EFL extend English Championship play-offs to six-team format from 2026/27

The Sky Bet Championship play-offs will expand from four teams to six from the 2026/27 season after EFL clubs voted through a new format at an extraordinary general meeting.Considered to be one of the most lucrative games in world football, six teams now have the chance of reaching the Premier League with all the broadcasting and other commercial benefits that promotion to the top flight provide.The change means the clubs finishing seventh and eighth will join those in third to sixth in the end-of-season promotion run-in, creating additional routes to the Premier League beyond the two automatic promotion places.Under the expected structure, teams finishing third and fourth will advance straight to the semi-finals, while fifth will host eighth and sixth will host seventh in one-off ‘eliminator’ ties.The winners of those eliminators will then face the third- and fourth-placed sides in the existing two-legged semi-final format, with the play-off final remaining at Wembley.The EFL said the decision was aimed at keeping the competition live for more clubs towards the end of the campaign and increasing the number of meaningful fixtures in the run-in. An EFL statement said: “The decision 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 playoff final at Wembley stadium and progress to the Premier League.”The proposal has been under consideration for a number of seasons and was approved by the EFL board and Football Association.EFL chief executive Trevor Birch linked the change to the play-offs’ status as a tentpole in the domestic calendar. Birch said: “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.”While the EFL has confirmed the expansion, the precise implementation details are expected to be finalised later, with the format not to be confirmed until the summer.