AI grades all 24 EFL Championship clubs' home atmospheres out of 10 | OneFootball

AI ranks all 24 Championship home atmospheres from best to worst.

The 2025-26 Championship season will see an injection of fresh blood as well as the return of some familiar faces.

The promoted trio from last season in Ipswich Town, Southampton and Leicester City are all set to return for another season of second tier action, while the booming American-owned Birmingham City and Wrexham look to make their marks among the 24 teams.

One of Sunderland or Sheffield United will be condemned to another Championship term following the outcome of the second tier play-off final, while either Charlton Athletic or Leyton Orient will make up the final promoted spot as they contest the League One play-off final at Wembley.

It’s all set up to be another enthralling campaign of football, with travelling supporters expected to travel to so many stadiums throughout the nine-month long campaign.

With this in mind, AI has ranked and graded all 24 EFL Championship clubs’ home atmospheres out of 10.

Finishing bottom of the pile is Bristol City’s Ashton Gate, with the Robins looking to build on reaching the play-off semi-finals under Liam Manning.

Ashton Gate, which holds a capacity 27,000, is praised by AI for having a loyal fanbase but believes it is one of the quieter home atmospheres in the league.

With a ranking of 4/10, it’s a contentious point to make, given the raucous celebrations we saw in their last-gasp win over West Brom in the regular season and in the build-up to their play-off semi-final first leg against Sheffield United.

23 Ewood Park (4.5/10)

After a rocky start to life under Valerien Ismael, Blackburn Rovers rallied towards the end of the campaign but narrowly fell short of the top six.

AI ranks Ewood Park 4.5/10, taking on board the illustrious history of the stadium, but refers to the empty seats and low volume of atmosphere.

22 Kassam Stadium (4.5/10)

Oxford United’s Kassam Stadium makes up the bottom three, with the U’s looking to become an established Championship side after surviving in their opening season under Gary Rowett.

AI offered a rating of 4.5/10, condemning the odd layout of the ground and poor atmosphere unless there’s a derby game.

The Swansea.com Stadium gets another low ranking from AI, rating it 5/10.

The Welsh outfit's supporters are praised for their loyalty, but AI admits the atmosphere can be generally quite flat.

20 Loftus Road (5.5/10)

QPR are undergoing a change of management heading into the summer, with former Norwich boss Johannes Hoff Thorup expected to replace the outgoing Marti Cifuentes.

As far as Loftus Road goes, AI rates it 5.5/10, liking the compactness of the stadium, but believing the atmosphere can be inconsistent.

19 Carrow Road (5.5/10)

So used to bouncing immediately back to the Premier League, Norwich are entering their fourth straight season in the second tier after a disappointing mid-table finish.

AI has rated Carrow Road 5.5/10, noting the friendliness of the supporters but lacking a passionate cutting edge.

18 MKM Stadium (5.5/10)

Hull City will look to build on scrapping Championship survival under new management after recently parting ways with Ruben Selles.

AI rates the MKM Stadium a measly 5.5/10, referencing the usual emptiness of the stadium, with the atmosphere purely dependent on the Tigers’ form.

17 Vicarage Road (6/10)

Watford will also be playing under a new regime, with Paulo Pezzolano replacing Tom Cleverley.

According to AI, quiet spells are common at Vicarage Road, but the atmosphere levels can rise significantly during derby days, leading to a rating of 6/10.

16 Bet365 Stadium (6/10)

It’s been a disappointing seven seasons outside the Premier League for Stoke, with the Potters failing to record a top-half finish since their relegation back in 2018.

AI acknowledged the fiery atmosphere back in the top-flight days, but is now more subdued due to underwhelming performances, earning a rating of 6/10.

Coventry will be aiming to build on successive play-off appearances after a resurgence under Frank Lampard.

Due to the Sky Blues’ rise up the Championship table, AI has noticed the rise in support, but the atmosphere is still mixed throughout the season, leading to a rating of 6/10.