EFL Championship play-offs

Format

, the Championship play-offs involve the four teams that finish directly below the automatic promotion places in the EFL Championship, the second tier of the English football league system. These teams meet in a series of play-off matches to determine the final team that will be promoted to the Premier League. Based on the ranking, the team finishing in third place plays the sixth-placed team while the team in fourth plays the fifth-placed team in the "play-off semi-finals". Two ties are played over two legs, with the higher-ranked side hosting the second leg. According to the EFL, "this is designed to give the highest finishing team an advantage".

The winner of each semi-final is determined by the aggregate score across the two legs, with the number of goals scored in each match of the tie being added together. The team with the higher aggregate score qualifies for the final. If, at the end of the regular 90 minutes of the second leg, the aggregate score is level then the match goes into extra time where two 15-minute halves are played. If the score remains level at the end of extra time, the tie is decided by a penalty shootout. The away goals rule does not apply in the play-off semi-finals.

The clubs that win the semi-finals then meet at Wembley Stadium, a neutral venue, for a one-off match referred to as the "play-off final". If required, extra time and a penalty shootout can be employed in the same manner as for the semi-finals to determine the winner. The runner-up and losing semi-finalists remain in the Championship while the winning side is promoted.

Background

Main article: English Football League play-offs

The mid-1980s saw a decline in attendances at football matches and public disenchantment with English football. A number of instances of violence and tragedy struck the game. In March 1985 at the semi-final of the 1984–85 Football League Cup between Chelsea and Sunderland where more than 100 people were arrested after various invasions of the Stamford Bridge pitch and more than 40 people, including 20 policemen, were injured. Nine days later, violence flared at the FA Cup match between Millwall and Luton Town: seats were used as missiles against the police and resulted in Luton Town banning away supporters. On 11 May, 56 people were killed and 265 injured in the Bradford City stadium fire and less than three weeks later, 39 supporters died and more than 600 were injured in the Heysel Stadium disaster where Liverpool were playing Juventus in the European Cup final.

In an attempt to persuade fans to return to the stadia, the Football League had rejected a £19million television deal to broadcast matches live on the BBC and ITV before the 1985–86 Football League season with League president Jack Dunnett suggesting that "football is prepared to have a year or two with no television". In December 1985, the "Heathrow Agreement" was agreed which aimed to revitalise the financial affairs of the league. It was a ten-point plan which included a structural reorganisation of the league, reducing the top tier from 22 clubs to 20, and the introduction of play-offs to facilitate the change. The play-offs were introduced to the end of the 1986–87 Football League season. They were initially introduced for two years but with the proviso that if they were successful with the general public, they would be retained permanently.

History

In the first two seasons, the team one place above the relegation zone in the First Division, along with the three clubs below the automatic promotion positions in the Second Division, took part in the play-offs.

From 1990, the format of the final changed to a single match played at a neutral venue, initially the original Wembley Stadium. The first winners of the inaugural one-off final were Swindon Town who defeated Sunderland 1–0 in the final in front of 72,873 spectators. Ten days after the final, Swindon were found guilty on 35 counts of illegal player payments and were given a two-division relegation. This meant that Sunderland were promoted to the First Division in Swindon's place. Wembley underwent renovations early in the 21st century and the 2000 final was the last to be hosted at the original stadium. Subsequently the finals were hosted at the Millennium Stadium in Cardiff, where Bolton Wanderers beat Preston North End 3–0 in the final. The Millennium Stadium held the finals until 2007 when the match was moved to the renovated Wembley Stadium, the first such final seeing Derby County defeat West Bromwich Albion 1–0. The final in 2020 was held behind closed doors as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic in the United Kingdom: Fulham defeated Brentford 2–1 after extra time in front of an official attendance of 0.

Since the first play-off final, the second tier of English football's league itself has undergone a number of re-brands. In 1993, the Premier League was formed, a move which caused the second-tier league to be renamed as the First Division. In 2004, the First Division was re-branded as the Football League Championship, before the League's adoption of English Football League (EFL) led to a 2016 renaming as the EFL Championship.

