COMPETITION EXPLAINED
The Championship
In a nutshell
- The Championship is the second tier of English football — the division immediately below the Premier League. It is one of the most intense, competitive and unpredictable leagues in the world, with promotion and relegation stakes that can be worth hundreds of millions of pounds.
How It Works
24 clubs. 46 matches each. Top 2 are automatically promoted to the Premier League. Teams finishing 3rd through 6th enter the play-offs — two semi-finals and a final at Wembley. The play-off final is often called “the most valuable game in football” — the winner gains Premier League status worth £200m+ in additional revenue. Bottom 3 are relegated to League One.
How English Clubs Qualify
Clubs finish there by being relegated from the Premier League (bottom 3) or promoted from League One (top 2 plus one play-off winner).
English Clubs in 2025/26
For 2026/27, the relegated Premier League clubs (Burnley, Wolves, and one of Spurs/West Ham) drop into The Championship alongside the clubs already there. Promoted to the Premier League from the Championship: Coventry City (champions), Ipswich Town (runners-up), and the winner of the Middlesbrough vs Hull City play-off final on 23 May 2026.
Spygate link
- Southampton were in The Championship in 2025/26 and reached the play-offs but were EXPELLED by the EFL following the Spygate allegations. See: Spygate — The Full Story for the complete explanation.
Famous History
The Championship was formed in 2004 when the Football League restructured. It replaced the First Division as the second tier. Several historically huge clubs have spent years in the Championship — Leeds United, Nottingham Forest, Sunderland, Sheffield Wednesday.
How to Watch in the UK
Sky Sports has most Championship broadcast rights. Some matches shown on the EFL’s own platforms.
