League Two playoffs 2023: Key fixtures & teams in the picture
We've entered the final quarter of the 2022/23 League Two season meaning the most frantic period of the campaign awaits.
For players, managers, and fans, it's all about the play-offs.
Four teams will earn promotion to League One and continue on their journey up the pyramid, with those that finish between fourth and seventh having the opportunity to clinch the final promotion spot via the aforementioned play-offs.
It's mightily tight at the top of League Two, and here's the current state of play.
How does promotion and relegation work in League Two?
Compared to the Championship or League One, League Two is more forgiving for teams at both ends of the table.
After every club has played the other 23 teams in the league home and away, the division's top three sides automatically move into League One. The teams that occupy fourth, fifth, sixth and seventh at the end of the season enter the play-offs.
The play-off semi-finals are held over two legs, one at each side's home venue. The team that finished fourth goes up against the seventh best club while fifth and sixth duke it out in the other tie. The winners of each semi-final face off in the play-off final which is held at Wembley Stadium.
At the other end of the table, only the bottom two clubs are relegated to the National League.
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Which teams could qualify for the 2023 League Two play-offs?
Leyton Orient will fancy their chances of securing an automatic promotion spot, but it's all to play for below them.
Northampton and Stevenage occupy the other two automatic promotion slots, but second-placed Northampton and seventh-place Bradford are separated by just eight points.
Sutton and Mansfield are the two sides who will fancy their chances to make a late season charge for the play-offs. Bradford have also performed steadily throughout the season but they have some work to do to cement their spot in the end-of-season promotion stakes.
Position | Team | Played | Won | Drawn | Lost | Goal difference | Points |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1. | Leyton Orient | 37 | 21 | 11 | 5 | 24 | 74 |
2. | Northampton | 38 | 19 | 12 | 7 | 19 | 69 |
3. | Stevenage | 37 | 19 | 10 | 8 | 17 | 67 |
4. | Carlisle | 38 | 18 | 12 | 8 | 22 | 66 |
5. | Stockport County | 38 | 18 | 9 | 11 | 19 | 63 |
6. | Salford City | 38 | 18 | 8 | 12 | 17 | 62 |
7. | Bradford City | 37 | 16 | 13 | 8 | 13 | 61 |
8. | Mansfield Town | 37 | 16 | 10 | 11 | 10 | 58 |
9. | Sutton United | 38 | 15 | 11 | 12 | 0 | 56 |
10. | Barrow | 38 | 16 | 7 | 15 | -3 | 55 |
11. | Swindon Town | 37 | 13 | 12 | 12 | 6 | 51 |
As of 29 March 2023.
Key fixtures ahead of the 2023 League Two play-offs
Here's a list of upcoming League Two fixtures that could shape how the play-off places look come the end of the season:
- 31/03/23 - Stockport County vs Salford City
- 10/04/23 - Bradford vs Sutton Town
- 15/04/23 - Carlisle vs Northampton Town
- 15/04/23 - Sutton United vs Leyton Orient
- 15/04/23 - Swindon Town vs Barrow
- 18/04/23 - Carlisle vs Stockport County
- 18/04/23 - Sutton Town vs Northampton Town
- 18/04/23 - Swindon Town vs Bradford
- 22/04/23 - Barrow vs Carlisle
- 22/04/23 - Mansfield Town vs Stevenage
- 25/04/23 - Swindon Town vs Stevenage
- 29/04/23 - Carlisle vs Salford City
- 29/04/23 - Leyton Orient vs Stockport County
- 29/04/23 - Northampton Town vs Bradford
- 08/04/23 - Barrow vs Stevenage
- 08/04/23 - Bradford vs Leyton Orient
- 08/04/23 - Sutton United vs Carlisle
As the above list shows, twists and turns are inevitable as the vast majority of play-off hopefuls face off against one another before the season draws to a close.
When are the 2023 League Two play-offs?
The English Football League (EFL) have revealed that the final set of League Two fixtures will be played on Saturday 6 May 2023 - though this could be amended to Sunday 7 May 2023.
Once the final league table has been established, the date for the play-off semi-finals will be set. Given these are regularly held on the first weekend after the regular season finishes, the first leg of the semi-finals are expected to take place on the weekend beginning on 13 May 2023.
When is the 2023 League Two play-off final?
The EFL has confirmed that the semi-final winners will go head-to-head between 27 and 29 May 2023. League Two's play-off final is traditionally held before the equivalent in League One and the Championship, which suggests that the showpiece could take place on Saturday 27 May 2023.