Championship expand play-offs in huge rule change to give eighth-place shot at Premier League

The EFL have announced that from next season onwards, the Championship play-offs will be expanded from four teams to six.

Currently, it is teams that finish from third to sixth in the second tier that enter the play-offs and look to achieve promotion.

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However, in the 2026/27 campaign, sides that finish from third to eighth in the table will have a shot at reaching the Premier League.

In a statement, the EFL confirmed: “At a General Meeting today, EFL Clubs approved changes to expand the number of teams competing in the Sky Bet Championship Play-Offs from four to six, starting in the 2026/27 season.

“The decision is intended to increase the number of competitive fixtures during the closing stages of the campaign, while also giving two additional Clubs the opportunity to reach the Play-Off Final at Wembley Stadium and progress to the Premier League.”

Chief Executive of the EFL, Trevor Birch, said on the change: “Since their introduction in 1986/87, the Play-Offs have become a highlight of the domestic football calendar, capturing the drama, suspense and jeopardy that make the EFL so special.

“Following several months of discussion with Clubs and other stakeholders, we are confident this change will further strengthen the Championship as a competition and give more Clubs and their supporters a genuine opportunity of achieving promotion.”

The same change will not be made in League One and League Two.

A vote was held involving clubs and a majority in the Championship backed the idea of expanding the play-offs.

How will the new play-offs work?

The play-offs will now consist of seven fixtures instead of five.

Teams that finish third and fourth in the Championship will get a bye through to the semi-finals in the new format.

Meanwhile, teams from fifth to eighth will meet in an eliminator match – with fifth taking on eighth and sixth facing seventh – to book a spot in the semis against one of the other two teams.

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The semi-finals will still be played over two legs like usual.

And the two winning semi-finalists will progress through to the final at Wembley and face off for a place in the Premier League.

The exact final format is expected to be agreed later this year.

talkSPORT verdict: Simon Jordan

Reacting to the news, ex-Crystal Palace owner Simon Jordan said: “You’d take 66 per cent of the league, as it sits now, 18 clubs in this league, could have a reasonable shout to make a claim for getting 8th spot because there’s 11 games to go in the conventional season, there’s six points between Derby in 8th and Norwich in 17th.

“When you get a run-in to the business end of the season, it really does change the dynamics of how people play. All of a sudden, you’ve got 66 per cent of the league having something involved.

“Then you’ve got the other 34 per cent, which would be fighting for staying in the division. You’ve got constant jeopardy in the league.”

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When questioned about the quality of the team that finishes eighth getting promoted to the Premier League, he added: “There’s nip and tuck. More often than not, when you finish 6th in the league, and we went up as the team that finished sixth, I think West Ham and Wigan finished behind us, there was a point difference.

“The fact is, if you’re going to get from 8th into the Premier League, you’re going to have to win at the home of the team that finished 5th. Then you’re going to go into a two-legged final against the team that finished third or fourth in the league.

“You’re going to have to win one of those two games or both of them to get through the semi-finals. Then you’re going to have to go to Wembley and beat the side that’s probably already been in a dominant position. You’re going to have earned the right.”

Jordan then continued to say: “It’s about money. This isn’t about expanding the league and making it more opportunistic to get into the Premier League.

“This is about more games and being able to go to the broadcasters and go, ‘Look at this unique product here, these play-offs.’ It’s a league of its own.

“I’m surprised we’re not talking about play-offs for the relegation scenarios. That will be the next conversation.”