Salford City vs Oldham Athletic: League Two Derby Preview 2026

Key Points

• Saturday, 26 September 2026 will see Salford City visit Boundary Park for a clash with their rivals Oldham Athletic in Sky Bet League Two.
• Match time is expected to start at 16:30 BST (17:30 local time) in the home stadium of Oldham that has a capacity of 10,638 seats.
• Salford City are ranked 12th in League Two with 10 points in seven games (three wins, one draw, three losses) and have made an unbeaten run in the league of four consecutive games after winning against Swindon Town 1-0.
• Oldham Athletic are placed 16th with seven points in seven games (two wins, one draw, four losses) after losing their last three matches in League Two including a 2-0 loss to Rochdale.
• In terms of head-to-head history, Salford City have prevailed six times out of nine encounters, whereas Oldham won only twice with one draw in total.
• In April 2026, Salford City beat Oldham 2-1 in an away fixture.
• Predictions of the game predict a tightly fought game with certain analysts favoring Oldham as the host team and others choosing the better form of Salford City.

Manchester (Manchester Mirror) September 24, 2026 – Salford City are preparing for a short but significant journey across Greater Manchester this weekend as they face local rivals Oldham Athletic at Boundary Park in a Sky Bet League Two fixture on Saturday afternoon. The Ammies, who currently occupy 12th position in the fourth tier of English football, will be looking to build on their recent upturn in form when they take on the Latics, who sit three places below them in 16th.

What is the fixture details for Salford City vs Oldham Athletic?

The match is scheduled for Saturday, 26 September 2026, with kick-off at 16:30 BST (17:30 local time) at Boundary Park, Furtherwood Road, Oldham, OL1 2PA. The historic ground, which has served as Oldham Athletic’s home since 1907, has a seating capacity of 10,638 and is expected to host a sizeable contingent of Salford supporters for this local derby encounter. Tickets for the fixture were reported to be sold out as of mid-September, according to football ticketing platforms.

How have both teams performed in recent League Two matches?

Salford City have shown improved form in recent weeks, extending their unbeaten league run to four games following a 1-0 home victory over Swindon Town on 19 September. As reported by BBC Sport, the Ammies’ win against the Robins helped them accumulate 10 points from seven league matches this season, with three wins, one draw and three losses to their name. Their recent results include a 3-3 draw at Rotherham United on 12 September, a 1-0 home win over Port Vale on 5 September, and a 2-1 victory against Newport County on 1 September.

Oldham Athletic, by contrast, have struggled in recent outings. The Latics have lost their last three consecutive league matches, including a 2-0 defeat at fellow Greater Manchester side Rochdale on 19 September, a 2-1 home loss to Chesterfield on 12 September, and a 2-0 reverse at Tranmere Rovers on 5 September. According to Sky Sports, Oldham have managed only seven points from their seven League Two fixtures this campaign, with two wins, one draw and four defeats leaving them in 16th position. However, the home side did secure a 1-0 victory over Fleetwood Town in an EFL Trophy Northern Group G fixture on 22 September, which may provide some confidence ahead of the derby.

What does the head-to-head record show between these two clubs?

Historical data strongly favours Salford City in this fixture. According to FootyStats and 365Scores, in the previous nine meetings between the two sides, Salford have emerged victorious on six occasions compared to Oldham’s two wins, with one match ending in a draw. The Ammies have scored 15 goals across these encounters while conceding just seven, demonstrating their historical dominance in this local rivalry.

The most recent league meeting took place on 18 April 2026, when Salford City defeated Oldham Athletic 2-1 at Boundary Park in a League Two fixture. Prior to that, Salford secured a 1-0 home win over Oldham on 18 October 2025. Looking further back, Salford also won 2-1 away at Oldham on 23 April 2022, and recorded a 2-0 home victory on 27 November 2021. Oldham’s most recent win in this fixture came on 31 August 2021, when they defeated Salford 1-0 in an EFL Trophy match.

What are the predictions and betting tips for this match?

Various prediction models and tipsters have offered differing assessments of this fixture. According to BetClan, after analysing statistics, recent form and head-to-head records, there is a 35% probability of a draw, with both teams to score favoured at 63% likelihood. The same source predicts over 2.5 total goals with 57% probability, and suggests a risky correct score prediction of 2-2 at 13% probability.

ExtraTips’ prediction model gives Oldham Athletic a 36% chance of victory, Salford City 37%, and a draw 27%, indicating an extremely close contest. The same analysis suggests both teams to score (BTTS) leans toward ‘Yes’ at 53%, while goal expectations lean toward under 2.5 goals at 52% probability, suggesting a potentially lower-scoring affair.

KickOff’s predictive algorithm suggests there is a 78% chance of at least two goals being scored in this League Two tie. The same source gives Oldham a 38% chance of victory as the most likely outcome, with bookmakers offering odds of approximately 2.50 for a home win. Meanwhile, APWin’s projection system indicates Oldham Athletic have a 43% win probability compared to Salford City’s 39%, with a draw at 29%. The same analysis suggests a 50% chance of both teams scoring and a 67% probability of over 2.5 goals in the match.

Background of the particular development

This fixture represents another chapter in the ongoing local rivalry between two Greater Manchester clubs separated by just a few miles. Oldham Athletic, founded in 1895, are one of the oldest professional football clubs in England and spent many decades in the upper tiers of English football before their recent decline into League Two. Salford City, by contrast, are a relatively young club in terms of professional status, having risen through the non-league pyramid before gaining promotion to the Football League in 2019 following high-profile investment from the Class of ’92 consortium.

Both clubs currently find themselves in the fourth tier of English football, competing in Sky Bet League Two for the 2026-27 season. The fixture forms part of Regular Season matchday 8 in the League Two calendar, with both sides seeking to improve their positions in a tightly contested table. The geographical proximity of the two clubs, with Boundary Park and Salford’s Moor Lane ground both located within the Greater Manchester conurbation, adds additional significance to this encounter beyond the three points at stake.

Prediction: How this development can affect both clubs and their supporters

This derby fixture carries significant implications for both clubs as they navigate the 2026-27 League Two campaign. For Salford City, currently sitting in 12th position with 10 points, a victory would consolidate their mid-table standing and potentially move them closer to the playoff places depending on other results. The Ammies’ recent form, including four unbeaten league matches, suggests they are building momentum that could propel them toward the upper half of the table if maintained.

For Oldham Athletic, occupying 16th place with seven points, the stakes are arguably higher. Three consecutive league defeats have left the Latics vulnerable to slipping further down the table, and a home defeat to their local rivals could intensify pressure on the management and playing squad. However, a victory would not only provide three crucial points but also restore pride among the home supporters and potentially serve as a catalyst for improved form in subsequent fixtures.

For supporters of both clubs, this fixture represents more than simply another league match. Local derbies traditionally attract heightened attention and emotional investment from fans, with bragging rights and regional pride adding layers of significance beyond the league table implications. Salford supporters will be confident given their superior head-to-head record and recent form, while Oldham fans will be hoping home advantage can reverse the historical trend and provide a memorable afternoon at Boundary Park.