Ipswich Town will find out their fixtures for the 2020/21 season towards the end of next week.
It’s understood that the League One schedule will be announced on either Thursday 20 or Friday 21.
Town, who haven’t played since March 7 due to the Covid-19 pandemic, have got a series of behind-closed-doors friendlies pencilled in over the coming weeks, the first on Saturday, but are reluctant to release details about these just yet.
It’s understood that Paul Lambert’s men could face two Premier League sides as part of their build-up to the big kick-off, as well as lower league and local opposition.
The first round of the EFL Cup is scheduled for the weekend of September 5. Because that clashes with international action, clubs will have the option to move their ties forward to the weekend of August 29.
All Premier League clubs receive a bye in the first round of the competition, as do the two teams that recently finished 18th and 19th in the top-flight. That means that newly-relegated Championship side Norwich City, who finished bottom, will be part of the first round draw.
Ipswich could be drawn against their Norfolk rivals as they have lost their status as being among the top 18 seeds for the southern section of the first round draw after finishing 11th in League One last season.
Town will then get their new League One campaign underway on September 12.
In what will be a greatly truncated campaign, the Blues are set to play a minimum of 51 games in 34 weeks (if the EFL Trophy format remains the same) ahead of the rearranged European Championships starting on June 11, 2021.
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