The 2025–26 season was Stoke City's 109th season in the Football League, and the 49th in the second tier.
The summer of 2025 again saw Stoke very active in the transfer market and a high turnover of players. Stoke began the season well and after 14 games played they were in 2nd position, however by December an injury crisis began to take hold and results and performances dropped off. In the second half of the season Stoke fell out of play-off contention and back into a more familiar mid-table position, finishing in 17th.
Pre-season After avoiding relegation on the final day of the 2024–25 season, manager Mark Robins quickly released his retained list. leaving the club were Lynden Gooch, Michael Rose, Enda Stevens and Jordan Thompson whilst Lewis Baker signed a one-year extension. Stoke made their first signing of the summer, bringing in Welsh winger Sorba Thomas from Huddersfield Town on a three-year contract. Also coming into the team were veteran left-back Aaron Cresswell, Ukrainian centre-back Maksym Talovierov, Slovak forward Róbert Boženík and the return of Steven Nzonzi. Jamie Donley, Divin Mubama and Ashley Phillips joined on season-long loans. Departing the club were Wouter Burger, and Sol Sidibe.
Stoke played friendlies against Brighton & Hove Albion, Burnley, Crewe Alexandra, Liverpool, Shrewsbury Town and Wolverhampton Wanderers.
Championship
August Stoke began their 2025–26 Championship campaign at home against Derby County. Stoke came from a goal down to beat the Rams 3–1 with late debut goals from Divin Mubama and Sorba Thomas. The first away game against Sheffield Wednesday at Hillsborough was played with the home supporters protesting against their owner Dejphon Chansiri. His lack of funding lead to Wednesday starting the season with a threadbare squad and Stoke took full advantage, winning 3–0 with a brace from Million Manhoef and another for Mubama. Stoke won their third game in a row against relegated Southampton, despite having Mubama sent-off for two bookable offences. Their winning start came to an end after losing 1–0 to midlands rivals West Bromwich Albion after Nat Phillips capitalised on a dropped catch by Johansson. Stoke's final transfer activity saw them bring in Slovak midfielder Tomáš Rigo from Czech side Baník Ostrava.
September Following the international break, new signing Rigo started as Stoke took on promoted Birmingham City. Bosun Lawal scored his first Stoke goal, a looping header over the stranded Ryan Allsop to earn a narrow 1–0 victory. Stoke were then beaten by the same scoreline away at Queens Park Rangers. In their next home match against Norwich City, Stoke dominated for long periods but went behind after slack defending allowed Jovon Makama to score from close range. Thomas equalised soon after half time and despite having 23 shots on goal Stoke were unable to score a second. They ended September with a goalless draw against early Championship leaders Middlesbrough, although Lawal suffered a hamstring injury.
October Stoke drew a third game in a row after Augustus Kargbo cancelled out Manhoef's opener away at Blackburn Rovers. Following the second international break Stoke took on newly promoted Wrexham in what was the first league meeting between the sides since 2002. Stoke had an early let off as Ryan Longman missed an open goal before a cross from Sorba Thomas deceived Wrexham keeper Arthur Okonkwo. They were then beaten 2–0 by Millwall with early goals from Femi Azeez and Tristan Crama. A closely fought game away at Portsmouth was settled in the 70th minute after a cross from Thomas was headed into his own net by Hayden Matthews.
November Mubama scored an early tap-in against Bristol City before being gifted a second goal by Robins goalkeeper Radek Vítek who failed to collect a loose ball. Mubama then set up Manhoef to make it 3–0 before half-time. In the second half Mubama completed his hat-trick and Junior Tchamadeu scored a rare goal whilst Mark Sykes got a late consolation for Bristol City. Stoke then eased to a 3–0 win away at Oxford United with a brace from Baker and Steven Nzonzi scoring his first since his return. With Stoke in 2nd position the faced the early league leaders, Coventry City. In what was a tight match between the top two it was settled by a late overhead kick by Ephron Mason-Clark. On 21 November, Robins and his coaching staff signed new three-and-a-half year contracts with the club. After the final international break of the year Stoke travelled to Leicester City where they were 2–0 down at half time after goals from Stephy Mavididi and Patson Daka. Bae Jun-ho pulled one back just after half-time but Stoke were unable to find an equaliser with former keeper Asmir Begović making some important saves. Sorba Thomas scored twice from crosses against Charlton Athletic in a 3–0 victory. Stoke ended November with a 2–1 defeat against Hull City to slip down to 4th.
