AI Supercomputer predicts the top 8 in the 26/27 EFL Championship table | OneFootball

Who does AI think will make the newly-implemented top-eight for the 2026/27 Championship campaign?

The promotion race in the upcoming 2026/27 campaign will undertake a stunning new twist following the decision to expand towards a top-eight, changing the play-off picture entirely and enabling two more sides to compete for a place in the Premier League.

Back in March, it was revealed that EFL clubs had voted to expand the play-offs from four to six teams, with the drastic change set to come into effect for the new season and beyond.

The reformatting will see the third and fourth-placed teams immediately head towards the play-off semi-finals, while one-legged quarter-final fixtures will be contested by the other top-eight sides with fifth to host eighth and seventh to travel to sixth.

Although the abandonment of the tried-and-trusted top-six model may require some getting used to, it ultimately promises to bring even more play-off drama to the Championship ahead of yet another enthralling and unpredictable campaign of second-tier football.

The race for promotion will now be rather different, and with more teams capable of earning a shot at promotion to the top-flight, it had FLW thinking - what could the newly-implemented top-eight look like by May 2027?

With that in mind, FLW has consulted AI-based chatbot, ChatGPT, to predict the sides that will end up finishing inside the EFL's first-ever top-eight next season.

8 ? ? Cardiff City

In what would perhaps represent the 2026/27 season's most significant surprise, AI has predicted newly-promoted Cardiff City to finish in eighth position after returning to the Championship at the very first time of asking under Brian Barry-Murphy.

The Bluebirds earned promotion from League One with a swashbuckling brand of front-footed possession-based football, and the combination of a clear and progressive stylistic identity with tangible upwards momentum is exactly why Barry-Murphy's men have been listed as dark-horse outsiders for a shock play-off finish.

Cardiff are expected to have an ambitious end to the summer transfer window, in which they have been quiet to date, with further quality required to supplement a young and exciting squad featuring a nucleus of homegrown academy starlets such as Cian Ashford, Joel and Rubin Colwill, Ronan Kpakio and Dylan Lawlor.

Carefully blending youthful exuberance with experience, Cardiff can also boast a plethora of players who have previously flourished at Championship level in Perry Ng, Gabriel Osho, Yousef Salech and Chris Willock.

Should the Bluebirds enjoy the final few weeks of the summer window that fans are anticipating, then a surprise play-off charge may not be completely out of the question.

7 ? ? Millwall

Millwall, meanwhile, are predicted to remain in the play-offs next season, albeit with a drop in positions that would see them lean upon the top-eight expansion to stay in promotion contention.

The Lions cruelly missed out on automatic promotion by just a single point behind Ipswich Town before crashing out of the play-offs to Hull City, who finished ten points behind Alex Neil's side but would go on to defeat Middlesbrough in the final against all odds.

However, the Championship does feel poised to be more competitive across the board next time out, and that's perhaps why AI predicts a marginal drop-off could be in store at The Den.

That's despite Millwall undertaking a rather eye-catching summer window, which has seen the likes of Tairyk Arconte, Kyrell Lisbie and Mathis Servais all arrive in south-east London as part of a squad rebuild - with numerous players also leaving the ranks of last term's play-off semi-finalists.

AI has cited Millwall's gritty organisation and formidable home advantage, both of which ensure opponents rarely receive an easy encounter, although their season could ultimately depend on the future of Femi Azeez.

The Nigerian international was electric last term by registering 11 goals and seven assists, but with FLW exclusively revealing recent interest from Hull, Millwall's resolve could be about to get tested and their biggest priority is retaining his sought-after services for another year.

6 ? ? Derby County

As for Derby County, John Eustace has been predicted to avenge his side's last-grasp failure to break into the top-six with a sixth-placed finish next season.

The Rams were transformed during Eustace's first full campaign, going from relegation battlers to promotion contenders and only missing out on the final play-off place by four points on the final day of last season.

You do get the feeling that Derby's ascent under Eustace is only going to continue, though, with a palpable feel-good factor now back at Pride Park and plenty of backing in the window also afforded to the ex-Blackburn Rovers boss.

Both Bobby Clark and Sammie Szmodics have returned to Derby this summer after successful loan spells, whereas the arrival of German attacking midfielder Filip Bilbija remains hugely exciting in the wake of a 15-goal haul for Bundesliga.2 side Paderborn last time out.

On the pitch, AI has noted Derby's defensive structure and organisation, although they do have key difference-makers up the field in Bilbija, Clark and Carlton Morris - even if more quality is still required, especially with USMNT international striker Patrick Agyemang not set to return until the turn of the year.

Nonetheless, the Rams appear to be a safe bet for a play-off finish next season as Eustace bids to take his side closer to a long-awaited Premier League return.

5

The real surprise here may just be that Middlesbrough have only been predicted to finish in fifth and not even higher, such is both the excitement and the expenditure at the Riverside Stadium right now.

That's exactly where Kim Hellberg's men finished last term before making it to Wembley and losing in the play-off semi-finals, though it was widely-felt that Boro could have secured automatic promotion with a more reliable goal-getter leading the line ahead of Tommy Conway and David Strelec.

