Mark Robins' Stoke City travel to South Wales for Sky Bet Championship action on Tuesday evening.
Cardiff City vs. Stoke City
Sky Bet Championship
Tuesday, 8th September 2026
7:45pm KO
Cardiff City Stadium
KNOW YOUR OPPONENT | CURRENT FORM
After a troubling start to the season which saw them lose their opening three league matches, Stoke City have enjoyed a very productive week, with two wins and two clean sheets.
The Potters fell to defeats against Swansea City (2-1), Southampton (3-1) and Wolverhampton Wanderers (4-1) in August, but have started September in some style. A gritty 1-0 victory over Norwich City last Tuesday night was followed by an emphatic 4-0 weekend win over early season pace-setters, Charlton Athletic.
Viktor Johansson has played a key role in those two recent triumphs. The ex-Rotherham United goalkeeper joined Stoke City in 2024 and was made club captain ahead of the current campaign. The Swede was named Player of the Match for the win over Norwich City, making a string of fine saves to maintain a clean sheet and help the Potters to their first win of the season.
Stoke were knocked out of the Carabao Cup in Round Two, losing to Premier League side Hull City on penalties after a 1-1 draw at the bet365 Stadium.
2026/27 | Stoke City in competitive action
Overall: LLD(L on pens)LWW
Home: LD(L on pens)WW
Away: LL
KNOW YOUR OPPONENT | THE POTTERS
Mark Robins became Stoke City boss on January 1st, 2025, after a successful seven-year spell with Coventry City. The ex-Manchester United and Norwich City striker had led the Sky Blues from League Two to the brink of Championship promotion, a task completed by his Coventry successor, Frank Lampard, last season.
After leaving the CBS Arena in November 2024, it wasn't long before Robins was back in a Championship dugout. He inherited a side fighting relegation, and helped keep them up with a goalless draw at Derby County - a point which saw both sides earn survival - on the final day of the 2024/25 season. Stoke made a promising start to 2025/26, sitting in the top six until early December, but fell away to eventually finish in 17th place.
There was plenty of transfer action at the bet365 Stadium this summer, with high profile players arriving and departing. Ethan Galbraith and George Hirst were recruited from Swansea City and Ipswich Town for significant fees, with three further arrivals on Deadline Day - American duo Luca Bombino and Jack McGlynn were followed by Crystal Palace midfielder Justin Devenny.
Stoke's significant departure came on the final day of the window - after an eye-catching 2025/26 season, Sorba Thomas swapped Staffordshire for Humberside, joining top flight Hull City for a reported fee of around £7m.
2026/27 Squad
GK | Viktor Johansson, Josh Griffiths, Frank Fielding.
DEF | Ben Johnson, Aaron Cresswell, Luke Graham, Ben Wilmot, Eric Bocat, Bosun Lawal, Luca Bombino, Junior Tchamadeu, Ben Gibson, Maksym Talovierov
MID | Ben Pearson, Svante Ingelsson, Jack McGlynn, Ethan Galbraith, Bae Jun-Ho, Justin Devenny, Tomás Rigo, Djibril Soumaré
FOR | Robert Bozenik, Lamine Cissé, Ato Ampah, George Hirst, Sam Gallagher, Million Manhoef.
BLUEBIRDS AND POTTERS | RECENT RESULTS
The Potters were victorious in the most recent meeting between the two sides; an unfortunate own goal from Will Fish helped Stoke to a 1-0 win at CCS which pulled them away to safety and pushed the Bluebirds closer towards the drop.
However, that was the only Stoke win against City in the past 11 matches, a run stretching back to February 2020. The Bluebirds have won four of those clashes, with seven draws.
An entertaining Emirates FA Cup clash at the bet365 in February 2025 saw City emerge victorious on penalties after a pulsating 3-3 draw. Our last league triumph over the Potters was in February 2024, when goals from Kion Etete and Karlan Grant saw Erol Bulut's side to victory at CCS. Bae Jun-ho scored for Stoke.