This will definitely be good news for clubs in the Championship after the England Football League (EFL) announced on Thursday that six clubs will now be featuring in the playoffs from the 2026/2027 season.
Teams finishing third and fourth in the championship will progress directly to the semi-final stage. Two one-legged quarter-final matches will be played, with fifth at home to eighth and sixth hosting seventh. Semi-finals will continue to be played over two legs before the final at Wembley.
EFL Chief Executive Trevor Birch spoke on the change he says will only improve competition for a spot in the Premier League.
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“Since their introduction in 1986/87, the Play-Offs have become a highlight of the domestic football calendar, capturing the drama, suspense and jeopardy that make the EFL so special.
“Following several months of discussion with Clubs and other stakeholders, we are confident this change will further strengthen the Championship as a competition and give more Clubs and their supporters a genuine opportunity of achieving promotion.”
Sunderland won last season’s Championship play-off final and this victory was estimated to have secured a minimum of £200M in extra income for the Black Cats as they thrive in the top division.
The Championship play-off final has come to be regarded as the most lucrative single game in world football and now that opportunity will be handed to more sides who wouldv’e normally missed out.