Both have their merits, but Middlesbrough have laid bare their intentions by shelling out an initial £10 million to Tottenham Hotspur on Will Lankshear, which could eventually rise to £20 million subject to add-on criteria being met.

The 21-year-old striker scored 11 times on loan in a relegated Oxford United side, and will be expected to strengthen that return surrounded by more attacking quality under a head coach who favours a high-octane brand of attacking football.

Away from Lankshear, Middlesbrough have turned heads with the capture of Sebastian Berhalter and are poised to bring a third USMNT international to Teesside in Colombus Crew utility man Max Arfsten, while menacing forward Kyle Joseph will bring a new and handy dimension to Hellberg's frontline after joining from Hull.

Boro haven't shied away from splashing the cash after reluctantly sanctioning Hayden Hackney's initial £16 million move to Everton, and while the 2025/26 Championship Player of the Season leaves big boots to be filled in the midfield engine room, the Teessiders should promise to be a force to be reckoned with next time out and have a real chance of going all the way.

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Many predicted Burnley to be straight back down to the Championship for 2026-27, especially after both Sunderland and Leeds United seemed to leave them behind when it came to last summer's transfer business - it was no surprise therefore when the Clarets' relegation was confirmed as early as late April.

Changes are afoot at Turf Moor this summer. Chairman Alan Pace took a while to replace Scott Parker in the dugout, and he landed on Belgian coach Nicky Hayen, taking him from Genk to spearhead the East Lancashire side's potential return to the top flight of English football.

There's been little in the way of major transfer activity so far though for Burnley - first-team players such as Maxime Esteve, Loum Tchaouna, Jaidon Anthony and Luca Koleosho have all departed for eight-figure sums, and that should give Hayen the funds to strengthen his side in the final month of the window.

The supercomputer, in choosing Burnley as finishing in fourth positions, believes that 'the talent is unquestionably there' in Hayen's squad, and that they could feasibly finish as high as second, but they could also be as low as seventh depending on more departures and how suitable the Belgian is for the managerial role.

Keeping the likes of Zian Flemming at the club will be important, but even if Burnley did not add anyone significantly new to their squad, it looks ready-made for a promotion challenge once more.

3 ? ? Wolves

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It felt like Rob Edwards was on a hiding to nothing when he was appointed as Wolves head coach last November, ending his stint at Middlesbrough very prematurely to return to a club that was close to his heart.

The general consensus was that Edwards was being brought in with a view to Championship football next season, given the Midlands outfit's shocking start to 2025-26, and when their drop to the second tier was confirmed, Wolves looked to have their plans in place.

So, it was a real shock when in early June, after the signings of Raul Jimenez and Kieran Trippier had already arrived through the door, speculation broke that Edwards was set to lose his job in favour of Portuguese coach Cesar Peixoto - a development which was confirmed shortly after.

It was a turbulent few days at Molineux for sure, but things have settled down now, and the only significant exit from Molineux has been Joao Gomes, who has joined Aston Villa, yet the likes of Andre, Ladislav Krejci, Mateus Mane and others remain - for now at least.

If Wolves keep hold of their stars, then the AI Supercomputer believe they'll be one of the strongest teams in the Championship, and could even potentially finish in the top two, but in this prediction, they'll have to settle for third.

2 ? ? Southampton

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Controversy is still lingering around St Mary's Stadium regarding Southampton's actions at the end of last season, with 'Spygate' taking over all the back pages of the newspapers, and it subsequently cost the club their place in the Championship play-off final.

Since then, Tonda Eckert has kept his job as Saints head coach, but a potential punishment following an FA charge of misconduct is hanging over the German's head, and that makes it quite hard to plan for the season ahead.

Anyone who thought that there would be a mass exodus from the club though after what happened with Spygate has been disappointed - key stars like Taylor Harwood-Bellis, Finn Azaz, Leo Scienza and Shea Charles remain for now, whilst loanees Cyle Larin and Daniel Peretz have joined permanently, as well as Lewis Dobbin being added to the mix from Aston Villa.

Their 'excellent technical quality', 'good recruitment' and 'continuity' in the words of the Supercomputer ranks them very highly in terms of title contenders for the upcoming 2026-27 campaign, but they may have to play second fiddle to another club.

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After 14 years of Premier League football in a row, West Ham United have returned to the Championship, and they won't want to be stuck in the second tier for long.

Despite the relegation, the Hammers board have stuck with Nuno Espirito Santo as head coach, and even though both Mateus Fernandes and Crysencio Summerville have been cashed in on, the retention of Jarrod Bowen is a massive factor in the Supercomputer's prediction o a title win for the East London outfit.

Other reasons include that they are 'by far the biggest financial power in the division', and that their squad is 'still containing numerous Premier League-calibre players'.

Some first-teamers like Aaron Wan-Bissaka may move on from the London Stadium at some point in the summer, but given the £140 million haul that has already been brought in for Fernandes and Summerville, Nuno should have a decent pot to play with for replacements.

West Ham are yet to make a significant signing in the transfer window, but even without additions, they are being tipped by the Supercomputer to rack up between 96 and 100 points, which will almost certainly lead to them winning the division.