When Are The EFL Championship Playoffs, How Do They Work And What Teams Are In The Race For The Premier League?

The EFL have confirmed the Championship playoff dates including the final which will once again be held at Wembley Stadium. 

As always, England’s second tier is one of the most competitive leagues across Europe.  In fact, it’s one of the most exciting divisions to watch globally.

Perhaps the most exhilarating aspect of the Championship is the playoffs. Four of the 24 competitors battle it out for a place in the Premier League.

Here at SportsCasting, we’ll provide all the key details on the playoff dates, how they work and which teams are currently in the running for the promised land.

How Do The Championship Playoffs Work?

The race for the EFL Championship playoffs intensifies season upon season. Teams in the higher echelons of the table will naturally fancy their chances of landing a playoff spot when the campaign draws to a close.

How the Championship playoffs work is simple enough. Those lucky enough to finish up in third, fourth, fifth or sixth position all have a chance of promotion to the Premier League.

After the 46 regular league games are complete, the fun begins. Whoever finishes third will play the team who placed sixth over two legs. One at home and the following away.

The same applies for the sides who end up in fourth and fifth. Naturally, previous results against those opponents during the season are often disregarded during the playoffs.

However, the team who finished higher do have the advantage of playing the second leg on home soil. This can – but not always – work in that side’s favour. At this stage, the games can be referred to as the semi-finals.

An overall aggregate score across the two games is how the two victors are determined. If the scores remain level, extra-time will ensue and if that can’t provide a winner, penalties will decide the outcome.

Once the two winners come through the semis, a one-off final is played at Wembley Stadium. If that match ends level after 90 minutes, extra-time will be played with the possibility of penalties as well.

The winner will then the 19 other top-flight teams the following season. That will include the two sides who finished in first and second spot – earning automatic promotion.

The EFL have confirmed the dates for the Championship Play-offs.

The first legs will take place on the 8th and 9th of May (less than a week after the final day of the season).

The second legs will be on the 12th and 13th.

The final is on Saturday 24th May. pic.twitter.com/DOSRCGTVwu

— Second Tier podcast (@secondtierpod) February 27, 2025

EFL Championship Playoff Dates

With just over 10 league games left to play in the Championship in 2024/25, the EFL have confirmed the exact dates for the playoff semi-finals and final.

The first leg semis will be played on the 8th and 9th of May. Interestingly, that is less than a week after the regular season concludes. Which is becoming the new norm in recent years.

On the 12th and 13th of May, the return legs will be played out. That gives each side a three-day break inbetween games to recover. As mentioned above, the team who finished higher in the league will play the second leg at home.

After the drama of these games, the two victors will then meet at Wembley Stadium on Saturday 24th of May. That is the confirmed EFL Championship playoff final date.

On the Sunday, the League One final is contested with the League Two showdown occurring on the Bank Holiday Monday. Kick-off times are yet to be finalised but the Championship is usually 3pm.

2025 EFL Championship Playoff Teams

Naturally, the four teams who qualify for the EFL Championship playoffs can’t be determined just yet. However, some clubs can guarantee their spot before the season concludes.

As it stands, it appears that two of Leeds, Sheffield United and Burnley will gain automatic promotion to the Premier League. Sunderland are also in with a chance but remain adrift of the trio at this stage.

Therefore, the Black Cats and one of the above are likely to fill third and fourth in the standings. The Mackems have a 12-point lead over Coventry in seventh spot – thus meaning they will surely earn a playoff berth barring any disasters.

At the time of writing, Blackburn and West Brom occupy fifth and sixth. Nonetheless, their places are only secured by a single point ahead of Frank Lampard’s side.

Further down, Bristol City, Watford, Norwich and Middlesbrough are all in with a realistic chance of the playoffs. In theory, so to are Millwall, Sheffield Wednesday and even 14th-place QPR. The Rs are currently seven points adrift.