The 2026–27 season is the 143rd season in the history of Lincoln City and their first season in the Championship following promotion from League One the previous season. The club are participating in the Championship, the FA Cup, and the EFL Cup.
Season overview June On 10 June, Lincoln City announced their new first year scholars of; Tariro Darikwa, Fletcher Don-Duncan, Leo Fifield, Sam Male, Isaac Shaw and Prem Sidhu.
July On 1 July, Lincoln confirmed they had agreed a five-year extension to its technical kit partner OXEN Sports.
On 2 July, Lincoln launched their 2026–27 home shirt, whilst also confirming that Branston would continue as their front of shirt for the home, away and third kits, with Gen2 Energy on the back of the shirt and Easy Heat Pumps the sleeve sponsor.
On 7 July, ProAmpac agreed a 10-year stadium naming rights deal for Sincil Bank to be called the ProAmpac Stadium.
On 23 July, Lincoln launched their 2026–27 away shirt, with Nana Tate the front of shirt sponsor, Gen2 Energy on the back and Logicool on the sleeve. IFI Group feature on the shorts.
On 24 July, Clive Nates stepped down as co-vice chairman, but would remain a non-executive director at the club, whilst the club also confirmed Amanda Slater stepped down from her position as the John O’Gaunt’s representative on 30 June.
August On 8 August, Lincoln confirmed their squad numbers for the season.
On 12 August, Bobby Copping was promoted to chief commercial officer, whilst Danny Seaborne promoted to chief operating officer.
On 12 August, Lincoln launched their 2026–27 third shirt, with Nana Tate the front of shirt sponsor, sleeve partner Logicool and back of shirt partner Rilmac. IFI Group feature on the back of the shorts.
September On 3 September, Lincoln confirmed their 25-man squad for the Championship season.
Current squad
No. Name Position Nationality Place of birth Date of birth (age) Signed from Date signed Fee Contract end Goalkeepers 1 George Wickens GK Petersfield Fulham 20 July 2024 Nominal Fee 30 June 2029 21 Jamie Pardington GK Aldridge Cheltenham Town 1 July 2024 Free Transfer 30 June 2028 46 Joe Gauci GK Adelaide Aston Villa 28 July 2026 Loan 31 May 2027 Defenders 2 Tendayi Darikwa RB Nottingham Apollon Limassol 5 July 2023 Free Transfer 30 June 2027 3 Adam Reach LB Chester-le-Street Wycombe Wanderers 1 September 2025 Free Transfer 30 June 2027 4 Andrei Coubiș CB Milan Universitatea Cluj 25 July 2026 Undisclosed 30 June 2031 6 Ryley Towler CB Bristol Portsmouth 7 July 2025 Undisclosed 30 June 2030 15 Sonny Bradley CB Kingston upon Hull Derby County 1 July 2025 Free Transfer 30 June 2027 20 Callum Elder LB Sydney Derby County 1 July 2026 Free Transfer 30 June 2028 22 Tom Hamer CB Bolton Burton Albion 19 July 2024 Undisclosed 30 June 2029 23 Josh Honohan LB Carrigaline Shamrock Rovers 1 January 2026 Undisclosed 30 June 2029 25 Deji Elerewe CB Croydon Bromley 25 January 2026 Undisclosed 30 June 2029 33 Daniel Oyegoke RB Barnet Hellas Verona 1 September 2026 Undisclosed 30 June 2030 39 Charlie Parks CB Academy 13 May 2025 30 June 2027 Midfielders 7 Reeco Hackett RM Redbridge Portsmouth 14 June 2023 Undisclosed 30 June 2029 8 Tom Bayliss CM Leicester Shrewsbury Town 1 July 2024 Free Transfer 30 June 2028 14 Conor McGrandles CM Falkirk Charlton Athletic 14 June 2024 Undisclosed 30 June 2028 16 Dom Jefferies RM Newport Gillingham 18 July 2024 Undisclosed 30 June 2028 24 Ivan Varfolomeev DM Simferopol Slovan Liberec 21 August 2025 