AI predicts the year when each of the 24 EFL Championship clubs could be playing in the Champions League | OneFootball

When are all 24 clubs likely to be playing in European football's prestigious competition?

The Championship has been a recent home for some of English football's 'fallen giants', who have since gone on to make great strides of progress in the subsequent years.

Two-time European Cup winners Nottingham Forest had spent 14 seasons in the second tier between 2008 and 2022 before going on to feature in Europe for the first time since 1996 this season, whilst Aston Villa and Newcastle United - both of whom were relegated from the Premier League in 2016-have both featured in the UEFA Champions League in the past three seasons under Eddie Howe and Unai Emery.

The current make-up of the Championship is certainly intriguing and makes for an unpredictable campaign, with so many clubs investing heavily in playing squads and facilities in a bid to achieve promotion.

Whilst the division remains one of the hardest to predict in world football, it isn't as unpredictable as the future. FLW recently asked AI which year each of the 24 sides could return, or, gain promotion to the Premier League, and now we have gone a step further in asking for claims of when each club could feature in the Champions League - undoubtedly the most prestigious club competition in football.

Birmingham City - 2038

According to AI, it could take up to 13 years for Birmingham City to grace the Champions League stage.

That is despite the club's well-documented plans to move into a 62,000-seater stadium by 2030 after being heavily bankrolled by Knighthead Capital Management, whilst the likes of NFL icon Tom Brady are also heavily involved in its day-to-day running.

Blues fans will certainly hope otherwise after not featuring in Europe since the 2011/12 season whilst being a Championship side, whilst their aforementioned bitter rivals continue to cement themselves as regular competitors.

Blackburn Rovers - 2038

Blackburn Rovers have competed in the Champions League on one occasion, albeit their disastrous defence of the Premier League title in 1995/96 also translated into their continental form, winning just one of six games against Spartak Moscow, Legia Warsaw and Rosenborg.

After a tumultuous period for the club, AI believes the East Lancashire outfit could return to the prestigious competition 43 years later after steadily returning to, and progressing up the top-flight beforehand.

Bristol City - 2040

AI claims that Bristol City are at least 15 years away from featuring amongst the best clubs in Europe, despite having the infrastructure of a top-flight club.

It states, much like many supporters, that the Robins have to be much more consistent on the league front to back up the hefty investment pumped in by the Lansdown family over the past two decades, with the West Country side featuring outside the top-flight ever since 1980.

This could have been achieved much quicker if Saudi boxing tycoon, Turki Alalshikh, continued to hold an interest in taking over the club. However, such developments were recently quashed.

Charlton Athletic - 2042

The closest Charlton Athletic have come to featuring in Europe's best competitions were through two Anglo-Italian Cup campaigns in the early 1990s.

With the club enduring an extremely mixed 30-year period since, AI states that the club have to maintain their current stability for a prolonged period before even entertaining the thought of eventually pushing for promotion back to the Premier League and beyond.

As such, it is predicted that the earliest the Valley could host Champions League football is 2042.

Coventry City - 2032

However, the same cannot be said for Coventry City, who have been tipped to welcome some of Europe's best to the CBS Arena by 2032.

The Sky Blues' upward rise from the depths of League Two has been well-documented, with many believing Frank Lampard could end a 25-year spell away from the top-flight at the end of the season.

Unsurprisingly, AI expects City to return to the top division as swiftly as possible before making gradual improvements and becoming established European contenders.

Derby County - 2038

Derby County enjoyed two European Cup campaigns under Brian Clough and Dave Mackay in 1972/73 and 1975/76 respectively, although such heady days feel a long way away at present.

AI believes that the Rams are steadily recovering from their previous financial issues, with a Premier League return expected in the not too distant future, before making steady strides up the top-flight, leading to a Champions League campaign in 13 years' time.

Hull City - 2035

Hull City's past ventures into European football were extremely brief, with the Tigers being knocked out of the UEFA Europa League at the play-off stage in 2014 after reaching the FA Cup final.

Owner, Acun Ilicali, has made it no secret that he hopes the Yorkshire side can emulate and go one better than such achievements with his investment, and that is certainly taken into account by AI.

It has been predicted that Champions League football could be played at the MKM Stadium in 2035, with Hull a 'dark horse' to watch out for in the coming years.

Ipswich Town - 2030

Ipswich Town's European history has been well-documented, with the club winning the UEFA Cup in 1980/81 under the legendary Sir Bobby Robson.

Kieran McKenna has recently woken up the Tractor Boys from their prior slumber, with AI predicting a potential top-five finish in the Premier League within the next five years should the Northern Irishman and the Portman Road hierarchy stick to what is a sustainable model when it comes to achieving long-term success.

Leicester City - 2027

Leicester City supporters sampled the excitement of the Champions League just nine years ago after their against-all-odds Premier League triumph.

The Foxes made it as far as the quarter-finals before losing out to Atletico Madrid, and AI believes the East Midlands could see those days return in no time.

That's because it believes high-profile encounters will be back on the agenda by 2027, meaning that, after achieving promotion, Marti Cifuentes' side would once again take the top-flight by storm.

Middlesbrough - 2032

Middlesbrough supporters are often found reminiscing about the 2000s, during which the Teesside outfit were relatively successful by winning the EFL Cup in 2004 and making the 2006 UEFA Cup final.

With Steve Gibson continuing to plough his millions into his boyhood club as they look to return to their former glories, AI believes the Riverside Stadium could play host to Champions League nights by the year 2032 if their expected trajectory comes to fruition.