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Leg 1 Results of the Championships Play-Offs
Bristol City 0- 3 Sheffield United
Coventry City 1 – 2 Sunderland
When is the 2nd leg of the Championship semi-finals?
Sheffield United vs Bristol City: Monday 12/5.2025 @ 20:00.
Sunderland vs Coventry City: Tuesday 13/05/2025 @ 20:00.
Who's in the Championship Play Offs?
The EFL Championship regular season comes to a close and that means one thing: the Championship Play Offs are here! After an exciting last game day for 6 teams that could have potentially got a position in the converted play offs, let’s go over who made it:
Sheffield United
Sunderland
Coventry City
Bristol City
The stage has been set for the race for the final promotion place to the Premier League.
The first Championship Play Off semi-final is between Bristol City and Sheffield United on Thursday 8th of May at 8:00PM.
Coventry City and Sunderland play their first leg on Friday 9th of May at 8:00PM.
The second legs of the semi-final of the Championship Play offs are on Monday 12th of May at 8:00PM and then Tuesday 13th of May at 8:00 as well.
The final of the play offs is scheduled for Saturday 24th of May and the time is yet to be confirmed!
A deep dive into the Championship Play Offs teams
Sheffield United
This will be bitter-sweet for the Blades as they were after an automatic promotion spot for most of the season. A drastic dip in form over the last month let them down and their loss to Burley was the final nail in the coffin. Blades fans do have a right to be worried as their history with the play offs is quite frankly shocking. They've had eight attempts at the play-offs and have come up short all eight times. But, you can never say never so who knows maybe this will be the year the Blades change their luck!
Sunderland
Sunderland's turn around from last season has been impressive to say the least. From 16th to now 4th, and even topping the table for a couple of weeks this season has been one of their best campaigns. They last appeared in the top flight in 2016/17 where they finished 20th and were relegated to the Championship. Then their bag luck struck again, and they were relegated down to League 1 the season after and stayed there for 4 seasons. Le Bris' side will be gunning for the last spot up to the Premier League.
Coventry City
The Sky Blue's have had a remarkable season under Frank Lampard, (who was appointed at the start of the season). Coventry was 17th when Lampard took over, he turned the team around and was rewarded 5th place and a spot in the championship play offs. They even broke the attendance record on their last game of the regular season, with 31,452! The next challenge is the can they beat Sunderland and get to the play off finals?
Bristol City
For the first time in 17 years Bristol City has reached the championship play offs. The long awaited opportunity to propel themselves up to the Premier League. Bristol City has never played in the Premier League, so this will truly go down in the history books if they can win first against Sheffield and then come out victorious in the championship play off final.
The English Championship must be one of (if not THE) most exciting football leagues in the world. 24 teams battle each year for 3 to get promoted to the Premier League and another 3 to be relegated to League 1. Once the regular season comes to an end, places 3-6 will battle for the 3rd promotion spot. The four teams will take part in one of the most exciting times of the football season; the EFL Championship Play Offs! So, let’s go over what the play offs are, how they work, who’s in contention and everything else you could possibly want to know.
What are the Championship Play Offs?
The Championship Play Offs are essentially a knockout-style tournament that takes place at the end of the season. Four teams (places 3rd to 6th) have one last chance to make it up to top-flight English football, the Premier League, along with the top 2 finishers of the Championship (in this case Leeds United and Burnley).
How does the Championship Play Offs work?
The battle to secure a place in the Championship Play Offs is exciting to say the least! Once the Championship regular season reaches its conclusion on the 3rd of May, all eyes will be on the Championship Play Offs. The first leg will be hosted on the 8th of May between the teams that finished 6th and 3rd, and on the following day 5th and 4th will play each other in the other semi-final. Each tie consists of two legs, both teams hosting each other.
Winners, like any football tournament, will be determined on the aggregate (overall) score between the two games. If there is a draw, then it will progress to extra time, and again if the score has not changed on the second leg the game will end in penalties to determine the winner – how exciting!
Once the semi-finals come to an end and there are two teams that have come out victorious from the Championship Play Offs semi-finals, they will meet at the iconic Wembley Park on neutral ground to play in a singular winner-takes-all game!
The team victorious will be promoted up to the Premier League and the other will stay down in the Championship for next season.
Who’s already up to the Premier League?
At the top of the table, Leeds United and Burnley have already secured their 2025/26 Premier League status for next season. Both Leeds and Burnley have been outstanding this Championship season; both winning 27 games in total and gaining over a whopping 90 points to be promoted. Both possess an impressive goal difference of Leeds at +60, Burnley at +51. They have both been a formidable side, making it hard to watch if you’re the opponent or struck with love if you’re a fan!
The question on everyone’s mind will turn now to: can they stay up? Unlike the past two years where all three teams that were promoted from the Championship have come straight back down to the Championship the following season.
Who are the contenders for the Championship Play Offs?
Sheffield United and Sunderland have already qualified for the Championship Play Offs, but there are still 2 other spots up for grabs. But this is where things get interesting – Bristol City, Coventry, Millwall, Blackburn, and Middlesbrough are all in contention for the last two spots of the top six! With only 3 points between the 5 clubs battling it out, it means the last match is all to play for.
The last day of the EFL Championship games for the top six contenders:
- Bristol City vs Preston
- Burnley vs Millwall
- Coventry vs Middlesbrough
- Sheffield United vs Blackburn
Schedule and Play Offs
The final day of the Championship is the 3rd of May, and all the games will kick off at 12:30.
The semi-final first legs will be played on the 8th and 9th of May. The second legs will then take place on the 12th and 13th of May.
The Championship Play Off Final will be held at Wembley on Sunday 25th May 2025.
How to Watch the Championship Play Offs
You can catch the Championship Play Offs 2025 live on Sky Sports Football. If you’re in the UK, that’s your go-to channel. Highlights will also be available on Quest and via the EFL’s official YouTube channel. Overseas viewers will need to check local broadcasters or streaming services.
Who won last year?
Last season, it was Southampton who triumphed in the Championship Play Off Final after a dramatic game against Leeds United. That victory marked Southhampton’s rise back into the Premier League – although that hasn’t gone the way they planned. They are equal to the worst points in Premier League with Derby County at only 11 points, yikes!
How much is winning the Championship Play Offs worth?
Believe it or not – it’s often called the most valuable match in football – and for good reason! Winning the Championship Play Off Final can be worth up to £170 million to the victorious club, factoring in Premier League broadcasting revenue, sponsorship, and commercial bonuses, and everything else. That’s why the pressure is so high – one game to change the financial future of an entire club.
Championship Play Offs: Final Thoughts
The EFL Championship Play Offs 2025 are shaping up to be one of the most dramatic in years. With clubs like Sheffield United and Sunderland ready to stake their claim, and a five-team shootout for the final two spots, the race is on.
Whether you’re backing a promotion outsider, watching closely for your sports betting picks, or just along for the thrill of it all – there’s nothing quite like the play off championship drama. Bookmark those Championship Play Off dates 2025 as you do not want to miss this!
