Watford will begin the 2023/24 season with their shortest away trip of all when they travel to Queens Park Rangers on Saturday August 5.

The first home game at Vicarage Road will come a week later when newly-promoted Plymouth Argyle are the visitors.

The return fixture to Home Park could wreck New Year’s Eve plans for Watford fans – the 450-mile round-trip to Devon will take place on January 1, 2024!

And as with the season just gone, the Hornets will end their campaign with one of the longest away trips – they travel to Middlesbrough on Saturday May 4, 2024, having finished last term with a trip to Sunderland.

The first midweek league game of the season is on September 20 when West Brom visit Vicarage Road, while the first meeting with any of the three teams relegated from the Premier League comes three days later when they visit Leeds United.

There’s a trip to Leicester City on November 25, and Southampton travel to Vicarage Road on December 9.

Midweek away trips have not fallen kindly for Watford fans who face long journeys to Sunderland (October 4), Swansea (October 24), Norwich (February 13) and Ipswich (April 10).

The full fixtures, which are below, are all provisional and liable to change due to live TV games etc.

Meanwhile, the draw for the first round of the Carabao Cup takes place at 2.30pm this afternoon, live on Sky Sports.

Watford, who haven’t played in the first round since 2014, will be ball number 33 in the southern half of the draw.

Watford’s Championship fixtures 2023/24:

05/08/2023 15:00 Queens Park Rangers v Watford

12/08/2023 15:00 Watford v Plymouth Argyle

19/08/2023 15:00 Stoke City v Watford

26/08/2023 15:00 Watford v Blackburn Rovers

02/09/2023 15:00 Coventry City v Watford

16/09/2023 15:00 Watford v Birmingham City

20/09/2023 19:45 Watford v West Bromwich Albion

23/09/2023 15:00 Leeds United v Watford

30/09/2023 15:00 Watford v Middlesbrough

04/10/2023 19:45 Sunderland v Watford

07/10/2023 15:00 Cardiff City v Watford

21/10/2023 15:00 Watford v Sheffield Wednesday

24/10/2023 19:45 Swansea City v Watford

28/10/2023 15:00 Watford v Millwall

04/11/2023 15:00 Huddersfield Town v Watford

11/11/2023 15:00 Watford v Rotherham United

25/11/2023 15:00 Leicester City v Watford

28/11/2023 19:45 Watford v Norwich City

02/12/2023 15:00 Hull City v Watford

09/12/2023 15:00 Watford v Southampton

12/12/2023 19:45 Watford v Ipswich Town

16/12/2023 15:00 Preston North End v Watford

23/12/2023 15:00 Blackburn Rovers v Watford

26/12/2023 15:00 Watford v Bristol City

29/12/2023 15:00 Watford v Stoke City

01/01/2024 15:00 Plymouth Argyle v Watford

13/01/2024 15:00 Watford v Queens Park Rangers

20/01/2024 15:00 Bristol City v Watford

27/01/2024 15:00 Sheffield Wednesday v Watford

03/02/2024 15:00 Watford v Cardiff City

10/02/2024 15:00 Watford v Leicester City

13/02/2024 19:45 Norwich City v Watford

17/02/2024 15:00 Rotherham United v Watford

24/02/2024 15:00 Watford v Huddersfield Town

02/03/2024 15:00 Millwall v Watford

06/03/2024 19:45 Watford v Swansea City

09/03/2024 15:00 Watford v Coventry City

16/03/2024 15:00 Birmingham City v Watford

29/03/2024 15:00 Watford v Leeds United

01/04/2024 15:00 West Bromwich Albion v Watford

06/04/2024 15:00 Watford v Preston North End

10/04/2024 19:45 Ipswich Town v Watford

13/04/2024 15:00 Southampton v Watford

20/04/2024 15:00 Watford v Hull City

27/04/2024 15:00 Watford v Sunderland

04/05/2024 15:00 Middlesbrough v Watford