“Critics argue that teams finishing as low as eighth could still earn promotion.”
Clubs in the English Football League have voted in favour of introducing a six-team play-off system in the Championship. The new format will begin from the 2026–27 season and aims to increase competition in the race for promotion to the Premier League.
Currently, the top two teams in the Championship earn automatic promotion. Teams finishing from third to sixth then compete in the play-offs for the final promotion spot. However, the new system will expand the play-offs to include teams finishing from third to eighth in the league table.
Under the proposed format, the teams finishing fifth and eighth, and sixth and seventh, will play elimination matches. The winners of those games will then face the third- and fourth-placed teams in two-legged semi-finals. The winners of the semi-finals will meet in the play-off final at Wembley Stadium to decide the final promotion place.
League officials believe the change will create more excitement toward the end of the season and give more clubs the chance to compete for promotion. However, some critics have raised concerns that teams finishing as low as eighth could still reach the Premier League through the play-offs.
Despite the debate, the proposal received enough support from clubs and has now been approved to take effect in the coming seasons.