Championship playoffs 2026: Fixtures, dates and teams in the race for the Premier League

The English Championship is one of the most competitive leagues in football, with 24 teams battling it out to reach the Premier League every season.

The end-of-season play-off system first made its way into the EFL back in 1987. Two years later, the format settled into the version we know today, where the four clubs finishing just outside the automatic promotion spots battle it out for one final place in the top division.

Arguably, the most exciting aspect of the Championship season is the playoff stage, where four teams can secure the one remaining promotion spot.

Here, GOAL brings you everything you need to know about the 2026 Championship playoffs, including where to watch, how it works, and more.

What are the Championship playoffs?

In English football, the Championship playoffs act as a final showdown once the regular season wraps up, deciding which club claims the last remaining ticket to the Premier League.

After 46 league matches, the top two sides go straight up to the top flight. The teams finishing third through sixth are then thrown into a high-stakes playoff bracket, all fighting for that one golden promotion spot.

How do the Championship playoffs work?

The battle to clinch a berth in the Championship play-offs is always intense in one of football's most unpredictable leagues. However, the stakes skyrocket when the play-offs themselves get underway at the season's conclusion.

These play-offs pit the four teams finishing just below the automatic promotion spots against one another in a high-stakes knockout format. Teams finishing the campaign in third through sixth positions qualify to compete for the coveted final promotion spot.

In the semi-finals, the third-placed team faces the sixth, while the fourth-placed side squares off against the fifth. Each tie consists of two legs, with both teams hosting one game apiece. The team with the higher league finish earns the advantage of playing the decisive second leg at their home venue.

Winners are determined by the total score across both legs, with no away-goals rule in effect. Should the aggregate score remain level after the second leg, the tie proceeds to extra time, and if necessary, penalties will decide the outcome.

The victors of the two semi-finals advance to the play-off final, a one-off clash held at Wembley Stadium. If regulation time ends without a winner, extra time and penalties are used to settle the match. The team that triumphs in the final secures a spot in the Premier League for the following season.

Which teams have qualified for the 2026 Championship playoffs?

A total of four teams qualify for the Championship playoffs. You can see the final standings of the top end of the Championship below.

Championship 2025-26 table

PositionTeamPldWDLGDPts1Coventry 151041+27342Middlesbrough 15852+6293Stoke City 15834+11274Preston 15753+6265Hull City15744+2256Millwall 15744-325

Last updated: Nov 9, 2025, 10:00 am BST

Where to watch the Championship playoffs 2026 on TV & how to stream live online

CountryTV channelLive streamUnited Kingdom (UK)

Sky Sports

Sky GO

United States (U.S.)CBS Sports Network (select games)

Paramount+

Sky Sports will broadcast all Championship playoff games on its network, with Sky Sports Main Event and Sky SportsFootball being the main TV channels. For those who wish to stream the games live online, you can do so with Sky GO.

In the U.S., the 2025-26 EFL Championship playoff games will be broadcast on the CBS Sports Network and CBS Sports Golazo Network, with the majority of games available on Paramount+, which is currently offering a 7-day free-trial for new users.

When are the 2026 Championship playoffs?

The exact dates for the 2025-26 Championship play-off semi-finals have yet to be officially confirmed, though they are expected to fall roughly within two weeks of the regular season's conclusion, which wraps up on the weekend of May 2 and 3, 2026.

The showpiece Championship Play-off Final is penciled in for Saturday, May 23, 2026, when one club will finally earn that last coveted spot in the Premier League under the iconic Wembley arc. The playoffs will feature the teams that finish between third and sixth in the Championship standings, competing for a coveted spot in the Premier League.

The semi-finals occur shortly after the conclusion of the regular season, which ends in May. There will be a short break between the last round of the Championship season and the start of the semi-finals. However, the first leg of the semi-final usually takes place approximately a week after the end of the 46-game campaign.

When and where is the Championship playoff final 2026?

Date:Saturday, May 23, 2026Kick-off time:TBDVenue:Wembley Stadium, London

The 2026 Championship play-off final will be played on Saturday, May 23, 2025 at Wembley Stadium.

Wembley, of course, is an iconic stadium in British sports and for English football in particular. The 90,000-capacity stadium is affectionately known as 'The Home of Football' or 'HQ' and hosts most national finals, including those of the Football League playoffs and FA Cup.

Who won the Championship playoffs in 2025?

Sunderland clinched their return to the Premier League with a dramatic 2-1 triumph over Sheffield United in the 2025 Championship playoff final. Trailing late on, the Black Cats turned the match on its head with two second-half strikes, sealing a long-awaited comeback to the top flight for the first time since the 2016-17 campaign.

How much is winning the Championship playoffs worth?

The Championship playoff final has been dubbed 'The Richest Game in Football' due to the financial rewards that accompany victory in the game.

Initially, the promoted team can be said to benefit to the tune of £100 million ($120m) thanks to the distribution of TV money among Premier League clubs, but there are many more attendant revenue boosters.

For example, that money could be doubled if a team avoids relegation in their first season, while all sorts of sponsorship deals come rolling into a team that plays in the Premier League.

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