Undisclosed 30 June 2030 26 Yunus Konak DM Batman Brentford 18 August 2026 Loan 31 May 2027 Forwards 10 Mason Melia CF Newtownmountkennedy Tottenham Hotspur 5 August 2026 Loan 31 May 2027 11 Mikkel Ladefoged CF Næsby Västerås SK 30 August 2026 Undisclosed 30 June 2031 17 Rob Street CF Oxford Cheltenham Town 2 July 2024 Undisclosed 30 June 2030 18 Ben House LW Guildford Eastleigh 24 January 2022 Undisclosed 30 June 2028 19 Tanto Olaofe CF Lewisham Charlton Athletic 7 August 2026 Loan 31 May 2027 27 Chiedozie Ogbene RW Lagos Ipswich Town 1 September 2026 Loan 1 January 2027 29 Ethan Wheatley CF Stockport Manchester United 24 August 2026 Loan 31 May 2027 34 Freddie Draper CF Oxford Derby County 1 July 2020 Free Transfer 30 June 2030 Out on loan 9 James Collins CF Coventry Derby County 20 January 2025 Undisclosed 30 June 2027 13 Zach Jeacock GK Birmingham Birmingham City 3 July 2024 Free Transfer 30 June 2029 36 Zane Okoro RW Norwalk Brooke House College 19 June 2025 30 June 2029 Oisin Gallagher CM Derry Derry City 1 July 2021 Undisclosed 30 June 2029 Oscar Thorn RW Southend-on-Sea Colchester United 26 August 2025 Undisclosed 30 June 2029
International Call-Ups NoNameTeamCompetitionOppositionDateRef24 Ivan VarfolomeevUkraine U21Friendly United States U21, Japan U215 & 8 June 202626 Oisin GallagherRepublic of Ireland U21Friendly Croatia U21, Qatar U216 & 9 June 202627 Chiedozie OgbeneRepublic of Ireland2026–27 UEFA Nations League Kosovo, Israel, Austria, Israel24 & 27 September, 1 & 4 October 202624 Ivan VarfolomeevUkraine2026–27 UEFA Nations League Hungary, Georgia, Northern Ireland, Hungary25 & 28 September, 2 & 5 October 20264 Andrei CoubișRomania2026–27 UEFA Nations League Sweden, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Poland, Sweden25 & 28 September, 2 & 5 October 202626 Yunus KonakTürkiye U212027 UEFA European Under-21 Championship qualification Ukraine U21, Hungary U2126 September & 6 October 2026
Coaching staff The first team coaching structure saw change in the summer, with Michael Skubala joining Championship side Bristol City, and replaced by Chris Cohen and Tom Shaw as joint head-coach. They added Paul McShane as a first team coach, with goalkeeping and set play coach David Preece, head of medical Kieran Walker, head of performance Josh Snowden and head of recruitment Joe Hutchinson all committing their future. In September, Shaun Pearson joined the club as a first team coach.
RoleNameHead Coach Chris CohenHead Coach Tom ShawCoach Paul McShaneCoach Shaun PearsonGoalkeeping Coach David Preece
Pre-season and friendlies On 26 May, Lincoln City confirmed two friendlies, the first against Boston United, before a training camp in Spain where they face Leyton Orient. Two more friendlies against Grimsby Town and Doncaster Rovers were announced on 1 June. Their summer schedule was finalised with a fixture against Barnsley confirmed on 8 June. They returned to pre-season training on 26 June for testing, before full training on Monday 29th.
Competitions Championship
League table
Results summary
Results by round
Matches On 25 June 2026, the EFL Championship fixtures were revealed.
FA Cup
EFL Cup
On 25 June, the draw for the first round was made, with Lincoln City being drawn away against Derby County. The second round was drawn on 10 August 2026, with Lincoln being drawn away to Blackpool. The third round was drawn on 26 August, with Lincoln getting a third away tie against Premier League club Bournemouth.
