Whitehaven will start their Championship programme on Sunday, February 2 at home to Swinton Lions.
With a follow-up home game against Oldham Roughyeds a fortnight later, Gary Charlton’s men have the chance to make a positive start to life back in the second tier.
In between, however, Haven face a trip to London Broncos who have just dropped down from the Super League.
A third home game in the first four fixtures sees Haven entertain Toulouse Olympique on March 1.
Head coach Charlton said: “We will just be doing what we have done this year and take one game at a time. We all know it’s going to be a tough competition but we intend to give it our best shot.”
With a home game against Batley Bulldogs on March 22, followed by a trip to Dewsbury Rams a week later, Whitehaven will have met all the sides who are being tipped to be involved in the survival battle in the first seven matches.
Easter will provide a particularly tough test as Haven visit York City Knights on Good Friday and entertain Leigh Centurions on Easter Monday.
The season is due to end on Sunday, September 6 when Whitehaven will travel to Sheffield Eagles.
The League One season starts a fortnight later and Workington Town will open on February 16 at home to London Skolars.
Their second game is also at home against Keighley Cougars a fortnight later, before they face a trip to the likely title favourites Newcastle Thunder on March 8.
Town will travel on Good Friday to Barrow for what is sure to be an eagerly-awaited derby game against the team relegated from the Championship.
The final game of the season is at Coventry Bears on Sunday, September 6 and that might be a good omen - as that’s where Whitehaven clinched the League One title this year.
FIXTURES
WHITEHAVEN RLFC
CHAMPIONSHIP
(Home games in bold caps)
February
2 SWINTON
9 London Br
16 OLDHAM
March
1 TOULOUSE
8 Widnes
22 BATLEY
29 Dewsbury
April
10 York
13 LEIGH
19 Bradford
26 SHEFFIELD
May
3 Halifax
17 FEATHERSTONE
23 Toulouse
31 Blackpool Bash - Sheffield
June
14 DEWSBURY
21 Featherstone
28 Swinton
July
5 LONDON BR
12 BRADFORD
26 Leigh
August
2 WIDNES
9 Oldham
16 Batley
23 HALIFAX
30 YORK
September
6 Sheffield
LEAGUE ONE
(Home games in bold caps)
February
16 LONDON SK
March
1 KEIGHLEY
8 Newcastle
22 ROCHDALE
29 WEST WALES
April
10 Barrow
26 Hunslet
May
3 DONCASTER
24 North Wales
31 COVENTRY
June
13 London Sk
21 BARROW
28 Doncaster
July
12 NEWCASTLE
26 Keighley
August
2 HUNSLET
8 West Wales
16 NORTH WALES
23 Rochdale
September
6 Coventry
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