From the 2026/27 season
©IMAGO
The championship playoffs for the Premier League are causing great excitement at the end of the season in England. Most recently, AFC Sunderland managed to return to the upper house through this. As the EFL decided at an extraordinary general meeting on Thursday, places seven and eight can also hope for promotion to the Premier League from next season.
For almost four decades, places three to six have played the last ticket for the Premier League in a semi-final and a final at Wembley. From the 2026/27 season, the seventh and eighth place in the final table will also take part in the playoffs. Places three and four qualify directly for the semi-finals, places five to eight must qualify for this in a direct duel. The EFL will announce exactly what the new playoff model will look like in the spring.
“Since their introduction in 1986/87, the playoffs have become a highlight of the national football calendar, capturing the drama, excitement and danger that makes the EFL so special,” said EFL chief executive Trevor Birch. “After several months of discussion with clubs and other stakeholders, we are confident that this change will further strengthen the Championship as a competition and give more clubs and their supporters a real chance of promotion.” The reform is intended to increase excitement in the final games of the season, when a quarter of the league can qualify for the playoffs.
The Championship playoffs are not only of great relevance in English football on a sporting level, but also have immense financial significance. The auditing and consulting company “Deloitte” expects additional income from TV money and sponsorship contracts of 155 million to 305 million euros for a promoted team – depending on whether they stay in the class in the season after promotion. It is the ticket to a different economic world.
