The Championship play-offs are among the most keenly contested and rewarding games in the English football calendar.
A place in the Premier League, with its subsequent financial benefits and accompanying prestige, is the prize on offer, but only one team stands to benefit.
This season, the likes of Leeds United, Sheffield United and Norwich City are in the running for automatic promotion, but further down, teams such as Derby County, Middlesbrough, Nottingham Forest and West Brom are in the hunt for a place in the play-offs.
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With the race beginning to heat up, Goal brings you everything you need to know about the 2019 Championship play-offs.
What are the Championship play-offs?
While the top two teams in the Championship secure automatic promotion to the Premier League, the final place is determined by a series of games known as play-offs.
The teams which finish the season in third, fourth, fifth and sixth place earn the right to compete for a place in England’s top division.
Third place plays sixth place in one semi-final and fourth place plays fifth place in the other semi-final.
The semi-finals are played over two legs, with home and away ties, and the away goals rule does not apply.
Winners of the semi-finals then progress to the play-off final, which is a winner-takes-all tie.
Which teams have qualified for the Championship play-offs?
We do not know which teams have qualified for the Championship play-offs yet, but a clearer picture is beginning to emerge as the competition heads into the final stage of the season.
Norwich City lead the way in the race for automatic promotion, followed closely by Marcelo Bielsa’s Leeds and Chris Wilder’s Sheffield United. After that there is a slight gap in terms of points, though it could easily change during the run-in
Championship table
| Pos | Team | MP | W | D | L | GD | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Norwich City | 43 | 25 | 12 | 6 | +34 | 87 |
| 2 | Sheffield United | 43 | 24 | 10 | 9 | +32 | 82 |
| 3 | Leeds United | 43 | 25 | 7 | 11 | +26 | 82 |
| 4 | West Brom | 43 | 22 | 10 | 11 | +26 | 76 |
| 5 | Aston Villa | 43 | 19 | 15 | 9 | +21 | 72 |
| 6 | Middlesbrough | 43 | 18 | 13 | 12 | +9 | 67 |
| 7 | Bristol City | 42 | 18 | 12 | 12 | +9 | 66 |
| 8 | Derby County | 42 | 17 | 13 | 12 | +9 | 64 |
Last updated: April 19, 2019.
Some of the teams who are in the mix for the play-off spots include West Brom, Middlesbrough, Aston Villa and Frank Lampard’s Derby County.
Bristol City are also in contention after their surprise 3-2 victory away at Sheffield United. Preston North End, who were founder members of the Football League and won the first two editions of the old First Division, are also in the running, as are Nigel Adkins’ Hull City.
Two-time European champions Nottingham Forest – now under the guidance of Martin O’Neill – are also fighting for a return to the Premier League, as they bid to end a two-decades-long absence.
When are the Championship 2019 play-offs?
The dates for the 2019 Championship play-off semi-finals have yet to be finalised, but games will take place after May 5, when the league concludes.
Last season, semi-final games were played less than a week after the conclusion of the league phase and we can expect a similar approach for the 2018-19 season.
When & where is the 2019 Championship play-off final?
The 2019 Championship play-off final is scheduled to take place on Monday, May 27 and, as is tradition, Wembley Stadium in London will be the venue for the decider.
Wembley’s capacity is 90,000 and Championship play-off deciders regularly draw in bumper crowds, with the 2018 final between Aston Villa and Fulham attracting 85,243 spectators.
The ‘Home of Football’ has not always been the venue for play-off deciders, however, with Cardiff’s Millennium Stadium temporarily housing such games from 2001 until 2006.
Championship play-offs TV channel & live stream
Sky Sports has exclusive broadcasting rights for the Championship in the UK and so the games will be shown live on one of the network’s channels, most likely Sky Sports Football. Sky Go is the channel’s online streaming service.
In the US games EFL games have been available to stream live online using ESPN+ .
Who won last year’s Championship play-offs?
Fulham were the winners of the 2018 edition of the Championship play-offs as they defeated Aston Villa 1-0 in the final.
Club captain Tom Cairney scored the decisive goal for the Cottagers, who played the final part of the game with 10 men after Denis Odoi was sent off.
Fulham had finished third in the table, meaning they faced sixth-place Derby County in the play-off semi-finals and they overcame the Rams with a 2-1 aggregate victory.
They subsequently joined Championship winners Wolves and runners-up Cardiff City in booking their place in the 2018-19 Premier League.