Charlie Austin names the 3 EFL Championship clubs that he thinks will get promoted | OneFootball

The former EFL goalscoring ace has issued his thoughts on this season's promotion picture

Two-time EFL Championship promotion-winner, Charlie Austin, has revealed the three sides which he thinks will return to the Premier League at the end of the 2026/27 season.

After all 24 sides in the second tier began their competitive seasons in the EFL Cup first round, league football is back on the agenda this weekend.

Last season only saw one of the sides relegated from the top-flight bounce back at the first time of asking, as Coventry City, Ipswich Town and Hull City achieved promotion.

However, many believe that this season will bring about one of the most exciting Championship promotion races in many years, not just because of the stature of the clubs expected to be competing at the top end of the table, but through the expansion of the play-offs.

Indeed, the teams who finish seventh and eighth will initially compete in 'eliminator' games against fifth and sixth, ahead of the customary semi-finals and final.

Charlie Austin pinpoints West Ham, Southampton and Middlesbrough as Championship promotion contenders

Action Images

Discussing the upcoming 46-game Championship season, Austin revealed that his three picks for automatic promotion and through the play-offs are West Ham United, his former club Southampton and last season's play-off finalists, Middlesbrough.

"West Ham are the obvious one. I expect them to go straight back up," he said via Play Nimbus.

back after what happened last season.

"Losing the play-off final to Hull in the last minute, with all the controversy around it, could be the fuel they need to have a real go this year," the former striker added.

West Ham United are the heavy EFL Championship title favourites

Action Images

Rather unsurprisingly, there has been plenty of discourse that West Ham will win the Championship at a canter under the management of Nuno Espirito Santo.

After his future appeared to be in jeopardy post-relegation, the Portuguese committed his immediate future to the Hammers, which was a huge boost given his prior exploits as a Championship-winning head coach with a star-studded Wolves side eight years ago.

Despite the expected sales of Crysencio Summerville and Mateus Fernandes, a huge positive has been the retention of Jarrod Bowen's experience, quality and leadership, whilst recently recruiting Manor Solomon from Tottenham Hotspur and being heavily linked with Arne Engels and Troy Parrott of Celtic and AZ Alkmaar, as well as the retention of club captain, Jarrod Bowen.

As such, many are backing the East London outfit to deal with the pressure of being heavy title favourites, which could see opponents massively raise their game, particularly at the London Stadium where over 50,000 season tickets have been sold.

Southampton and Middlesbrough's promotion chances in 2026/27

Action Images

Austin's two other promotion candidates were embroiled in the Spygate scandal which soured last season's play-offs, and Saints are likely to feel the effects of the EFL and the FA's independent investigations for a while.

One of the EFL's punishments sees Tonda Eckert's side start the season on minus-four points, although many, like Austin, believe that the German's side have the quality to wipe out said deficit rather quickly when looking at their early clashes on paper.

However, it remains to be seen whether Eckert will be in charge for the forseeable future, with it being reported that a ban, which the 33-year-old is preparing for, may not come into force until September.

Middlesbrough, meanwhile, are also being tipped to challenge the likes of West Ham and Wolves, with Kim Hellberg investing plenty of money into new signings such as Radek Vitek and Will Lankshear, whilst the Reds are still pursuing another high-profile move for Tottenham defender, Ashley Phillips.

Boro's main issue last season was a lack of clinicality, and if that can be addressed by Lankshear's arrival, as well as further attacking depth in Kyle Joseph, they might just be able to end a 10-year exile from the Premier League in May.