As confirmed earlier in the week, the EFL Championship play-off format will expand from four teams to six, and this big change starts next season.
Sky Sports reports confirmed this, and it alters how clubs earn promotion to the Premier League. The top two still go up automatically, but places third through sixth will now compete for that final coveted spot.
In the new format, clubs finishing third and fourth will progress directly to the semi-final, while a one-legged quarter-final will be played with fifth at home to eighth and sixth hosting seventh.
Rob Dorsett explained the new EFL Championship play-off format as the EFL wants to boost competition and revenue.
EFL Championship Play-Off Format
The play-off format, established back in 1987, usually saw third to sixth battling for a place in the Premier League. Now, the pathway widens.
Finishing in the top eight will guarantee you a chance to extend your season and the chance of earning a place in the top-flight under the new EFL Championship play-off format.
With a final still played at Wembley, third and fourth place go straight through to the semi-finals, whilst fifth to eighth battle it out in the quarter-finals.
The EFL Board developed these proposals over recent seasons as they want to boost competitiveness across the league.
Promotion to the Premier League brings huge financial rewards. Historically, a winner pockets £150-200 million, and more matches mean more broadcast opportunities, which is a smart move for EFL finances.
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Broadcast Deals And Revenue Growth In The EFL Championship Play-Off Format
Revenue is a main driver. The EFL Championship play-off final TV rights alone can fetch over £50 million, and an extra game adds another £10-20 million across the EFL.
This contributes to the broader £1 billion-plus EFL broadcast deals as more games mean more exposure and more money for the clubs.
The expanded EFL Championship play-offs increase promotion chances. They go from 20% (four teams) to 33% (six teams), and this massively changes the game for mid-table clubs.
A team that could be languishing in ninth or 10th will look to push harder in the run-in, as a matter of points or goal difference could determine who finishes in the play-offs.
Immediate & Long-Term Effects
The current 2025-26 standings won’t change as a result of this, as the changes won’t be implemented until next season.
Next year, the race for eighth place intensifies. Historically, play-off winners average 86-90 points; however, this points tally will be completely different in the first season of the new EFL Championship play-off format.
Critics might talk about “play-off dilution”, and they could argue it makes the top spots less special, but the EFL frames it as boosting excitement.
Sky Sports reporter Rob Dorsett detailed the mechanics, and he emphasised the fairness for higher finishers, as third and fourth place get a bye through to the semi-finals, whilst fifth to eighth place have to play an additional game.
The Wembley final attendance could rise with extra semi-final hype, betting markets will broaden, and a team that finishes as low as eighth in the regular EFL Championship season will have a great chance of reaching the play-off final.
Main Photo
Credit: IMAGO / Paul Marriott
Recording Date: 24.05.2025