Transfers & contracts In DatePosPlayerFromFeeRef 1 July 2026 LB Callum Elder Derby County Free 25 July 2026 CB Andrei Coubiș Universitatea Cluj Undisclosed 30 August 2026 CF Mikkel Ladefoged Västerås SK Undisclosed 1 September 2026 RB Daniel Oyegoke Hellas Verona Undisclosed
Out DatePosPlayerToFeeRef 4 July 2026 LW Erik Ring Kilmarnock Undisclosed 27 July 2026 CM JJ McKiernan Bromley Undisclosed 5 August 2026 AM Jack Moylan Cardiff City Undisclosed
Loaned in DatePosPlayerLoaned fromDate untilRef 28 July 2026 GK Joe Gauci Aston Villa End of season 5 August 2026 CF Mason Melia Tottenham Hotspur End of season 7 August 2026 CF Tanto Olaofe Charlton Athletic End of season 18 August 2026 DM Yunus Konak Brentford End of season 24 August 2026 CF Ethan Wheatley Manchester United End of season 1 September 2026 RW Chiedozie Ogbene Ipswich Town 1 January 2027
Loaned out DatePosPlayerLoaned toDate untilRef 15 June 2026 GK Zach Jeacock Northampton Town End of season 21 July 2026 RW Zane Okoro Tranmere Rovers End of season 21 July 2026 CM Oisin Gallagher Barnet End of season 7 August 2026 RW Oscar Thorn Colchester United End of season 1 September 2026 CF James Collins Doncaster Rovers 1 January 2027 21 September 2026 GK Jaden Taylor Armthorpe Welfare 17 October 2026
Released / Out of Contract DatePosPlayerSubsequent clubJoin dateRef30 June 2026 CB Charlie Carlisle North Ferriby 1 July 2026 CB MJ Kamson-Kamara Heart of Midlothian 1 July 2026 CF Daniel Vanderpuye Boston United 1 July 2026 CM Josh Blant Lincoln United 12 July 2026 LB Noah Simmons Ilkeston Town 3 August 2026 3 September 2026 CB Adam Jackson Bromley 21 September 2026 30 June 2026 CB Orin Aldridge
New contract DatePosPlayerLengthExpiryRef 17 June 2026 GK Jamie Pardington 2 years 30 June 2028 21 July 2026 RW Zane Okoro 3 years 30 June 2029 21 July 2026 CM Oisin Gallagher 3 years 30 June 2029 22 July 2026 CB Ryley Towler 4 years 30 June 2030 22 July 2026 CM Conor McGrandles 2 years 30 June 2028 22 July 2026 GK George Wickens 3 years 30 June 2029 5 August 2026 CF Freddie Draper 4 years 30 June 2030 5 August 2026 RW Reeco Hackett 3 years 30 June 2029 5 August 2026 CM Dom Jefferies 2 years 30 June 2028 23 September 2026 DM Ivan Varfolomeev 4 years 30 June 2030
Squad statistics Appearances
|colspan="14"|Players that left the club mid-season:
Goalscorers
PlayerChampionshipFA CupEFL CupTotal1MF7Reeco Hackett2002FW18Ben House1012FW34Freddie Draper20022DF3Adam Reach1001MF8Tom Bayliss0011FW11Mikkel Ladefoged1001MF16Dom Jefferies0011FW17Rob Street0011FW19Tanto Olaofe0011DF20Callum Elder0011Total 7 0 613
Assists
PlayerChampionshipFA CupEFL CupTotal1DF20Callum Elder10122DF2Tendayi Darikwa1001DF4Andrei Coubiș1001MF7Reeco Hackett1001MF8Tom Bayliss0011MF18Ben House1001DF23Josh Honohan0011MF24Ivan Varfolomeev0011FW34Freddie Draper0011Total 5 0 510
Disciplinary record
No. Pos. Player Championship FA Cup EFL Cup Total 1 GK George Wickens 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 3 DF Adam Reach 0 0 0 0 1 0 1 0 6 DF Ryley Towler 2 0 0 0 0 0 2 0 8 MF Tom Bayliss 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 10 FW Mason Melia 0 0 0 0 1 0 1 0 14 MF Conor McGrandles 3 0 0 0 0 0 3 0 16 MF Dom Jefferies 1 0 0 0 1 0 2 0 18 FW Ben House 3 0 0 0 1 0 4 0 19 FW Tanto Olaofe 1 0 0 0 1 0 1 0 20 DF Callum Elder 0 0 0 0 1 0 1 0 22 DF Tom Hamer 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 24 MF Ivan Varfolomeev 2 0 0 0 0 0 2 0 25 DF Deji Elerewe 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 33 DF Daniel Oyegoke 0 0 0 0 1 0 1 0 34 FW Freddie Draper 4 0 0 0 0 0 4 0
Clean sheets
No.Nat.PlayerMatches playedClean sheet %ChampionshipFA CupEFL CupTotal 1 George Wickens 9 44.44% 4 0 0 4 46 Joe Gauci 2 0% 0 0 0 0
Awards
References