The EFL and Championship clubs have approved plans to expand the second-tier play-offs to six teams from next season.
A statement from the Football League has confirmed the changes: “At a General Meeting today, EFL Clubs approved changes to expand the number of teams competing in the Sky Bet Championship Play-Offs from four to six, starting in the 2026/27 season.
“The decision is intended to increase the number of competitive fixtures during the closing stages of the campaign, while also giving two additional Clubs the opportunity to reach the Play-Off Final at Wembley Stadium and progress to the Premier League.”
Under the new format, the teams who end the Championship campaign seventh and eighth will enter the play-offs.
Those teams will travel to the fifth and sixth-placed sides for one-legged quarter-final ties, with the winners meeting the third and fourth-placed teams from the league season in the semi-finals. The semi-finals will remain two-legged ties, with the victors facing off in the play-off final at Wembley.
The changes to the Championship play-offs will be introduced next season.
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