Portsmouth Championship Odds: Can Pompey push for play-offs?

Portsmouth, with their rich maritime history, are sailing relatively smooth waters as we approach the start of the 2025/26 campaign. Out of the 18 Championship clubs that played at this level last year, only Pompey retain the same manager as they had at this time in 2024, with John Mousinho doing a sterling job on the South Coast. 

Below you can find my Portsmouth Championship Odds as we look ahead to their second season back in the second tier.

Portsmouth had a wonderful second half of the season last term to finish 16th, as they rallied after a dreadful start to climb away from relegation danger. It’s no coincidence that the return of Colby Bishop from his heart issue coincided with their return to form, and Mousinho will be hoping his number nine can lead the line for the full 46 matches. 

In 2025, Portsmouth picked up the seventh-highest number of points in the division and for a newly-promoted side, that is incredibly impressive. You may think my prediction of 16th is slightly negative as a result, and I agree with you, they could be the Championship’s dark horses - but more on my prediction later. 

Championship Odds

Transfer business

In: Adrian Segecic and Luke Le Roux (both undisclosed), Mark Kosznovszky (£1.1m), John Swift (free), Florian Bianchini (loan). 

Out: Kusini Yengi, Cohen Bramall, Tom Lowery, Anthony Scully (all free), Paddy Lane, Ryley Towler, Christian Saydee (all undisclosed).

Rich Hughes is still overseeing the transfer business at Pompey and has made some smart-looking additions this summer. There’s a fair amount of excitement around winger Adrian Segecic who joins from Sydney FC, while a decent fee has been spent on Mark Kosznovszky, a midfielder from MTK Budapest.

John Swift offers proven quality on a free at this level although he hasn’t been able to find it in recent times at West Brom, while Luke Le Roux should offer competition in the defensive areas.

They’ve not lost anyone of note yet, although Matt Ritchie, who was phenomenal at times last year, has asked to leave the club and should be gone before the window closes. He made 39 league appearances last term and offered great leadership and experience to this squad. Pompey will never have the biggest budget at this level, but they do spend it wisely. 

Key Player: Josh Murphy

He made my Championship team of the season last term, and if Pompey can fend off any summer interest, he should be their star man again. Seven goals and 14 assists meant that only five players at this level last term registered more goal involvements than the 30-year-old, and let’s not forget, he was playing for a team threatened by relegation for the first half of the campaign. 

Starring on the left wing with Bishop up front, I’d expect a repeat of those numbers - while I also believe he could benefit if Segecic can flourish on the right-hand side. A lot of Pompey’s attacks came through Murphy, and I expect him to take a leading role again, but some support from the new arrivals wouldn’t go amiss. 

Prediction: 16th

This is too low. I know it’s too low. But 24 teams have all got to finish somewhere and so here is my slightly ropey justification. The league is definitely tougher than it was last season, but if we wipe off Pompey's bad start, they have proven themselves to be a team that can contend in the top half - maybe even outsiders for a play-off place. 

I like Conor Shaughnessy and Regan Poole at centre-back, but both have had injury issues recently and if one of them is ruled out for a substantial period of time I am slightly concerned about the squad depth. In fact, that appears to be a wider issue for Pompey looking at their squad as it stands. I’ve no doubt that a fully-fit starting XI can finish in the top 10, but beyond that, I think other, more richly-assembled squads at this level may edge them. 

Football Odds

Bishop remains the only quality number nine they have and we saw how bad they were when he was out of the team last season. Then we come to Mousinho. He’s been in his first managerial job since January 2023 and already has a League 1 title and a 16th-place finish in the Championship to his name. 

I just wonder… and cover your eyes Pompey fans… if he will see out the season at Fratton Park. Not in a negative sacking sense, but if he has Portsmouth challenging the top six, he will surely draw massive interest from bigger fish in this division or elsewhere. I can see him doing a brilliant job and then jumping ship, leaving Pompey struggling in deep water.

See, another maritime reference - and we’ve come full circle. 

Today's Football Fixtures

You can read all our latest Football Betting Tips at our dedicated Betfred Insights content hub.