2026 EFL play-offs
 | This article needs additional citations for verification. (May 2026) |
 Wembley Stadium was the venue for each play-off final | |
| Season | 2025–26 |
|---|---|
| Premier League (Promoted) | Hull City |
| EFL Championship (Promoted) | Bolton Wanderers |
| EFL League One (Promoted) | Notts County |
← 2025 2027 → | |
The English Football League play-offs for the 2025–26 season (referred to as the Sky Bet Play-Offs for sponsorship reasons) were held in May 2026 with all finals staged at Wembley Stadium in London.[1][2]
The play-offs began in each league with two semi-finals which were played over two legs. The teams who finished in 3rd to 6th place in the Championship and League One and the 4th to 7th-placed teams in League Two competed. The winners of the semi-finals advanced to the finals, with the finals winners gaining promotion for the following season.
Background
[edit]The English Football League play-offs have been held every year since 1987. They take place for each division following the conclusion of the regular season and are contested by the four clubs finishing below the automatic promotion places. The fixtures are determined by final league position – in the Championship and League One this is 3rd v 6th and 4th v 5th, while in League Two it is 4th v 7th and 5th v 6th.
Championship
[edit]Championship semi-finals
[edit]The final table was confirmed after the final matchday on 2 May 2026. Going into the final day, Southampton had already confirmed a place in the play-offs at fifth place. Southampton leapfrogged Middlesbrough after the Saints beat Preston North End and Middlesbrough drew 2–2 against Wrexham. Ipswich, Millwall and Middlesbrough all had the opportunity to finish in second place with Ipswich occupying it at the start of the day. Ipswich won their match which meant Millwall and Middlesbrough had their playoff places confirmed. Hull City, Wrexham and Derby County were all in the hunt for the last spot. Hull City leapfrogged Wrexham after their win against ninth place Norwich, and help from fourth place Middlesbrough who held Wrexham to a 2–2 draw. Derby County lost 2–1 to 13th place Sheffield United, eliminating them from play-off contention.
| Final league position – Championship | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts |
| 3 | Millwall | 46 | 24 | 11 | 11 | 64 | 48 | +15 | 83 |
| 4 | Southampton | 46 | 22 | 14 | 10 | 82 | 56 | +26 | 80 |
| 5 | Middlesbrough | 46 | 22 | 14 | 10 | 72 | 47 | +25 | 80 |
| 6 | Hull City | 46 | 21 | 10 | 15 | 70 | 66 | +4 | 73 |
- First leg
- Second leg
Hull City won 2–0 on aggregate.
| Southampton | 2–1 (a.e.t.) | Middlesbrough |
|---|---|---|
| Report |
|
Southampton won 2–1 on aggregate; however, Middlesbrough advanced to the final on walkover after Southampton were disqualified for spying on other teams (see Southampton F.C. espionage incident).[3]
Championship final
[edit]Hull City won this match and therefore joined champions Coventry City and automatically promoted Ipswich Town in playing in the 2026–27 Premier League.
| Hull City | 1−0 | Middlesbrough |
|---|---|---|
|
Report |
League One
[edit]League One semi-finals
[edit]The final table was confirmed after the final matchday on 3 May 2026. Going into the final day, Bolton Wanderers had already qualified for the play-offs. On the final day Stockport County, Bradford City, Stevenage, Luton Town, and Plymouth Argyle were all chasing a play-off spot. Stockport and Bradford both won and leapfrogged 3rd place Bolton, who lost to play-off hopefuls Luton. Plymouth won as well, but as Stevenage also won, they qualified in the final spot at the expense of Luton and Plymouth. On the final day, everyone except the already qualified Bolton won their match, which caused them to drop from 3rd to 5th and lose the home advantage.
| Final league position – League One | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts |
| 3 | Stockport County | 46 | 22 | 11 | 13 | 71 | 58 | +13 | 77 |
| 4 | Bradford City | 46 | 22 | 11 | 13 | 58 | 51 | +7 | 77 |
| 5 | Bolton Wanderers | 46 | 19 | 18 | 9 | 70 | 52 | +18 | 75 |
| 6 | Stevenage | 46 | 21 | 12 | 13 | 49 | 46 | +3 | 75 |
- First leg
| Stevenage | 0–1 | Stockport County |
|---|---|---|
| Report |
|
- Second leg
Stockport County won 3–0 on aggregate.
Bolton Wanderers won 2–0 on aggregate.
League One final
[edit]Bolton Wanderers won this match and therefore joined champions Lincoln City and automatically promoted Cardiff City in playing in the 2026–27 EFL Championship.
League Two
[edit]League Two semi-finals
[edit]The final table was confirmed after the final matchday on 2 May 2026. Going into the final day, Cambridge United, Salford City, Notts County, and Grimsby Town had already secured a play-off place with all but Grimsby Town still capable of automatic promotion. Cambridge United clinched the last automatic spot as both teams drew, consigning Salford City to the playoffs. Chesterfield, Swindon Town, and Barnet were all in contention for the last play-off spot. Barnet won against relegation-threatened Harrogate Town condemning them to relegation, but Chesterfield beat Swindon Town eliminating them both in the process and leapfrogging Grimsby Town who had already qualified with Chesterfield and Swindon Town playing each other on the final matchday.
| Final league position – League Two | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts |
| 4 | Salford City | 46 | 25 | 6 | 15 | 61 | 51 | +10 | 81 |
| 5 | Notts County | 46 | 24 | 8 | 14 | 74 | 52 | +22 | 80 |
| 6 | Chesterfield | 46 | 21 | 16 | 9 | 71 | 56 | +15 | 79 |
| 7 | Grimsby Town | 46 | 22 | 12 | 12 | 74 | 50 | +24 | 78 |
- First leg
| Chesterfield | 0–1 | Notts County |
|---|---|---|
| Report |
|
- Second leg
| Salford City | 2–2 (a.e.t.) | Grimsby Town |
|---|---|---|
| Report |
Salford City won 4–3 on aggregate.
Notts County won 1–0 on aggregate.
League Two final
[edit]Notts County won this match and therefore joined champions Bromley and automatically promoted Milton Keynes Dons and Cambridge United in playing in the 2026–27 EFL League One.
References
[edit]- ^ "Sky Bet play-offs". EFL. 8 May 2026. Archived from the original on 7 May 2026. Retrieved 8 May 2026.
- ^ "EFL play-offs 2026 schedule fixtures". Sky sports. 9 May 2026. Archived from the original on 19 May 2026. Retrieved 9 May 2026.
- ^ "EFL Statement: Southampton Football Club". EFL. 19 May 2026.