Formerly the Second Division, the division has been known as League One since the beginning of the 2004/05 season, when the Football League, the three divisions below the Premier League, were rebranded.
England's third tier can be a tough division to get out of; it is incredibly competitive and contains a range of both former Premier League teams and notorious EFL veterans.
Teams relegated from the Championship can often find themselves stuck for years. Leeds spent three years trying to gain promotion out of the league, while it took Sunderland four seasons, though both teams now find themselves in the Premier League.
Reading on the other hand, once a Premier League side featuring Jason Roberts, Pavel Pogrebnyak and Adam Le Fondre are playing their fourth consecutive season in League One.
2015/16 Premier League Champions and 2020/21 FA Cup winners Leicester City are plying their trade in the third tier in the 2026/27 term, hoping not to get pulled into the trap of becoming stuck there.
Dates
The 2026/27 League One season kicked off on Friday 7th August 2026, and culminates with the final round of fixtures on 8th May 2027.
The season-ending League One play-offs will take place after the conclusion of the regular season, with dates still yet to be announced for them.
Teams & Stadiums
Team | Stadium | Capacity |
AFC Wimbledon | Plough Lane | 9,215 |
Barnsley | Oakwell | 23,287 |
Blackpool | Bloomfield Road | 16,500 |
Bradford City | Valley Parade | 24,840 |
Bromley | Hayes Lane | 6,100 |
Burton Albion | Pirelli Stadium | 6,912 |
Cambridge United | Abbey Stadium | 7,937 |
Doncaster Rovers | Eco-Power Stadium | 15,231 |
Huddersfield Town | Kirklees Stadium | 24,121 |
Leicester City | King Power Stadium | 32,259 |
Leyton Orient | Brisbane Road | 9,271 |
Luton Town | Kenilworth Road | 12,056 |
Mansfield Town | Field Mill | 10,022 |
MK Dons | Stadium MK | 30,500 |
Notts County | Meadow Lane | 19,841 |
Oxford United | Kassam Stadium | 12,500 |
Peterborough United | London Road Stadium | 13,512 |
Plymouth Argyle | Home Park | 17,900 |
Reading | Madejski Stadium | 24,161 |
Sheffield Wednesday | Hillsborough Stadium | 39,732 |
Stevenage | Broadhall Way | 7,318 |
Stockport County | Edgeley Park | 10,852 |
Wigan Athletic | Brick Community Stadium | 25,138 |
Wycombe Wanderers | Adams Park | 10,446 |
Format
League One is the second division of the English Football League, known as the EFL, and the third tier overall in the English league system, beneath the Premier League and Championship but above League Two.
The 24 teams in the division play each other twice, once at home and once away, with three points awarded for a win, one for a draw and zero for a defeat.
At the end of a gruelling 46-match campaign, the final standings determine who is promoted to the Championship and which clubs are relegated to League Two.
The top two sides are automatically promoted to the Championship and are joined by the winners of the play-offs, which are contested by the sides who finish third, fourth, fifth and sixth after 46 games.
The bottom four sides are relegated to League Two.
Previous winners
Plymouth Argyle are the most successful team in League One history with five third-tier successes, last topping the standards in the 2022/23 campaign.
Lincoln City won the division for the fourth time in the most recent 2025/26 season, earning a remarkable 103 points.
Click here to read the full list of League One winners over the years.
Transfer Record
Leading the way as the most expensive signing in League One history, and by some distance, is Jay Stansfield, who joined Birmingham City for a staggering €17.80m from Fulham in 2024 after a successful loan spell with the club.
Behind Stansfield in the list is Blues teammate Christoph Klarer, who joined in the same summer for a considerably lower €4.15m fee.
Click here to read the top five League One record transfers.
