Standings, fixtures, results and everything you need to know about the EFL Championship, the second tier of English football and one of its most competitive, unpredictable divisions, contested by 24 clubs from August to May.
What is the EFL Championship?
The EFL Championship is the second tier of English football, sitting directly below the Premier League and above League One. Twenty-four clubs contest it each season from August to May, each playing 46 matches, and it is widely regarded as one of the most competitive and unpredictable divisions in world football.
England’s second tier has existed since 1892, first as Division Two and later Division One of the old Football League, before the 2004 rebrand that created the Championship as part of the modern English Football League (EFL) structure.
The Championship is also known for the financial stakes attached to promotion. The gap in Premier League broadcast revenue means the two automatic promotion places and the play-off final carry some of the richest rewards in club football, while parachute payments to recently relegated clubs often shape the promotion picture from the very start of a season.
For 2026/27, West Ham United, Burnley and Wolverhampton Wanderers have dropped into the Championship after relegation from the Premier League, replacing Coventry City, Ipswich Town and Hull City, who went up.
Fixtures and results
Kickoff times auto-convert to your local time (UTC shown if JavaScript is off). Updated Tue 20 Oct, 22:29 UTCUpcoming fixtures
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Middlesbrough FC
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Derby County
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Millwall FC
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Norwich City
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Watford FC
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Southampton FC
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Bristol City
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Swansea City
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West Bromwich Albion
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Burnley FC
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Birmingham City
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Wrexham AFCvsWrexham AFCvsPreston North EndvsWatford FCvsBirmingham CityvsCardiff CityvsWest Bromwich AlbionvsBlackburn RoversvsQueens Park RangersRecent results
1 - 1Portsmouth FC4 - 1Preston North End3 - 2Blackburn Rovers0 - 1West Ham United0 - 0Bolton Wanderers0 - 1Portsmouth FC0 - 1Stoke City0 - 1Sheffield United3 - 0Queens Park Rangers2 - 0Charlton Athletic2 - 2Lincoln City2 - 2Cardiff CityEFL Championship standings
Computed from full-time results, 2026/27 season. Updated Tue 20 Oct, 22:29 UTC| Pos | Club | P | W | D | L | GD | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Swansea City | 11 | 7 | 2 | 2 | +8 | 23 |
| 2 | West Ham United | 11 | 6 | 4 | 1 | +18 | 22 |
| 3 | Middlesbrough FC | 11 | 6 | 4 | 1 | +6 | 22 |
| 4 | Southampton FC | 11 | 6 | 3 | 2 | +11 | 21 |
| 5 | Birmingham City | 11 | 5 | 5 | 1 | +9 | 20 |
| 6 | West Bromwich Albion | 11 | 6 | 2 | 3 | +3 | 20 |
| 7 | Stoke City | 11 | 6 | 1 | 4 | +2 | 19 |
| 8 | Wolverhampton Wanderers | 11 | 5 | 3 | 3 | +3 | 18 |
| 9 | Queens Park Rangers | 11 | 4 | 5 | 2 | +3 | 17 |
| 10 | Blackburn Rovers | 11 | 4 | 3 | 4 | +1 | 15 |
| 11 | Sheffield United | 11 | 4 | 3 | 4 | +1 | 15 |
| 12 | Millwall FC | 11 | 4 | 3 | 4 | 0 | 15 |
| 13 | Portsmouth FC | 11 | 4 | 3 | 4 | 0 | 15 |
| 14 | Wrexham AFC | 11 | 3 | 5 | 3 | -1 | 14 |
| 15 | Bolton Wanderers | 11 | 4 | 2 | 5 | -3 | 14 |
| 16 | Bristol City | 11 | 4 | 2 | 5 | -3 | 14 |
| 17 | Charlton Athletic | 11 | 3 | 5 | 3 | -5 | 14 |
| 18 | Lincoln City | 11 | 3 | 3 | 5 | -10 | 12 |
| 19 | Cardiff City | 11 | 2 | 5 | 4 | +1 | 11 |
| 20 | Watford FC | 11 | 3 | 2 | 6 | -9 | 11 |
| 21 | Norwich City | 11 | 3 | 0 | 8 | -4 | 9 |
| 22 | Burnley FC | 11 | 1 | 5 | 5 | -5 | 8 |
| 23 | Derby County | 11 | 1 | 3 | 7 | -11 | 6 |
| 24 | Preston North End | 11 | 1 | 1 | 9 | -15 | 4 |
AI predictions
Predicted scores and win probabilities for EFL Championship fixturesBolton WanderersMiddlesbrough FCWolverhampton WanderersWatford FCWest Ham UnitedSouthampton FCStoke CityBristol CityHow the EFL Championship works
Season structure
24 clubs play each other home and away, 46 matches each. The 2026/27 season runs from August 2026 to May 2027, with the promotion play-off final following a couple of weeks after the last regular fixtures.
