Championship Play-Offs Expanded to Six Teams

The change aims to create more interest and opportunities for teams to reach the Premier League.

Published on Mar. 5, 2026

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The English Football League (EFL) has announced that the Championship play-offs will feature six teams starting from the 2026-27 season, up from the current four-team format. The change was approved at an EFL all-clubs meeting, with the goal of generating more excitement and giving more teams a chance to compete for promotion to the Premier League.

Why it matters

The Championship play-offs are considered the most lucrative single game in world football, with the winner earning a spot in the Premier League and an estimated minimum of £200 million in additional revenue. Expanding the play-offs to six teams will provide more clubs and their supporters a genuine opportunity to achieve promotion, which is seen as crucial for the long-term competitiveness and appeal of the Championship.

The details

Under the new format, the teams finishing between third and eighth place in the Championship table will qualify for the play-offs. The fifth through eighth placed teams will compete in eliminator ties, with the winners then facing the third and fourth placed teams in two-leg semi-finals. The final format will be agreed upon later in 2026.

  • The change was announced on March 5, 2026 and will take effect starting in the 2026-27 season.

The players

Trevor Birch

The EFL chief executive, who stated the play-offs have become a highlight of the domestic football calendar and that this change will further strengthen the Championship as a competition.

Sunderland

The team that won the 2025-26 Championship play-off final, securing a minimum of £200 million in extra income for the club by earning promotion to the Premier League.

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What they’re saying

“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.”

— Trevor Birch, EFL Chief Executive (yahoo.com)

What’s next

The final format for the expanded six-team Championship play-offs will be agreed upon later in 2026 before the start of the 2026-27 season.

The takeaway

The expansion of the Championship play-offs to six teams aims to generate more excitement and provide more clubs a realistic chance at earning promotion to the lucrative Premier League, which could have significant financial implications for the qualifying teams.