Leicester City find themselves in an unusual position heading into the new season. Under freshly appointed manager Russell Martin, there is a quiet buzz of hope surrounding the Foxes' League One campaign, with the club installed as favourites to win the division and season tickets already sold out.
Yet beneath that optimism sits a familiar unease. Should Leicester fail to beat Notts County in their opening league fixture, they would find themselves sitting in the lowest position they have ever occupied in English football's pyramid. The club has only experienced third-tier football once before, and even then never slipped below sixth.
Plenty of supporters remain furious about how the club has ended up here, questioning why those deemed responsible for the decline are still employed at the club. Others, though, are simply desperate to see their side winning matches again. The mood around Leicester right now feels delicately balanced.
A subdued night at the King Power
Watching Martin's first competitive match in the dugout — the Carabao Cup first-round tie — made for an odd atmosphere at the King Power Stadium. Leicester edged past Northampton Town 1-0, courtesy of a deflected first-half strike from Caleb Okoli, but the ground itself was far from full.
The press room, once packed with journalists from across Europe during Leicester's Champions League years, now sat almost deserted. Meanwhile, footage of the club's past triumphs played on the big screens before kick-off — moments that once sparked celebration but now carry a tinge of sadness given the club's current standing.
Leicester nearly found themselves behind within the opening minute, after a sloppy pass in their own third almost gifted Northampton's Harvey Saunders an early opener. Martin would have needed nerves of steel not to picture the fallout had that chance gone in.
Discussing the moment afterwards, Martin admitted there was work still to do defensively.
There were a few scary moments at the start of the game and the end, which we will sort out.
Given how eager opposing sides are likely to exploit any hesitancy at the back, sorting those issues quickly looks essential.
Two men trying to rebuild reputations
Martin continues to project self-belief despite a difficult spell at Rangers, and he now finds himself starting again — much like the club he has joined. Both boss and employer have tumbled from the Premier League to League One in remarkably short order, and both have plenty to prove. There's a sense that this shared need for redemption could work in their mutual favour.
Martin has been keen to stress how welcoming Leicester has felt so far.
Honestly, since I have been with the people around the club and around the city, they have been great. I walked there last night, had dinner there, people have been brilliant with us.
That willingness to embrace a new chapter appears genuine among those connected to the club.
Rebuilding the squad and the mentality
Unlike many clubs following relegation, Leicester aren't necessarily bracing themselves to lose key players. After suffering back-to-back drops — their third relegation in four seasons — the priority instead is shedding the negative mindset that has built up in the dressing room.
Recruitment so far suggests a shrewd approach to that reset. Experienced forward Conor Chaplin has joined, alongside Wes Burns, who arrives from Ipswich and looks excellent value. Martin also brought in Liam Cullen, a player he knows well from their time together at Swansea.
Each of those signings has proven himself at Championship level. Tommy Watson, meanwhile, arrives on loan from Brighton and, despite being just 20, impressed during his time at Sunderland. Notably, some players have turned down moves to Championship clubs specifically to be part of Leicester's rebuild in League One.
Simply removing unsettled players and replacing them with those eager to be at the club plays a role in resetting the culture. Martin's description of the identity he wants to instil captures that ambition clearly.
hungry to run, brave with the ball and aggressive in and out of possession
Martin's determination to play possession-based football has been clear throughout pre-season, even while he continues shaping his new-look squad. Leicester dominated possession in a pre-season friendly against Serie A outfit Genoa but still lost the match, suggesting there is refining to be done in the finer details.
Andy King — notable as the only player to have represented Leicester at both their highest and lowest ebbs — now oversees the club's attacking set-pieces. That the winning goal against Northampton stemmed from such a routine offers encouragement.
However, Leicester's inability to add a second goal against lower-league opposition hints at a wider issue: converting dominance in possession into actual chances. With Bobby Cordova-Reid deployed as a lone striker against Northampton, questions remain over whether more attacking reinforcements are needed.
Martin addressed the transfer situation when speaking to Sky Sports.
We will probably add to the squad - well, we will add - but as for when and where it will depend on what is right for us. Even with the players we have got, we can create more, we can do more - it is not just adding someone else - and we will.
For Martin, though, this project extends well beyond simply strengthening the attack.
We are certainly excited about what we can achieve. And we are going to need the supporters.
Whether that fanbase, much like the team itself, swings toward optimism or frustration remains genuinely uncertain.
How Leicester got here
Leicester's relegation from the Championship was officially confirmed on 21 April 2026 following a 2-2 home draw with Hull City, with two games still remaining in the season, according to Wikipedia. At the point of relegation, Leicester sat on 41 points, seven adrift of safety, per Reuters-syndicated reporting.
This marks Leicester's first season in League One since the 2008-09 campaign and only the second time in their history they've competed in English football's third tier, according to the BBC. Strikingly, Sky Sports' analysis points out that this relegation from the Championship arrived exactly a decade after Leicester's remarkable Premier League title win — a stark measure of how far the club has fallen.
Leicester's Carabao Cup tie against Northampton formed part of a wider first-round schedule this past weekend, with every fixture broadcast live on Sky Sports, as detailed in our Carabao Cup first round TV guide, which also flagged headline ties involving West Ham, Burnley and Wolves.
What happens next
Leicester's League One campaign officially continues away at Notts County on Saturday 15 August 2026, according to Sky Sports' fixture list. Following that, the Foxes return to the King Power Stadium to host Burton Albion on Saturday 22 August 2026, per the same source.
Sky Sports' early-season table snapshot currently places Leicester top of League One, though this reflects the opening-round standings before further matches have been played. Leicester's push for promotion sits within the broader context of this season's EFL campaign, covered extensively in our 64-page EFL preview, which also assesses promotion hopes for West Ham, Wolves and Burnley across all 72 league clubs.
