AI simulated the 2025/26 EFL Championship season 100 times – These 8 clubs got promoted most often | OneFootball

FLW asked AI which sides would most likely return to the Premier League out of 100 season simulations

The 2025/26 Championship season is proving as competitive as ever in its early weeks, with so many clubs harbouring ambitions of reaching the Premier League.

Throughout the off-season right up to the closure of the summer transfer window on September 1st, a multitude of exciting and high-profile signings had been made by an array of clubs looking to mount a sustained promotion or play-off bid at the very least.

There have been some surprise packages among the early-season pace-setters, with Middlesbrough getting the Rob Edwards era off to a flyer following his pre-season appointment at the Riverside Stadium, whilst clubs such as Wrexham, who conducted a record-breaking squad overhaul, and Sheffield United have got off to rather underwhelming or disastrous starts respectively.

As is so often the case, plenty of twists and turns are expected to unfold throughout the remainder of the second-tier campaign, which makes it one of the most gripping divisions across the entirety of world football.

With that being said, Football League World has asked AI chatbot, ChatGPT, to simulate the current campaign 100 times over, in a bid to find the eight clubs who were promoted the most during said findings.

West Bromwich Albion - 1 promotion

It has been an extremely impressive start to the real-life campaign for West Bromwich Albion under the new management of Ryan Mason. However, out of the 100 seasons simulated by AI, the Baggies were only promoted back to the Premier League on a solitary occasion.

Albion ended last season in ninth - four points outside the play-offs - after finishing inside the top six the previous season, as owner Shilen Patel hopes to oversee the club's return to the top-flight for the first time since 2021 sooner rather than later.

It remains to be seen whether the West Midlands outfit can maintain their early-season form as the season progresses, making a number of shrewd signings, yet they also lost the services of last season's joint-best assist maker in the Championship, Tom Fellows, to Southampton for a maximum of just £10m

Swansea City - 3 promotions

In the 100-time simulation, AI then saw Swansea City end their lengthy top-flight exile on three occasions, having only come close to doing so on two prior occasions since their relegation back in the 2017/18 campaign.

It is an exciting new era in this part of South Wales in what is Alan Sheehan's first full season in charge, with global superstars such as Snoop Dogg and Luka Modrić also becoming stakeholders.

The Swans have endured a mixed start to the season after finishing 11th last time out, with the Irishman making a handful of eye-catching transfers in the form of Zeidane Inoussa, Adam Idah, Cameron Burgess, Manuel Benson and Malick Yalcouye.

Leicester City - 9 promotions

The final side to achieve a single-figure number of promotions to the Premier League in AI's mega simulation is newly-relegated Leicester City, who have made a steady start to life under Marti Cifuentes.

After losing several experienced and high-profile names following a solitary campaign back in the top flight and the backdrop of a potential points deduction due to alleged Profit and Sustainability (PSR) breaches, the Foxes have immediately signalled their intent to remain a strong force in the second-tier regardless.

Spearheaded by the dynamism of right-winger Abdul Fatawu and the exciting teenage duo of Jeremy Monga and Louis Page, AI thinks that the East Midlands side would be promoted nine times out of a possible 100.

Ipswich Town - 13 promotions

Moving into double-figures when it comes to promotion outcomes, AI has Ipswich Town achieving a first-time promotion back to the Premier League 13 times.

The Tractor Boys were, unsurprisingly, a popular choice for automatic promotion or even the Championship title among EFL pundits and supporters, such is the strength-in-depth at Kieran McKenna's disposal.

Ipswich's financial power in comparison to many divisional rivals was also proven by the second-tier's record incoming of £17.5m for Sindre Walle Egeli in August, whilst the likes of Jaden Philogene - who netted a recent hat-trick against Sheffield United - Jack Clarke, Sammie Szmodics, Chuba Akpom and George Hirst further echo the attacking firepower that remains at Portman Road.

After a slow start to the campaign in real life, Town will be hoping their recent demolition of the Blades can be a springboard to eventual success.

Coventry City - 55 promotions

AI has taken a major jump in terms of promotion probabilities for the next side, with Frank Lampard achieving a first promotion of his managerial career 55 times out of 100 with Coventry City.

Once again, the Sky Blues have been predicted to challenge for promotion after the ex-Chelsea midfielder and boss masterminded a major surge up the table in his first half-season in charge, eventually losing to Sunderland in the play-off semi-finals in agonising fashion over two legs.

Many wouldn't be surprised to see City return to the Premier League for the first time since 2001 either, with Lampard's side the early-season 'entertainers' in the Championship, scoring an abundance of goals which included putting five and seven past Derby County and Queens Park Rangers respectively.

Stoke City - 64 promotions

Stoke City were the side promoted the third-highest number of times in AI's simulation, returning to the Premier League 64 times in Mark Robins' first full season in charge at the Bet365 Stadium.

The Potters have started the current campaign in exceptionally strong form after years of stagnation, failing to finish above 16th place since their return to the EFL seven years ago.

However, the man who reached the Championship play-off final and FA Cup semi-final in less than 12 months during his time at Coventry is clearly having a major impact after a pre-season in Staffordshire, with several incomings such as Sorba Thomas, Divin Mubama, Aaron Cresswell and Tomas Rigo already impressing, whilst the likes of Million Manhoef, Bosun Lawal and Viktor Johansson have also enjoyed strong starts to their individual campaigns.

Middlesbrough - 67 promotions

As previously mentioned, the Edwards era at Middlesbrough couldn't have started much better.

That is despite several calls that Boro would get off to a slow start, having taken their time to appoint the 42-year-old in place of Michael Carrick in June after the Reds ended last season in extremely underwhelming fashion.

The North East side have conducted a major squad overhaul across all departments, and AI believes such goings-on will continue to pay dividends for the ex-Luton Town boss, with it being predicted that Middlesbrough would end their hiatus from the Premier League on 67 occasions throughout the simulation.

Bristol City - 86 promotions

However, the club with the most promotions achieved throughout AI's simulation is Bristol City, who were promoted 86 times out of 100.

The Robins achieved a first play-off berth at Championship level since 2008 last time out, eventually suffering a 6-0 aggregate humiliation at the hands of Sheffield United.

Since then, Liam Manning, who departed for Norwich City, has been replaced by Austrian boss Gerhard Struber, who is aiming to play a major part in yet another promotion campaign, having been instrumental in FC Koln's return to the Bundesliga before being abruptly dismissed prior to the season's end.

With the Austrian getting the best out of Anis Mehmeti, Scott Twine and Emil Riis in the opening weeks of the campaign, as well as a solid rearguard including Manchester United loanee, Radek Vitek, there is strong cause for optimism that the Robins can return to the top-flight for the first time since 1979/80.