EFL Expands Championship Play-offs for 2026-2027 Season

The English Football League (EFL) clubs have voted to expand the Championship play-offs starting from the 2026-2027 season, allowing six teams to compete for promotion to the Premier League. The new format will enable teams finishing from third to eighth place to enter the play-off structure, mirroring the current system used in the US National League.

The teams finishing third and fourth will advance directly to the semi-finals, while those in fifth to eighth will contest a one-leg quarter-final. The semi-finals will remain a two-leg affair, and the final will continue to be held at Wembley Stadium at the end of May.

There are no plans to extend this format to the EFL League One or League Two. The play-off system has been in place since the 1986-1987 season, with the last season seeing Millwall FC narrowly missing out on the play-offs with 66 points, while Sheffield United FC finished third with 90 points but lost in the final.

EFL Chief Executive Trevor Birch emphasized the significance of the play-offs in domestic football.