Where AI thinks Sheffield Wednesday would finish in League One next season | OneFootball

AI has predicted where Sheffield Wednesday will finish in League One during the 2026/27 season, with relegation from the Championship a near-certainty

Despite collecting yet another point on Monday during a 0-0 draw with Blackburn Rovers to end 2025, Sheffield Wednesday are incredibly likely to be relegated from the Championship to League One.

The Owls have been deducted 18 points, but they would be bottom of the table without that. Norwich City sit in 23rd with 21 points, but Sheffield Wednesday have secured 11 points via a win and eight draws.

The current tally of minus seven has them 32 adrift of safety with 23 games to go. It's why Opta has rated them as 100% likely to drop down to the third tier after three seasons of Championship football.

It will be their seventh season at that level since relegation from the Premier League back in 2000, but the club will be grateful to even begin another campaign as an EFL club. It also begs the question over whether they will be capable of bouncing back to the second tier at the first time of asking.

As such, Football League World asked AI-based chatbot, ChatGPT, where Wednesday are likely to finish in League One next season, with relegation almost a certainty already. As one of the biggest clubs outside of the top flight, will they be able to gain promotion automatically, via the play-offs, or not at all?

Sheffield Wednesday tipped for a mid-table season in League One in 2026/27

AI suggests that projecting Sheffield Wednesday's League One finish for 2026/27 comes down to squad quality, off-field stability, and how quickly they are able to rebuild.

It states: "Despite being a large club historically, Wednesday’s current situation isn’t like a typical relegated team with parachute money or a largely intact squad. They’ve lost key players and face continued uncertainty around ownership and recruitment. That reduces the chance of an immediate bounce-back.

"Given League One’s competitiveness — with strong mid-table clubs, ambitious relegated sides, and others pushing for promotion — Wednesday may be more likely to finish mid-table (around 8th–12th) rather than an automatic promotion spot. League One is traditionally a 'snake pit' of relatively even squads, meaning recovery isn’t straightforward even for a big club."

It explains why automatic promotion is unlikely, stating that financial constraints may limit quality signings compared with rivals, a squad rebuild will take time and players used to Championship level might leave and leave gaps to fill, and also that managerial and off-pitch instability could hamper consistency early in the season.

In terms of a 'best realistic scenario', they suggest a play-off push. But that is only if new leadership stabilises the club and smart recruitment brings in hungry, effective players. That could see a 5th–8th place finish.

They conclude that the likely finish in season one will be mid-table (8th–12th), with a play-off place as an optimistic outcome. However, Immediate automatic promotion feels a stretch due to their unique challenges — unlike typical relegated clubs with retention advantages, Wednesday’s rebuilding process likely costs them ground before they can mount a serious promotion challenge.

AI's view of Sheffield Wednesday's situation is unfair

On the face of it, it's hard to disagree with the assessment as we close out 2025 and enter 2026. However, the club's financial situation and outlook off-field could change overnight into a far more positive situation.

There are only two clubs averaging over 20,000+ attendances in League One, but a new ownership and new dawn could have a galvanising impact with the fans and lead to incredible numbers of fans at Hillsborough and for a third tier side.

That alone would help the club's situation on and off the pitch as well, with the players knowing they can make Hillsborough a fortress. The right buyer may also be able to spend at a rate which allows them to retain their current best stars and sign genuine quality for the level.

Once the off-field concerns are behind them, the picture will become clearer for Wednesday. It's entirely plausible that AI will have its mind change, should that situation resolve itself soon. They will also hope that other 'big sharks' like Cardiff City, Bolton Wanderers, and Huddersfield Town are out of the league, too.