Championship
England's second tier: 24 clubs, 46 rounds, and the most punishing promotion race in European football.
Table
Full table →| # | Team | P | W | D | L | GD | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  Millwall | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | +5 | 6 |
| 2 |  West Brom | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | +3 | 6 |
| 3 |  Charlton | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | +2 | 6 |
| 4 |  Wolverhampton | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | +2 | 4 |
| 5 |  QPR | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | +2 | 4 |
| 6 |  Blackburn | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | +1 | 4 |
| 7 |  Watford | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | +1 | 4 |
| 8 |  Bolton | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | +1 | 4 |
Promoted · Play-offs · Relegated
Next fixtures
Round preview →
WrexhamvBirmingham
WolverhamptonvStoke
Derby CountyvSwansea
MiddlesbroughvWest Brom
NorwichvBurnley
BoltonvLincoln City
Bristol CityvPortsmouth
SouthamptonvMillwallLatest results
All results →West Brom3–1BurnleySwansea0–0Sheffield Utd
West Ham1–2CharltonDerby County2–2Cardiff
Preston NE1–3WolverhamptonWrexham1–1WatfordBlackburn2–1MiddlesbroughSouthampton3–1StokeThe clubs
All 24 clubs in the Championship this season, ordered by where they stand today. Form shows the last five matches each has played.
MillwallWest BromCharltonWolverhamptonQPRBlackburnWatfordBoltonSwanseaPortsmouthMiddlesbroughCardiffWrexhamBirminghamSheffield UtdWest HamDerby CountyBurnleyBristol CityPreston NELincoln CityStokeNorwichSouthamptonThe 2026-27 season
The division that sent Coventry City, Ipswich Town and Hull City up last season starts again with 24 clubs and 46 rounds, the longest league season in England. Only two go up automatically; the play-off final at Wembley decides the third and is worth more to the winner than any other single match in world football.
Coventry took it by eleven points, which is unusual. The Championship normally finishes tight enough that the automatic places are decided on the final afternoon, and the play-off places more often than not go to clubs separated by goal difference.
The clubs to know
This division holds a large share of English football's history. Clubs with league titles and European trophies spend seasons here, which is why crowds in the Championship beat those of several top flights elsewhere in Europe.
Coventry City won it last season by eleven points, Ipswich Town finished second, and Hull City came through the play-offs. All three are in the Premier League now. The clubs that came down from the Premier League carry parachute payments and are usually favourites, though the record of those sides going straight back up is patchier than the prices suggest.
What makes the Championship different
Twenty-four clubs and 46 rounds, the longest league season in England, with midweek fixtures throughout. Squad depth decides more here than form does, and the fixture pile-up over Christmas reorders the table every single year. A club sitting sixth in October has usually played a different set of opponents from the one sitting tenth.
The promotion structure is what gives it the reputation. Two go up automatically; third to sixth enter a play-off ending in a single match at Wembley, routinely called the richest fixture in football because promotion is worth well over a hundred million pounds across the arrangements that follow it. Hull won it last season with a finish in the 95th minute.
Following the season week to week
Rounds can spread from Friday to Tuesday because of the midweek programme. The table on this page updates as results are confirmed and the round preview covers each matchday.
One thing catches people out: the Saturday three o'clock blackout applies to the whole English pyramid, so a large share of Championship matches are not televised live in Britain at all. The viewing guide explains what that leaves and what overseas viewers can see that British ones cannot.
Championship: common questions
How does promotion from the Championship work?
The top two go up to the Premier League automatically. Third to sixth enter the play-offs, two semi-finals over two legs and then a single match at Wembley that decides the last promotion place. It is routinely called the richest match in football.
How many matches are in a Championship season?
552 across the division: 46 for each of the 24 clubs, the longest league season in England, with midweek fixtures throughout.
Who was promoted from the Championship last season?
Coventry City won the division by eleven points, Ipswich Town finished second, and Hull City came through the play-offs, beating Middlesbrough in the final with a finish in the 95th minute. All three are in the Premier League now.
Can I watch Championship matches live?
Sky Sports holds the EFL rights in the United Kingdom, but the Saturday three o'clock blackout applies to the whole English pyramid. Since the Championship schedules most of its Saturday programme at three, a large share of the season is not televised live domestically at all. Overseas viewers can see matches British ones cannot.
Why is the Championship considered so hard to get out of?
Twenty-four clubs, 46 rounds and only two automatic places. Squad depth decides more than form because of the midweek programme, and the Christmas fixture pile-up reorders the table every year. Clubs with Premier League parachute payments start as favourites and frequently fail anyway.
How do you bet on the Championship?
It is the least predictable league in Europe and the market knows it. Two specifics are worth holding onto: relegated clubs carry parachute money and are priced as favourites despite a patchy record of going straight back up, and the play-off market is priced on league position when the play-offs are decided by three matches in May that have little to do with a 46-game season.
Not sure where a match is on? The viewing guide lists the confirmed rights holders by country.