Football NewsBBC SportUnverified source· 11 Aug 2026
Championship play-offs expand to six teams for 2026-27
Seventh and eighth place now earn a shot at Premier League promotion.
Format
Six teams, one-legged quarter-finals, two-legged semis, Wembley final
Teams
Third to eighth qualify
Quarter-finals
5th vs 8th, 6th vs 7th
Final
End of May at Wembley
What happened. The Championship play-offs will expand from four to six teams starting in the 2026-27 season, with teams finishing seventh and eighth now qualifying.
- Clubs finishing third and fourth advance directly to the semi-finals.
- The change aims to increase competitive fixtures late in the season.
- Last season, three teams vied for the final play-off spot on the last day.
The new format could be worth around £150m to clubs, with the season starting Friday.
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