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England’s second tier contains some of the country’s best supported clubs and they will be pushing for a place in the top division
The Championship play-offs represent some of the most exciting and potentially lucrative matches in world football, with a place in the Premier League on offer.
Four teams battle it out for the coveted promotion prize and the tension can be unbearable as fans live in hope that their team can reach the promised land of English football.
With the race for the play-offs beginning to heat up, Goal brings you everything you need to know, including which teams are involved, when the games are, how to watch and more.
Contents
- What are the Championship play-offs?
- Which teams qualified for the Championship play-offs in 2020?
- When are the Championship 2020 play-offs?
- When & where is the 2020 Championship play-off final?
- Championship play-offs TV channel & live stream
- Who won last year’s Championship play-offs?
What are the Championship play-offs?
The Championship play-offs in England are a series of knock-out games which take place at the end of the Championship season in order to determine which team earns the final promotion to the Premier League.
While the top two teams in the division earn automatic promotion, the teams which finish third, fourth, fifth and sixth qualify for the play-offs.
A merit-based system is in place to pair the semi-final opponents, with third place playing sixth place in one semi-final and fourth place playing fifth place in the other semi-final.
The Championship semi-finals are two-legged affairs, but the away goals rule does not apply. The semi-final winners progress to the play-off final.
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Which teams qualified for the Championship play-offs in 2020?
A number of teams are in with a good chance of qualifying for the Championship play-offs this season, but things could easily change with just under half of the season’s games still to be played.
Leeds United and West Brom – who were involved in last season’s edition – are the division’s pace-setters at the summit. They will be aiming for automatic promotion.
Beneath those two there is a collection of teams fighting it out, including Brentford, Nottingham Forest, Fulham and Millwall, with the likes of Sheffield Wednesday and Hull City also in the mix.
Championship table 2019-20
| Pos | Team | MP | W | D | L | GD | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Leeds United | 26 | 15 | 7 | 4 | +22 | 52 |
| 2 | West Brom | 26 | 14 | 10 | 2 | +20 | 52 |
| 3 | Brentford | 26 | 13 | 4 | 9 | +21 | 43 |
| 4 | Nottingham Forest | 25 | 12 | 7 | 6 | +9 | 43 |
| 5 | Fulham | 26 | 12 | 6 | 8 | +10 | 42 |
| 6 | Millwall | 26 | 10 | 10 | 6 | +2 | 40 |
| 7 | Sheffield Wednesday | 26 | 11 | 6 | 9 | +11 | 39 |
| 8 | Hull City | 26 | 11 | 6 | 9 | +6 | 39 |
Last updated: January 2, 2020.
Key: (P) – secured promotion | (Q) – qualified for play-offs
It is a tight division and very little stands between most of the teams, so a few results could easily alter the complexion of the table.
Other sides such as Preston North End, Swansea City, Cardiff City and Bristol City will feel capable of mounting a play-off push, as will Blackburn Rovers, Reading and Queens Park Rangers.
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When are the Championship 2020 play-offs?
Championship play-off final
| Date | Team | Result | Team | Kick off time (BST) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| May 25 | TBC | – | TBC | 3pm |
The EFL has confirmed that the 2020 Championship play-off final will be played on Monday May 25. Kick-off time has not yet been confirmed, but a 3pm (10am ET) start is usual.
Championship play-off semi-finals
| Team | Agg. | Team | 1st Leg | 2nd Leg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| TBC | – | TBC | – | – |
| TBC | – | TBC | – | – |
Championship semi-final games usually take place the week after the conclusion of the regular Championship season.
The 2019-20 Championship league campaign wraps up on Saturday May 2, so games are likely to occur in the following weeks.
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When & where is the 2020 Championship play-off final?
The 2020 Championship play-off final will be played on Monday, May 25. Wembley Stadium in London is the traditional venue for the match.
Wembley is used for all EFL play-off finals with those for League One and League Two also taking place at the venue.
Affectionately known as ‘The Home of Football’ in England, Wembley is one of the biggest stadiums in the world and Championship play-off finals regularly attract bumper crowds.
The 2019 Championship play-off final between Aston Villa and Derby County, for example, drew an audience of 85,826.
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Championship play-offs TV channel & live stream
Sky Sports has exclusive broadcasting rights for the Championship in the UK and the play-offs will be shown live on Sky Sports Football. Sky Go is the channel’s online streaming service.
In the US, the ESPN network and its online streaming platform ESPN+ will be the sole outlets broadcasting the Championship play-offs.
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Who won last year’s Championship play-offs?
Aston Villa won the 2019 Championship play-offs after a 2-1 victory over Derby County.
Goals from Anwar El Ghazi and John McGinn either side of half-time were enough to see Villa to victory over the Rams, who threatened a comeback late in the second half when Jack Marriott found the net.
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Villa overcame West Brom in the semi-final to book their place in the final of the play-offs, while Derby defeated Marcelo Bielsa’s Leeds United – a team that had been fancied to win the division.
It was the Birmingham club’s second successive appearance in the play-off final, having lost the 2018 edition 1-0 to Fulham.
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