I've predicted the final 2026/27 EFL League One table - here's what it looks like | OneFootball

How's the 2026/27 third tier going to look come May? Here's a 1-24 prediction

League One is hard to predict at the best of times, but the 2026/27 campaign may genuinely be the strongest third-tier line-up we've seen in a very long time.

There are nine former Premier League sides in the division, one of whom was defending the title this time 10 years ago and ambition all across the board from clubs looking to get back to their former glory or make some history themselves.

This could very easily age poorly, and not every third-tier fan is going to like this list, as there are probably about 14 teams in League One who will have the play-offs as a realistic goal this season.

But with the third-tier campaign set to commence in a matter of weeks, here's how I feel things will shape out come May.

24 ? ? AFC Wimbledon

Action Images

AFC Wimbledon are a massive underdog when it comes to any League One campaign due to the fact they are fan-owned and are operating on a fraction of the budget that the majority of their third-tier peers are.

This year may be even more difficult, though, given how ambitious some of their fellow bottom-half dwellers from last season have been this summer, and the Dons face the threat of failing to keep up.

Johnnie Jackson's side suffered an almighty slide towards the end of last year to the point where they only secured survival on the penultimate day, despite having their eye on a top-half finish just months before. They can't afford the same to happen at any point next year, but I think it could, and I can't see them stopping up for a second year.

23 ? ? Bromley

Action Images

Bromley's third campaign ever in the EFL sees them go toe to toe with the likes of Leicester City and Sheffield Wednesday. It's been an incredible few years for Andy Woodman's side, but I can't see the good times continuing this year.

The Ravens have added a lot of players so far, and are likely not done yet, either, but club captain Jake Arthurs is a big miss, and they'll be banking on a lot of the new arrivals to find form after a few years in the wilderness, the likes of Victor Adeboyejo and Kamil Conteh, to pick up points.

They'll be competitive, and I don't think they'll finish rock bottom, but it'll be a struggle in their first third-tier campaign ever.

22 ? ? Burton Albion

Action Images

Burton Albion have skinned the cat on multiple occasions in the past few years, and last season actually finished higher than their consecutive 20th-placed campaigns in the two previous years.

But this summer has not been kind to Gary Bowyer. Top scorer Jake Beesley and club captain Udoka Godwin-Malife have both gone, as have a plethora of solid squad options.

A lot of squad turnover combined with a stronger-than-usual division may spell the end of the Brewers' nine-year stay in League One.

21 ? ? Cambridge United

Action Images

Cambridge United are no mugs. They're very solid defensively, didn't lose many games last season and in Neil Harris, they have a manager who knows how to raise standards and overachieve in the Championship.

But there have been a few disappointing departures. Josh Brophy has been a very good servant for the U's, and James Gibbons has gone to fellow promoted side Notts County, and at the moment, I'm not sure the squad is strong enough.

This is almost the last chance for Gassan Ahadme to prove he's League One level. He excelled the last time he was at the Abbey, so hopefully lightning can strike twice; otherwise it may be immediate relegation.

20 ? ? Peterborough United

Action Images

Peterborough United are in a bit of a pickle. They've lost 23 goals from their squad last season in just two departures, after Jimmy-Jay Morgan's loan spell ended and Kyrell Lisbie was sold to Millwall, and they've also lost one of the division's more consistent performers over the past few years in Archie Collins.

There is no doubt that Darragh MacAnthony will reinvest, though, and there'll be some players coming out of top-level youth academies and some non-league prodigies coming in to help continue the conveyor belt of players that Posh seems to have.

But there's always a risk that comes with that. Plus, it was seen towards the end of last season that, while incredibly attractive at times, Luke Williams' brand of football can see you concede around 70 across a season, while also potentially scoring 70, too.

It won't lead them down, I don't think, but there may be a bit of a scare at London Road come the back end of the season.

19 ? ? Notts County

Action Images

Notts County are back in League One for the first time since the 2014/15 campaign, and I think that feel-good factor of seeing third-tier football back at Meadow Lane could generate a good enough atmosphere to see the Magpies safe just on its own.

Big shoes need to be filled in the squad, though. Alassana Jatta, Jayden Luker and Tom Iorpenda all contributed massively in the run-in last year, and their replacements will need to be signalled out pretty early on in the season.

But I have faith that Martin Paterson and co can do that, with the head coach himself ready to prove he can coach at this level, after a pretty disastrous spell at Burton previously.

18 ? ? Barnsley

Action Images

Daniel Stendel's back at Barnsley, and while there's no doubting the good work he did at Oakwell back in the 2018/19 campaign, going unbeaten at home and collecting a club record 91 points, I'm not convinced history will come close to repeating itself this time round.

That Tykes squad eight years ago was ridiculously strong. Ethan Pinnock, Brad Potts, Alex Mowatt, Kieffer Moore, among plenty of other Championship-quality players, all helped the German boss break club records.

Unfortunately, the squad right now isn't very good, Reyes Cleary and Patrick Kelly aside. There are a lot of young, exciting players who could prove me wrong, but it could easily go the other way, and if either Cleary or Kelly leave, it's pretty worrying.

17 ? ? Stevenage

Action Images

Stevenage's run to the play-offs was incredible last year, and they did so with strong foundations and good coaching. Unfortunately, their main pivot man, Harvey White, has gone, as has one of those impressive centre-backs, Charlie Goode.

Terry Taylor and Terrence Vancooten look to be okay replacements, but those are big shoes to fill, and whether they'll be able to is still yet to be seen. And while goalscoring wasn't their forte last year, I feel they need better options up top if they're going to leak a few more, too.

A play-off hangover could be on the horizon for Alex Revell's side, and a lower mid-table finish could be the end result.

16 ? ? Wigan Athletic

Action Images

Gary Caldwell has built a strong reputation as a manager who can raise levels and oversee real development in players, but there are arguably a few too many questions about this Wigan Athletic side that stop them from warranting a push towards the top half.

Losing one of the league's best goalkeepers in Sam Tickle, their club captain in Jason Kerr, their player of the year in Callum Wright and their top scorer in Joe Taylor, albeit the latter two were on loan, is not the best way to kick off a transfer window.

And at the moment, a returning Max Power aside, there are a lot of young arrivals and a big question about where the goals are coming from.

Gary Caldwell has overseen the rapid development of Sam Nombe and Jayden Wareham in recent years following dud spells elsewhere. Perhaps Dara Costelloe or Sonny Perkins could follow in their footsteps. Until that materialises, though, a safe 16th.

15 ? ? Blackpool

Action Images

Blackpool come into the new League One campaign looking to capitalise on the wave of momentum they generated in the final months of the campaign, which saw them finish 13th, despite being pretty dire for large parts.

Ilmari Niskanen was one of the better wingbacks in the division last season at Exeter City, despite their relegation, and other new arrivals thus far, the likes of Dion Charles, Karoy Anderson and Jordan Williams, are all solid players who have played at the top end of the third tier before.

Their defence still worries me, though. Michael Ikiekwe and Fraser Horsfall were injured for large parts last year, and Bailey Peacock-Farrell, while solid in parts towards the end of the year, doesn't convince me as a play-off-level goalkeeper.

The injury issues elsewhere, plus the general strength of the division, have them in the bottom half again, but as I prefaced, around 14 teams probably see the play-offs as attainable.