Preston North End welcome Stoke City to Deepdale on Friday night with both sides looking to finish the season on a positive note. Each team made a promising start to the campaign but have since fallen out of the race for a Championship play-off place. With only a handful of games remaining, pride is now the main motivation.
Preston head into the fixture on a poor run of form, having lost each of their last four league matches. The dip has halted any late push up the table and increased pressure on the squad to respond. Stoke arrive in better spirits after securing a 3-1 victory over Watford in their previous outing and will be aiming to build on that result.
How to watch Preston North End v Stoke City
The match will be shown live on Sky Sports Football and Sky Sports Ultra HDR for viewers in the UK. Fans can also stream the game live through the Sky Sports app on a range of devices including smartphones, tablets and laptops. For more upcoming fixtures on TV, see our Championship TV schedule.
Kick-off time
Preston North End v Stoke City takes place at Deepdale on Friday 20 March 2026. Kick-off is scheduled for 8pm GMT.
Preston v Stoke Prediction
Preston’s early-season resilience has faded in recent weeks, with Paul Heckingbottom’s side struggling for form at a crucial stage of the campaign. Another underwhelming finish looks likely to frustrate supporters, given North End have lost five of their last seven matches at Deepdale.
Stoke arrive with renewed confidence after their 3-1 win over Watford, a result that has kept their play-off hopes alive heading into the final stretch. The Potters have shown enough quality to trouble Preston, particularly against a side that has lost four matches in a row. While Stoke may hold the edge, recent meetings between the teams suggest a close contest. Each of the last three encounters has ended in a draw, which remains a possible outcome again.
