The playoffs are moving forward, as one team will join Sheffield United in the final for promotion.
The journey to the most lucrative game in sports has begun, with the Championship playoffs initiating on Thursday via Paramount+ to determine who will join Leeds United and Burnley in the Premier League next season. Sunderland, Coventry City, Sheffield United, and Bristol City are all aiming for Wembley Stadium for the playoff final, slated for Saturday, May 21. Viewers can catch all the action of the English Football League playoffs on Paramount+, showcasing a challenging path to promotion.
In an unprecedented turn of events, Leeds United has secured the Championship title over Burnley on goal difference, with both teams remarkably finishing with 100 points. This is the first occurrence in history where two clubs have each earned 100 points within the same division. Coupled with Birmingham City’s 100th season, which saw them break a global record for the most points in a season with 111, this marks a record number of teams accumulating 100 points simultaneously in the EFL.
The EFL playoffs can be quite demanding, with 12 teams competing for just three promotion positions in each division, making every play crucial. In the Championship, Coventry has been performing exceptionally well under Frank Lampard, achieving eight wins in nine matches from January to March, propelling the Sky Blues up the standings. They will face a significant challenge against Sunderland, but given the recent struggles of the young Black Cats, momentum may favor Lampard’s squad. After falling out of title contention, Sheffield United must navigate the playoff route to return to the Premier League; however, they can take comfort in Leeds United’s playoff final loss last season before bouncing back to win the league this year. On the other hand, Bristol City had to orchestrate a thrilling two-goal comeback on Saturday to clinch a playoff spot after drawing with Preston North End.
Sunderland isn’t the only captivating story in the EFL, as their journey has been featured in a TV series following their relegation from the Premier League in 2017. They experienced a setback by dropping to League One but have now returned to the Championship, thriving with young talents like Jobe Bellingham and Chris Rigg. As a youthful squad, they have recently faced challenges, but if they can maintain composure during a tough away match against Coventry, they might reach the final at the Stadium of Light.
The battle for the final playoff position in the Championship will be intensely competitive, particularly as the League One playoffs are about to take place. Stockport County and Leyton Orient have emerged as some of the top-performing teams in soccer, while Charlton has also climbed the standings. Promotion playoffs often favor the team in form, but with three of the four teams displaying impressive performances recently, it promises to be an exciting contest to see who advances to the Championship.
Leyton Orient will be spearheaded by an American forward, Charlie Kelman, who has been making a significant impact with 21 goals and five assists. The England-born United States youth international will be a pivotal player they rely on in their quest to join Wrexham and Birmingham City in the Championship.
Let’s examine how the EFL concluded and the playoff schedules, which are available on Paramount+:
Promoted to the Premier League:
Burnley
Leeds United
Teams that qualified for the Championship Playoffs:
Bristol City
Sheffield United
Coventry City
Sunderland
Championship playoff schedule:
Thursday, May 8:
Bristol City 0, Sheffield United 3
Friday, May 9:
Coventry City 1, Sunderland 2
Monday, May 12:
Sheffield United 3, Bristol City 0
Tuesday, May 13:
Sunderland vs. Coventry City, 3 p.m. ET (Paramount+)
Saturday, May 24:
Championship Playoff final (Paramount+)
Relegated to League One:
Luton Town
Plymouth Argyle
Cardiff City
Promoted to the Championship:
Birmingham City
Wrexham
Teams that qualified for the League One playoffs:
Stockport County
Charlton Athletic
Wycombe Wanderers
Leyton Orient
League One playoff schedule:
Saturday, May 10:
Leyton Orient 2, Stockport County 2
Sunday, May 11:
Wycombe Wanderers 0, Charlton Athletic 0
Wednesday, May 14:
Stockport County vs. Leyton Orient, 3 p.m. ET (Paramount+)
Thursday, May 15:
Charlton Athletic vs. Wycombe Wanderers, 3 p.m. ET (Paramount+)
Sunday, May 25:
League One playoff final (Paramount+)
Relegated to League Two:
Cambridge United
Shrewsbury Town
Bristol Rovers
Crawley Town
Promoted to League One:
Doncaster Rovers
Port Vale
Bradford City
Teams that qualified for the League Two playoffs:
Walsall
AFC Wimbledon
Notts County
Chesterfield
League Two playoff schedule:
Sunday, May 11:
Chesterfield 0, Walsall 2
Notts County 0, AFC Wimbledon 1
Friday, May 16:
Walsall vs. Chesterfield, 3 p.m. ET (Paramount+)
Saturday, May 17:
AFC Wimbledon vs. Notts County, 7:30 a.m. (Paramount+)
Monday, May 26:
League Two playoff final (Paramount+)
Relegated to the National League:
Carlisle United
Morecambe.