Harvey Vale reacts when asked if QPR can seal play-off spot | OneFootball

The Hoops are one of several Championship clubs who still hold top six aspirations for the remainder of the 2025-26 season

The race to finish in the Championship's play-offs spot is, as ever, incredibly competitive, with the majority of the division probably believing they've still got a chance of ending up in the final four come May.

With just nine points separating Derby County in sixth position and Charlton Athletic in 19th, the proof is in the pudding - the second tier of English football remains as open as ever, and with plenty of head-to-head's to come in the next few weeks, the table may look drastically different to what it does now.

One of those clubs that are in the mix is Queens Park Rangers, but it's safe to say that their chances could've been drastically improved if they hadn't slipped into a poor run of form in recent weeks.

The Hoops have won just two of their last 10 Championship contests, those coming against high-flying Coventry City and also against struggling Sheffield Wednesday, but four losses and four draws in that period has left the west London outfit perched in 13th position.

QPR's Harvey Vale issues Championship play-offs message

There is evidently plenty of work to do for QPR to make it into the top six, and it will probably mean not losing many more of their 14 games left before the end of the season.

A tough run of fixtures is coming up for Julien Stephan's side, starting with a trip to Hull City on Saturday, with Southampton, Sheffield United, Middlesbrough and Birmingham City all to play as well within the next five matches.

Despite this, R's midfielder Harvey Vale is insisting that the squad is still focused on making it into the play-offs at the end of the season - even with the form they've been showing.

"No, I don't think us players will ever give up on anything," Vale said on QPR podcast Hoops & Dreams.

"We know it's getting tougher with the way we've been playing recently, but also we know the league this year, and we know a bit of momentum, a few games and anything can happen.

"So, we've definitely not given up on anything, no."

QPR's tricky fixture schedule could make or break play-off hopes

There's no real sure thing of a fixture in the Championship this season, unless you're playing Sheffield Wednesday in recent times, but you perhaps wouldn't want QPR's upcoming run of games when you're chasing one of potentially just one open play-off spot.

Ipswich, Millwall and Hull could potentially get dragged back into the mix, but right now, it feels like sixth spot is the only one up for grabs, and with the attacking talents Hull have, the R's defence will have to be on alert this weekend.

It gets no easier though with a trip to Southampton, who can blow hot and cold, and then home clashes against Sheffield United and Middlesbrough, who have both been showing they're more-than capable of winning on the road.

One saving grace QPR and Stephan may have is the likes of Jonathan Varane and Ilias Chair returning from injury, but they could need players like Rumarn Burrell to also come back sooner rather than later to bolster their chances - they could theoretically be out of the running by the time the Jamaica international is off the treatment table.