Everything you need to know regarding the EFL Championship play-offs changes including new format, structure, the number of teams & why clubs opted to vote in favour of the change.
EFL Clubs agreed an historic change to the format of the Championship play-offs earlier this year, with six teams now set to feature in the competition from this season onwards.
The decision to expand the number of sides is intended to increase the number of competitive fixtures during the closing stages of the campaign, while also giving two additional clubs the opportunity to reach the play-off Final at Wembley Stadium and progress to the Premier League.
EFL Chief Executive, Trevor Birch, said at the time: "Since their introduction in 1986/87, the Play-Offs have become a highlight of the domestic football calendar, capturing the drama, suspense and jeopardy that make the EFL so special.
"Following several months of discussion with Clubs and other stakeholders, we are confident this change will further strengthen the Championship as a competition and give more Clubs and their supporters a genuine opportunity of achieving promotion."
Here's everything you need to know about the changes...
How many teams will make up the EFL Championship play-offs this season?
Six teams will feature in the Championship play-offs in 2026/27.
Under the previous guise, four teams featured-- those finishing in third, fourth, fifth and sixth.
However, the new changes, which will be implemented for the first time this term, will see sides who finish in seventh and eighth also included.
How do the Championship play-offs work this season?
The changes will see see seventh and eighth in the table play one-off fixtures at the grounds of the teams finishing sixth and fifth respectively.
The winners of those matches will then play two-legged ties against teams finishing third and fourth, before the two victors meet in a one-off encounter at Wembley for a lucrative spot in the Premier League.
EFL Championship new play-offs structure
Round One:
Fifth v Eighth
Sixth v Seventh
Semi-Finals:
Fifth / Eighth v Fourth - 1st Leg
Fourth v Fifth / Eighth - 2nd Leg
Sixth / Seventh v Third - 1st Leg
Third v Sixth / Seventh - 2nd Leg
Final:
Semi Final 1 Winner v Semi-Final 2 Winner
Why did EFL Championship clubs vote to change the format of the play-offs?
The idea of the change was to offer more clubs the opportunity of securing a spot in the Premier League given the opinion within England's second tier that parachute payments have distorted the competition and made it much harder for clubs without those extra payments to compete at the top end of the table.
It was also acknowledged that the revamp would minimise the number of dead rubber matches towards the end of the season, thus adding more high-profile / important games to the calendar.
How many teams will win promotion to the Premier League this season?
Three teams will secure promotion to the Premier League, the same number as previous years.
Adding two additional teams to the play-offs won't affect the number of promotion spots available, it simply offers more clubs the opportunity to reach the holy grail of top-flight football.
The teams who finish first and second will automatically be promoted along with the play-off winners.
When are the Championship play-offs taking place this season?
The EFL haven't yet confirmed the exact dates for the play-offs in 2026/27, although it's expected they will get underway on a week after the regular campaign reaches its climax on Saturday 1st May, 2027.
