Overview of EFL Championship Qualification Process

By Keith Mado July 14, 2024 10:05

Photo by Richard Heathcote/Getty Images

The English Football League (EFL) Championship is the second-highest division in England's football league system, with 24 clubs competing yearly. EFL Championship promotion is huge for football clubs, allowing them to be promoted to the prestigious Premier League. The following article will give an in-depth dive into the EFL Championship promotion regime, covering ambiguity over criteria, route to qualify, and historical pattern.

Qualification criteria and teams

In every season, the EFL Championship is staged by 24 teams. The top two teams in EFL standings at the end of this season are Champions, and are promoted to Premier League. Furthermore, the three sides that finish in 3rd to 6th place will participate in a playoff competition, with the victor being promoted to the Premier League. The bottom three Championship teams are then relegated to EFL League One.

Paths to Qualification

Automatic Promotion

Top 2 teams in the season are automatically to the Premier League. Many clubs are gunning for this prestigious status in the race to compete within English football's elite.

Playoff Tournament

Outside all our permutations, any side that finishes the season in 3rd to 6th goes into a playoff tournament called The Championship. The 3rd placed team faces the 6th placed team, whereas the 4th placed team takes on their opponents from fifth place in the two-legged semi-finals. The winners of each semi-final progress to a one-off match at Wembley Stadium, with the victor being promoted into the Premier League.

Premier League relegation and EFL League One promotion

Three teams are relegated from the Premier League, which creates room for fresh clubs to qualify and form part of the EFL Championship by promoting them through relegation from EFL League One. Teams playing in EFL League One can potentially earn promotion to the Championship, but those chances are few and far between, as very rarely does a team manage to finish at the top of the league or even win an automatic place via a playoff.

Additional Considerations and Exceptions

Historical Data

Since the Championship was restructured following Sheffield promotion in 2004, 56 clubs have graced England's second tier. The league is dynamic and has included teams moving up or down in the promotion/relegation process.

Expansion franchises and franchise moves

The Championship has used a consistent format with all the leagues, which have 24 competing teams. However, promotions and relegations out of the Premier League change team compositions, affecting qualification.

The Promotion-Relegation System Be Revised

The promotion and relegation system continues to be a crucial part of the strategy for producing the EFL Championship. The qualification process is part and parcel of this system, which means any changes to the numbers getting promoted or relegated from a division may impact it.

The qualification process has always been an important facet of English football for the EFL Championship. So it will continue to be in setting up dreams and goal-works out clubs up and down, indeed trying to evolve through the game's league system.

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