December Stoke were well beaten 4–0 by a rejuvenated Sheffield United in the first game in December. The team dropped out of the play-off places for the first time this season after losing 1–0 at Ipswich Town after an early goal from Jaden Philogene. They recovered the following week beating Swansea City 2–1 with Ben Pearson scoring his first goal for the club. Stoke then suffered another narrow defeat, losing 1–0 at Watford. On Boxing Day, Stoke played out a drab goalless draw with Preston North End. 2025 was ended with a 2–1 defeat against Sheffield United.
January 2026 began with the news that Tommy Simkin had been recalled from his loan at Leyton Orient after it was revealed that Viktor Johansson had injured his shoulder. Simkin went straight into the starting line-up at Hull City and was able to keep a clean sheet as Róbert Boženík scored his first Stoke goal, although he suffered a dislocated shoulder early in the second half, which led to 17 minutes of injury time. Stoke then defeated relegation threatened Norwich City 2–0 with late goals from Gallagher and Thomas. Goalkeeper Gavin Bazunu, joined Stoke on loan for the remainder of the season and he went straight into the starting line-up on as City played out an uneventful goalless draw with Queens Park Rangers where they lost Divin Mubama to a serious ankle injury. The injury crisis continued as Bazunu picked up a thigh injury in training. Simkin came back into the team against promotion chasing Middlesbrough, Stoke taking a first half lead through Tomáš Rigo's first goal in English football but Boro turned the game around in the second half to win by two goals to one. A patched up Stoke team managed to come from a goal behind to draw 1–1 away at Birmingham City. Stoke ended January with a poor performance against Southampton, losing 2–0.
In the Winter transfer window Stoke brought in goalkeeper Gavin Bazunu, wingers Ato Ampah and Jesurun Rak-Sakyi, and Dutch striker Milan Smit, whilst departing the club were Jack Bonham, Jaden Dixon and André Vidigal.
February The slide down the table continued with a dour goalless draw at West Bromwich Albion and a narrow defeat at Charlton Athletic. Assistant manager Paul Nevin departed the club on 17 February less than three months after signing a new contract. The first team moved into a new £10 million facility at their Clayton Wood Training Ground. Despite Ben Wilmot giving Stoke an early lead against relegation threatened Leicester City a woeful second half saw them fall 2–1 behind before Wilmot scored again to salvage a 2–2 draw. Stoke ended their winless run with a 2–1 victory over struggling Oxford United with Lamine Cissé and Jesurun Rak-Sakyi, scoring their first Championship goals for the Potters. Stoke looked set for a hard-fought point away at top of the table Coventry City but were defeated by a stoppage time goal at the Coventry Building Society Arena for a second season running.
March Stoke slipped to a 2–0 defeat at Swansea City in their next game, as Sorba Thomas was sent-off in the first half for two bookable offences. The Potters then hosted promotion contenders Ipswich Town in a mid-week fixture and took a 2–0 half time lead after Milan Smit scored his first goal in England football and a goal from Bae Jun-ho. However a scored half fight back from Ipswich saw them leading until the final moments when Smit converted a stoppage time penalty to draw the game 3–3. City then defeated Watford 3–1 with a brace from Manhoef and a rare strike from Sam Gallagher. Any faint hopes of launching a late run for the play-offs were all but ended in a poor performance at Preston North End, going down 3–1 despite Thomas giving Stoke an early lead. After the match Mark Robins said the players had let the supporters down.
