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Lincoln City defeat on second-tier return
Archived — this story has rotated out of today’s deck. It is kept here in full.
The gist
Lincoln City lost 3-1 to Portsmouth in their first home Championship game in 65 years.
The defeat dampens but doesn't erase the joy of the Imps' historic return to.
Background
Lincoln City were promoted to the Championship after winning League One last season with over 100 points, ending a 65-year absence from the second tier. Their last home game at this level was in 1961. The club has invested £10m in stadium upgrades and appointed new joint head coaches Chris Cohen and Tom Shaw, but the team has lost both opening matches of the season.
How it unfolded
- 2025 -2026 seasonLincoln City win League One with over 100 points, securing promotion to the Championship.
- Aug 2026Lincoln lose their opening league match 2-1 at Middlesbrough, having led through Adam Reach before conceding a late winner.
- Aug 22, 2026In their first home Championship game in 65 years, Lincoln lose 3-1 to Portsmouth. Goals from Ryan Kavuma-McQueen, Adrian Segecic, and Ebou Adams for Portsmouth; Reeco Hackett scored a penalty for Lincoln.
Who’s saying what
- Official
- Joint head coach Tom Shaw said the atmosphere was fantastic and the day was amazing for the club, but acknowledged the quality at this level is higher.
- Public
- Lincoln fans stayed behind after the defeat to debrief in the new fan village, remaining generally upbeat about the club's progress.