Promotion
The top two clubs go up automatically to the Premier League. The clubs finishing 3rd to 6th enter the play-offs: two-legged semi-finals followed by a single final at Wembley Stadium for the third and last promotion spot.
Relegation
The bottom three clubs are relegated to League One, the third tier of English football.
Tiebreakers
Clubs level on points are separated by goal difference, then goals scored, then head-to-head results between the clubs concerned.
Promotion and relegation stakes
2026/27 arrivals and departures
Three clubs enter the Championship this season after relegation from the Premier League in 2025/26: West Ham United, Burnley and Wolverhampton Wanderers. They replace the three clubs that went the other way, Coventry City, Ipswich Town and Hull City, who were promoted to the Premier League for 2026/27.
Because the Championship sits between two competitions with very different financial ceilings, its table is shaped as much by parachute payments and squad rebuilds as by pure early-season form. Newly relegated Premier League clubs often start among the promotion favourites, while a strong run through the play-offs can turn a modest budget into a route back to the top flight.
Why the Championship matters
The gap in revenue between the Premier League and the Championship is one of the widest of any promotion in world football, which is why the play-off final is often described as the richest single match in the sport. That gap also means places 3rd to 6th are contested as fiercely as the two automatic spots, since reaching the play-offs guarantees a shot at promotion even for clubs that fall short of the automatic places.
EFL Championship clubs, 2026/27
24 clubsBirmingham CitySt Andrew’sBlackburn RoversEwood ParkBolton WanderersUniversity of Bolton StadiumBristol CityAshton GateBurnleyTurf MoorRelegated from the Premier LeagueCardiff CityCardiff City StadiumCharlton AthleticThe ValleyDerby CountyPride Park StadiumLincoln CityLNER StadiumMiddlesbroughRiverside StadiumMillwallThe DenNorwich CityCarrow RoadPortsmouthFratton ParkPreston North EndDeepdaleQueens Park RangersLoftus RoadSheffield UnitedBramall LaneSouthamptonSt Mary’s StadiumStoke Citybet365 StadiumSwansea CitySwansea.com StadiumWatfordVicarage RoadWest Ham UnitedLondon StadiumRelegated from the Premier LeagueWest Bromwich AlbionThe HawthornsWolverhampton WanderersMolineux StadiumRelegated from the Premier LeagueWrexhamThe Racecourse GroundEFL Championship FAQs
How many teams are in the EFL Championship?
There are 24 teams in the Championship, more than any of England’s other three professional divisions. The 2026/27 line-up includes three clubs relegated from the Premier League, West Ham United, Burnley and Wolverhampton Wanderers, alongside three clubs promoted up from League One.
How many games does each team play?
Each club plays 46 matches, 23 at home and 23 away, meeting every other club twice. A win earns 3 points, a draw 1 point and a defeat none.
How does promotion work?
The top two clubs are promoted automatically to the Premier League. The clubs finishing 3rd to 6th go into the play-offs, contesting two-legged semi-finals before a single final at Wembley Stadium for the third promotion place.
How does relegation work?
The bottom three clubs in the final standings are relegated to League One, the third tier of English football.
When does the Championship season start and end?
The season runs from August to May, in line with the rest of the English football calendar, with the promotion play-off final usually played a couple of weeks after the final regular-season fixtures.
Which clubs were relegated from the Premier League for 2026/27?
West Ham United, Burnley and Wolverhampton Wanderers all went down from the Premier League at the end of 2025/26 and now compete in the Championship.
Which clubs went up from the Championship to the Premier League?
Coventry City, Ipswich Town and Hull City were promoted from the Championship and now play Premier League football for 2026/27.
Why is Championship promotion considered so financially important?
The revenue gap between the Premier League and the Championship is one of the largest in football, which is why the automatic promotion places and the play-off final carry such enormous stakes. Parachute payments to recently relegated clubs also mean the Championship table is shaped by financial firepower as much as form.
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Fixtures, results and the standings are pulled from the client’s live match data feed and refreshed periodically. The standings are calculated from full-time results and may not reflect official adjustments (points deductions, etc). Team crests are hosted on this site; kickoff times are shown in the visitor’s local timezone.