April Over the Easter weekend Stoke beat beleaguered Sheffield Wednesday 2–0, and lost by the same scoreline to play-off chasing Derby County. An equaliser from Rak-Sakyi earned City a point against Michael O'Neill's Blackburn Rovers. Two further defeats against promotion chasing teams, Wrexham and Millwall followed. Stoke lost the final home match of another poor season 3–1 against Portsmouth, prompting an angry reaction from supporters, whilst Mark Robins vowed to "move people on who are mercenary, don't want to train and don't want to work hard".
May Goalkeeper Viktor Johansson signed a new four-year contract with Stoke, before the final game of the season. Stoke lost 2–0 to Bristol City to end the 2025–26 season in 17th position, their eighth consecutive bottom half finish.
Matches
League table
Results by round
FA Cup
Stoke were drawn at home to Coventry City in the third round and to Fulham in the fourth round.
EFL Cup
Stoke were drawn at home to Walsall in the first round and to Bradford City in the second round.
Squad statistics
No.Pos.NameChampionshipFA CupEFL CupTotalDisciplineAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals1GK Viktor Johansson2500000250203DF Aaron Cresswell22(3)00(1)00022(4)0204MF Ben Pearson22(9)1(1)101024(10)11217MF Sorba Thomas45101(1)00046(1)10918MF Lewis Baker14(3)4000(1)014(4)4309FW Divin Mubama20(6)5100(1)021(7)52110MF Bae Jun-ho32(10)21(1)10(1)033(11)32011FW Róbert Boženík9(13)1002011(13)12012MF Tatsuki Seko26(17)0201(1)029(18)05013GK Jack Bonham000020200014MF Ato Ampah000000000014MF Jamie Donley0(4)000202(4)00015MF Steven Nzonzi17(13)10(1)00017(14)12016DF Ben Wilmot33(1)3200(1)035(2)35017DF Eric Bocat21(8)0102024(8)00018MF Bosun Lawal25(2)1102028(2)16119MF Tomáš Rigo20(11)1200022(11)12020FW Sam Gallagher4(15)20(1)0004(16)20021MF Jesurun Rak-Sakyi8(7)20(1)0008(8)23022DF Junior Tchamadeu23(3)1000023(3)112023DF Ben Gibson7(6)1001(1)08(7)11025GK Tommy Simkin15020001702026DF Ashley Phillips36(4)0202040(4)04129FW Lamine Cissé19(15)3210021(15)45031GK Gavin Bazunu600000600034GK Frank Fielding000000000040DF Maksym Talovierov13(3)0201016(3)08042FW Million Manhoef33(12)71(1)01035(13)73046MF Will Smith00000(2)00(2)00049FW Milan Smit6(7)210007(7)20050DF Sydney Agina3(2)000003(2)01054DF Raphael-Pijus Otegbayo2(1)000002(1)00056MF Favour Fawunmi0(2)000202(2)01057DF Jaden Mears000020200058MF Chinonso Chibueze0000101000Own goals—3—0—0—3—
Transfers
In DatePos.NameFromFee7 June 2025MF Sorba Thomas Huddersfield TownUndisclosed5 July 2025DF Maksym Talovierov Plymouth ArgyleUndisclosed10 July 2025DF Aaron Cresswell West Ham UnitedFree24 July 2025FW Róbert Boženík BoavistaUndisclosed8 August 2025MF Steven Nzonzi SepahanFree14 August 2025FW Lamine Cissé BastiaUndisclosed15 August 2025GK Caleb Clothier ZürichFree15 August 2025FW Jerome Osei Crystal PalaceFree25 August 2025GK True Grant Manchester CityUndisclosed30 August 2025MF Tomáš Rigo Baník OstravaUndisclosed2 February 2026MF Ato Ampah ChelseaUndisclosed2 February 2026FW Tyler Martin LiverpoolFree
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