League One play-offs 2023: Fixtures, dates & teams in contention
We're now into the second half of the League One season and it's time for fans to start looking up and booking off the dates of the play-offs.
Seeing their team lose in the play-offs is one of the most painful things a football fan can endure, but it doesn't get much better than seeing your team win them to gain promotion.
It's unclear exactly which teams will contest them in League One this year, but we can at least tell you who's in the mix and when the matches will take place.
League One play-offs 2023
How does promotion and relegation work in League One?
Three teams are promoted from League One to the Championship each season. The title winners and runners-up go up automatically with the final place determined by two-legged semi-finals and a final at Wembley. The teams finishing third to sixth qualify for the play-offs. Those three teams are replaced by sides relegated from the Championship.
Meanwhile, the bottom four teams drop out of League One and down to League Two, which sends up another four sides as their replacements.
When are the 2023 League One play-offs?
The weekend of May 6 will be the final one of the League One season and determine what the play-off fixtures will be. After that, the play-off semi-final dates will be announced, but it's already safe to asuume the first legs will be played the following week.
The team that finishes third takes on sixth place, while fourth and fifth will go head to head in the other tie.
When is the 2023 League One play-off final?
The winners of the two semi-finals will face one another at Wembley in a one-legged final, with the winner being promoted to the Championship and the loser remaining in League One.
It has aldready been confirmed that the match will take place between May 27 and May 29, and will most likely kick off in the afternoon.
Which teams have qualified for the 2023 League One play-offs?
As is always the case in League One, a high number of teams are still in with a real chance of qualifying for the play-offs.
Plymouth sit at the top of League One ahead of Sheffield Wednesday, who have a game in hand. Ipswich are also in contention for an automatic promotion spot.
Barnsley, Bolton and Derby occupy the other play-off spots, with the likes of Peterborough, Wycombe and Portsmouth needing to make up some ground before the end of the season.
Position | Team | Played | Won | Draw | Loss | Goal difference | Points |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1. | Plymouth Argyle | 38 | 24 | 8 | 6 | 26 | 80 |
2. | Sheffield Wednesday | 37 | 23 | 9 | 5 | 36 | 78 |
3. | Ipswich Town | 37 | 21 | 12 | 4 | 41 | 75 |
4. | Barnsley | 36 | 22 | 6 | 8 | 29 | 72 |
5. | Bolton | 38 | 18 | 10 | 10 | 21 | 64 |
6. | Derby County | 38 | 18 | 10 | 10 | 20 | 64 |
7. | Peterborough | 38 | 20 | 3 | 15 | 18 | 63 |
8. | Wycombe | 38 | 18 | 7 | 13 | 15 | 61 |
9. | Portsmouth | 38 | 15 | 13 | 10 | 9 | 58 |
10. | Shrewsbury | 37 | 16 | 7 | 14 | 6 | 55 |
11. | Exeter City | 37 | 13 | 10 | 14 | 5 | 49 |
As of 26 March
How to watch the 2023 League One play-offs
Sky Sports hold the broadcasting rights for Football League matches in the United Kingdom. They will show playoff games from across the Championship, League One and League Two on their various television and streaming services such as Sky Sports Football/Main Event and Sky GO.
For those in the USA, streaming service ESPN+ will show the games. A subscription costs $9.99 or $99.99 a year, with purchases available on ESPN.com or their app.
Who has the best record in League One play-offs?
Huddersfield, Walsall and Peterborough have won the League One play-offs most often, with each of them gaining promotion via that route on two occasions.
None of those sides have prevailed in over a decade though, since Huddersfield Town beat Sheffield United on penalties in 2012, a year after they were beaten 3-0 by Peterborough at Wembley.
Sunderland won the final last year, beating Wycombe 2-0 after losing the same fixture to Charlton in 2019.
How much is winning the League One play-off final worth?
Clubs that win the League One play-offs earn a considerable amount by doing so due to the promotion to the Championship that follows.
Combining basic awards and solidarity payments from Premier League clubs, League One sides receive around £1.5m at the start of a season. In the Championship meanwhile, that figure is much higher at around £6.7m
Championship clubs also earn more money for hosting matches shown on TV, and given the higher level, can expect to sell more tickets.