re Backing It |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bradford City or draw (Double Chance) | 1/2 | ⭐⭐⭐ | Stability edge against a rebuilding side. |
| Both teams to score | 4/6 | ⭐⭐⭐ | Both carry a threat in an open game. |
| Under 3.5 goals | 3/10 | ⭐⭐⭐ | A tight, competitive opener expected. |
| Louie Barry anytime scorer | 2/1 | ⭐⭐ | Wednesday’s main attacking hope. |
| Draw 1-1 | 11/2 | ⭐⭐ | Our headline scoreline for a close contest. |
Sheffield Wednesday vs Bradford City score prediction
This has the makings of a close, competitive opener. Wednesday’s upheaval is a concern, but Hillsborough will be bouncing for the first game of a new era, and Bradford’s greater stability suggests they will be right in the contest. We can see the points being shared. Score prediction: Sheffield Wednesday 1-1 Bradford City.
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