Championship play-offs 2024: Dates, fixtures and teams in contention
- Championship play-off final regarded as the most lucrative game in football
- Four clubs compete in Championship post-season
- Premier League regulars Southampton among the teams set to be in 2023/24 Championship play-offs
By Euan Burns
The English Football League (EFL) play-offs provide unfiltered chaos at the end of every season, with the magnitude of these fixtures ensuring that some of the sport's most memorable moments have taken place under a sun-kissed Wembley arch.
The Championship play-offs boast particular significance. For four clubs, it's their last chance to earn a spot at the top table, with the final possessing a remarkable allure of lucrativeness as the dubbed 'richest game in football'.
It's a contest that has grabbed the imagination of not only Championship enjoyers, but football lovers in general.
Here's all you need to know about the 2023/24 Championship play-offs that will lead to one team earning their golden ticket to the Premier League.
Championship play-offs 2024
- Which teams are in contention for the 2023/24 Championship play-offs?
- 2023/24 Championship table
- How do the Championship play-offs work?
- When are the 2024 Championship play-offs?
- How to watch the 2024 Championship play-offs
- Who has the best record in Championship play-offs?
- How much is winning Championship play-off final worth?
Which teams are in contention for the 2023/24 Championship play-offs?
With the regular season approaching its climax, Leicester are leading the way at the top of the Championship table with Leeds and Ipswich Town fighting it out for an automatic promotion spot.
Only a remarkable late collapse would see Leicester enter the play-offs, but either Leeds or Ipswich are guaranteed to compete in the post-season.
They'll be joined by Southampton, who have secured their place in the play-offs, but the other two spots are up for grabs. West Brom and Norwich occupy fifth and sixth respectively, but they could be caught by Hull and Coventry - both of whom have games in hand.
Following their recent defeat to Leeds, Middlesbrough are out of contention.
2023/24 Championship play-offs qualified teams
Team | Position |
|---|---|
Southampton | 4th |
2023/24 Championship table
Pos | Team | Played | GD | Points |
|---|---|---|---|---|
1. | Leicester | 44 | +47 | 94 |
2. | Leeds | 44 | +43 | 90 |
3. | Ipswich Town | 43 | +32 | 89 |
4. | Southampton | 44 | +24 | 84 |
5. | West Brom | 44 | +23 | 72 |
6. | Norwich | 44 | +16 | 72 |
7. | Hull | 43 | +8 | 66 |
8. | Coventry | 42 | +14 | 63 |
How do the Championship play-offs work?
Three teams are promoted from the Championship into the Premier League every season. The league winners and runners-up are automatically promoted, while the third team is decided via the play-offs.
The teams that finish between third and sixth in the second tier qualify for the play-offs. Third faces sixth and fourth plays fifth over two legs, home and away, with the two winners advancing into the final.
In each of the ties, the team that finished higher in the Championship table will host the second leg in the semi-finals.
When are the 2024 Championship play-offs?
The final round of Championship fixtures kick-off at 12:30 BST on Saturday 4 May. The play-offs begin on Sunday 12 May with the first legs of the two semi-finals.
The first semi-final second leg is scheduled for the evening of Thursday 16 May, with the other taking place the following night.
The two winners of the semi-finals will then advance into the final at Wembley which will take place at 16:30 on Sunday 26 May.
2024 Championship play-offs schedule
Date | Kick-off Time (BST) | Fixture | Play-off stage |
|---|---|---|---|
Sunday 12 May | 12:00 | 6th vs 3rd | Semi-final first leg |
Sunday 12 May | 14:15 | 5th vs 4th | Semi-final first leg |
Thursday 16 May | 20:00 | 3rd vs 6th | Semi-final second leg |
Friday 17 May | 20:00 | 4th vs 5th | Semi-final second leg |
Sunday 26 May | 16:30 | 6th or 3rd vs 5th or 4th | Final |
How to watch the 2024 Championship play-offs
Sky Sports has televised Championship games all season and will broadcast every play-off fixture live on their channels - Sky Sports Main Event and Sky Sports Football. For those on the move, Sky GO will also broadcast the Championship play-off fixtures.
Over in the US, the subscription service ESPN+ will stream all five upcoming fixtures.
Who has the best record in Championship play-offs?
No team has earned promotion into the top flight via the Championship play-offs more than Crystal Palace.
The Eagles have established themselves as Premier League regulars over the past decade since their most recent play-off success under Ian Holloway in 2013, having previously been regarded as somewhat of a yo-yo club. Palace's victory over Watford, who qualified for the final off the back of the notorious "HERE'S HOGG...DEENEYYYYYYY!!!!" sequence, was their fourth play-off final success.
Only five other teams have won multiple play-off finals: Fulham, West Ham, Hull, Swindon and Watford.
Ipswich will stand alone at the top with nine Championship play-off appearances should Leeds pip them to the second automatic promotion spot this season. The Tractor Boys have only made the play-off final once, where they were victorious over Barnsley in 2000. The following year, they became the most successful newly promoted team in Premier League history, finishing fifth.
How much is winning Championship play-off final worth?
This fixture is seismic for so many reasons and the finances involved have rendered it 'the richest game in football'.
Ahead of the 2022/23 final between Coventry and Luton, accounting firm Deloitte estimated the winner would earn a revenue increase of over £170m during the following three seasons, even if they drop back down to the second tier thanks to parachute payments the Premier League hands out to relegated clubs. Just one season in the Premier League can boost revenue streams by at least £90m.
READ MORE ON THE 2023/24 PLAY-OFF HUNT THROUGHOUT THE EFL
manual