Prize

While there is no financial prize for the winners, the match is still referred to as the most valuable single football match in the world as a result of ensuing commercial and media benefits. Accountants Deloitte described the 2020 final as the "contest for biggest financial prize in world football" with promotion worth at least £85million in the first season after promotion and an additional £80million the following season should an immediate relegation be avoided. However, by convention the two finalists agree that the loser will keep all the gate receipts from the game, so as to slightly soften the financial blow of missing out. The winning team is also presented with a trophy; however, in the 2015 Football League Championship play-off final, Norwich City refused and took half of the gate receipts after also gaining promotion.

Winners and semi-finalists

Statistics

Crystal Palace have secured promotion to the top tier of English football through the play-offs more times than any other club, having won four finals. Fulham, West Ham United, Watford, Bolton Wanderers, Hull City and Swindon Town have also won the second-tier play-offs on two occasions (although Swindon have only won promotion through the play-offs once, as promotion was withdrawn following their first play-off victory due to financial irregularities). Sheffield United have lost four times in the Championship play-off finals. Ipswich Town have participated in the Championship play-offs a joint-record eight times: 1987, 1997–2000 inclusive, 2004, 2005 and 2015, making the final only once in 2000 when they won promotion with a 4–2 victory over Barnsley. Derby County have also qualified for the play-offs eight times, with their only promotion coming following a win over West Bromwich Albion in the 2007 final. Leicester City have reached the Championship play-off final four times (in the space of five seasons), losing two in 1992 and 1993 and winning two in 1994 and 1996.

Notes

References

Bibliography

References

1. EFL. "About the Play-Offs".
2. link. [[English Football League]]. "About the Play-Offs"
3. Woodcock, Ian. (22 May 2020). "EFL play-offs: Relive some of the most memorable games". [[BBC Sport]].
4. Pye, Steven. (22 May 2015). "How Charlton, Swindon and Aldershot triumphed in the first play-offs in 1987". [[The Guardian]].
5. Ralph, Michael. (4 June 1989). "play-off finals: Palace up". [[The Observer]].
6. "Sunderland v Swindon Town, 28 May 1990". AFS Enterprises.
7. Lengel, David. (29 July 2016). "The Joy of Six: sports executives who paid for their crimes in prison". [[The Guardian]].
8. "Brentford v Fulham, 04 August 2020". AFS Enterprises.
9. Foster, p. 23
10. (10 June 2004). "Division One renamed The Championship". [[The Guardian]].
11. Rej, Arindam. (1 August 2004). "Pop goes the Championship". [[The Guardian]].
12. Rumsby, Ben. (12 November 2015). "Rebranded Football League changing its name to English Football League as EFL unveils new logo". [[The Daily Telegraph]].
13. (3 August 2020). "Brentford and Fulham contest for biggest financial prize in world football". [[Deloitte]].
14. "In the Money: How much is the Championship Play Off final really worth?". TalkSport.
15. Cuff, Andrew. (3 May 2007). "Promotion worth £60m". [[The Guardian]].
16. (15 May 2006). "Losers in line for final windfall". [[BBC Sport]].
17. (5 August 2020). "Gallery: Sky Bet Championship play-off final". [[English Football League]].
18. "League Championship end of season table for 2015–16 season".
19. "League Championship end of season table for 2016–17 season".
20. "League Championship end of season table for 2017–18 season".
21. "League Championship end of season table for 2018–19 season".
22. "League Championship end of season table for 2019–20 season".
23. "League Championship end of season table for 2020–21 season".
24. "League Championship end of season table for 2021–22 season".
25. BBC Sport. (27 May 2023). "Coventry City 1-1 Luton Town (5-6 pens): Hatters win shootout to reach Premier League".
26. "League Championship end of season table for 2022–23 season".
27. "League Championship end of season table for 2023–24 season".
28. "League Championship end of season table for 2024–25 season".