Where AI thinks all Midlands clubs will finish in their respective league in 26/27 | OneFootball

FLW gets ChatGPT to predict where every Midlands side will finish in 2026/27

The 2026/27 season gets underway in mid-August, and sides all across the country are gearing up for what they hope is a campaign filled with success.

Clubs in the Midlands have different goals to achieve come May, whether that be to finish in the Champions League, earn promotion or stave off relegation.

It's a long season, so to predict how each team will do is incredibly difficult. FLW have, therefore, consulted popular AI-based service ChatGPT to see how they feel each side across the Midlands will do in their respective divisions.

Aston Villa - 6th

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Aston Villa are well on their way to establishing themselves as one of the best teams in the top flight. Last year, they were among the early pace-setters alongside Arsenal and Manchester City.

Unai Emery's side may have fallen away from the title race, but they still had yet another top-four finish in the Premier League last season, and they paired that with lifting the Europa League, too.

However, a couple of years ago, when they were juggling the Champions League with the Premier League, they ended up finishing sixth, and AI feels that the same will happen again next season.

Nottingham Forest - 11th

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Nottingham Forest will be hoping for a little more stability next season in the dugout, especially, with Oliver Glasner marking their fifth manager in the space of a year.

Glasner has plenty of plaudits in England due to the work he did with Crystal Palace, leading them to the FA Cup and the Conference League in consecutive seasons, but ChatGPT aren't expecting him to make an immediate impact in the Premier League at the City Ground.

That being said, an 11th-placed finish would indicate no relegation battles this season, which would be a bonus after a rather shaky domestic campaign last year.

Coventry City - 17th

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Good news for Coventry City fans — AI believes that the Sky Blues' first Premier League campaign since the 2000/01 term will end in survival, which will be the main goal for Frank Lampard's side this year.

Coventry blitzed the second tier last season, winning the title on an impressive 95 points, 11 more than Ipswich Town in second, but we've seen teams dominate in the Championship and suffer immediate relegation recently.

So, to see Premier League football predicted to remain at the CBS Arena for 2027/28 could be seen as a surprise, but it'd be a great success for Coventry if it does.

Wolves - 2nd

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AI feels that there will be four sides in the Midlands in the Premier League in 2027/28, as they predict that Wolves will finish 2nd in their first second-tier campaign since 2017/18.

With a recent top-flight pedigree behind them, Wolves will have a clear advantage over their Championship peers this summer when it comes to budget and the ability to attract quality players — the latter already seen with the arrival of Kieran Trippier and the return of Raul Jimenez.

Cesar Peixoto is a relative unknown in the dugout, which could work against the Old Gold, but on the flip side, the Portuguese boss could adapt to English football like a duck to water, and this Wolves team could be impressive because of that.

Birmingham City - 5th

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This time last year, Birmingham City owner Tom Wagner was outlining his ambitions to go back-to-back into the Premier League, following their record-breaking League One campaign.

Therefore, a 10th-placed finish was incredibly underwhelming, and there'll be added pressure to push on and challenge for promotion at the second time of asking.

Chris Davies has gotten his feet under the Championship desk, and he'll be keen to add quality, rather than quantity, to his squad ahead of the curtain-raiser at Sheffield United.

Unfortunately, as mentioned earlier, only four Midlands sides will be present in the 2027/28 campaign. AI believes that Birmingham will finish in the play-offs, get to the final, but fall short at Wembley.

West Brom - 8th

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West Brom nearly fell out of the Championship in what could have been a disastrous campaign last year. Luckily enough, James Morrison's interim spell saw them safe ahead of the final day, even with a points deduction.

The Baggies kept seven clean sheets in an eight-game spell to help confirm their place in the second tier for this season, and Morrison has been awarded the permanent job, something which AI feels is the right decision.

West Brom are predicted to head back into the play-offs by finishing in eighth, but ChatGPT doesn't think it will end in a Premier League return.

Derby County - 12th

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Derby County's first full season under John Eustace was a massive success. The Rams will have had ambitions to be in a play-off battle under their manager at some point down the line, but not many would have expected it to be so soon.

Derby finished eighth, and if they maintain that position this season, they'll find themselves back in the postseason due to the expanded play-offs. Unfortunately, ChatGPT are predicting that won't be the case.

There's still quite a bit that the Rams need to do in the transfer window to replace some of their better performers last season who were on loan deals. That, plus the fact that the division is expected to be stronger due to those extra play-off spots, could lead to a slide down to 12th at Pride Park.

Stoke City - 15th

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Stoke City have made one of the biggest, most unexpected splashes in the transfer window so far this summer, signing Ethan Galbraith for up to £10 million from Swansea City.

The Northern Irishman joins Luke Graham, Djibril Soumare and Svante Ingelsson as new starting-level players, indicating that the Potters intend to try and move the needle a little in an attempt to climb into the top eight.

Unfortunately, with how competitive the Championship will be next season, it's another 15th-placed prediction for Stoke, marking their ninth successive year finishing between 14th and 18th in the second tier.

Leicester City - 1st

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Into League One now, and AI doesn't think there'll be any hangover from the recent double relegation for former Premier League champions Leicester City.

Despite the recent frustrations at the King Power Stadium, there's no doubting that the Foxes will have the biggest budget in the third tier next season, and they'll be able to attract players that none of their other League One peers can.

Russell Martin has shown that he knows how to create a dominant side when he has the right players to work with, and ChatGPT feels that the former Rangers boss will have that with Leicester.

Notts County - 9th

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A rather surprising prediction sees third-tier new boys Notts County finish 9th in their first League One campaign in 12 years.

The Magpies have been all the way down to the National League since they last played in this division in 2014/15, but are starting to climb back to where they feel they belong under Martin Paterson.

The League Two play-off final winners will have some work to do to make sure the squad is at the level required to compete in the third tier, and the primary goal will be to stay up. But AI feels that Notts will finish comfortably in the top half.