QPR take on Preston in their opening game of the 2025-26 Championship season. The game will take place at Loftus Road on Saturday, 9th August, with the action kicking off at 3 pm. Only six points separated these two teams in the table at the end of last season, with Rangers managing a 15th-place finish, while North End could only manage 20th.
QPR to Win (7/5 with Sky Bet)
Preston finished last season just one point above the relegation zone. The Lancastrians went on a run of eight games without a victory to finish 2024-25, and they will hope to start the new campaign in much better form.
However, Preston have not fared well against QPR in recent years, with the London club doing the double over them last season. QPR have now won four consecutive matches against Preston and can take three points once again in front of their own fans in this curtain-raiser.
Ali McCann to be Carded (3/1 with BetMGM)
Jonathan Varane made the switch to London from Sporting Gijón in August 2024, and has been a regular in the lineup, with 39 Championship appearances and 9 yellow cards in the 2024–25 season, plus 1 red. He averaged over a foul a game in this second-tier last term and was also booked in his only appearances in the League Cup. Odds are yet to be released, but after, I’d recommend taking anything north of 7/2, once the prices are available.
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How both teams go into QPR vs Preston
In April, QPR placed manager Marti Cifuentes on gardening leave, and he officially left in June. Rangers had only managed a 15th-place finish in the standings and they have now appointed Frenchman Julien Stephan as their new head coach. The 44-year-old has enjoyed two spells in charge of his hometown club Rennes, where he guided them to their first trophy in 49 years when they lifted the French Cup in 2019. Stephan has also managed at Strasbourg, but bookmakers are expecting QPR to struggle once again this season, with William Hill going just 3/1 that they will be relegated to League One.
Preston were left sweating on the last day of the 2024-25 season, as their Championship status was still under threat in their final fixture. Paul Heckingbottom’s men secured a 2-2 draw with Bristol City on the final day to solidify their place in the second tier for next season, and their fans will be demanding more this time round after they finished the season with just three points from a possible 24. North End enjoyed a good run in the FA Cup last season, before being beaten 3-0 in the quarter-finals by Aston Villa. With a new sponsor in viral sensation ‘Spud Bros’, and a flurry of new signings, there is renewed hope. Still, bookmakers have chalked them up at 25/1 to be promoted to the Premier League, implying just a 3.8% chance of escaping this division.
QPR team news
QPR have wasted little time in reshaping their squad this summer, already bringing in four new faces. Karamoko Dembélé has made his stay at Loftus Road permanent following a promising loan spell, while versatile defender Amadou Mbengue arrives on a free after leaving Reading.
The R’s also dipped into the Australian market to sign little-known full-back Kealey Adamson from Macarthur, but the standout addition so far could prove to be Kwame Poku. Snapped up from Peterborough United for a reported £900,000 in compensation, the 22-year-old winger notched 12 goals and 10 assists in all competitions last season – a tidy return that hints at serious value for money.
Preston team news
Michael Smith scored eight league goals for Sheffield Wednesday in the Championship last season and has made the switch to Preston this summer. The striker will be pushing for a start on the opening day, while goalkeeper Jack Walton who arrived from Luton in July, will also be looking to make his first league start between the sticks.
QPR vs Preston head-to-head
Rangers have won the last four meetings between the two clubs, although the last three of those have been by a one-goal margin. Preston last got the better of QPR back in 2023.
| Date | Score | Competition |
|---|---|---|
| 18/04/25 | Preston 1-2 QPR | Championship |
| 21/12/24 | QPR 2-1 Preston | Championship |
| 20/04/24 | QPR 1-0 Preston | Championship |
| 01/12/23 | Preston 0-2 QPR | Championship |
| 07/04/23 | QPR 0-2 Preston | Championship |