Can the EFL Championship Truly Break Through in the US? | OneFootball

An influx of American players, Tom Brady’s minority ownership of Birmingham City, and the Hollywood-fueled story of Wrexham have all added flavor to the EFL Championship. But can the second-tier English league achieve widespread popularity in the United States?

When CBS Sports announced their multi-year commitment to broadcast the English Football League (EFL) in July 2024, it raised a few eyebrows while also giving the network a wealth of new content. CBS purchased the media rights to not only the EFL Championship but also League One, League Two, the Carabao Cup, and the Bristol Street Motors Trophy, totaling 250 games per season across CBS’s platforms.

The ultimate goal? Grow lower-league English football’s popularity in the United States.

“With the EFL’s compelling storylines and growing popularity coupled with our first-class coverage, we look forward to further elevating this league in the U.S.,” said CBS Sports Executive Vice President of Programming Dan Weinberg in a statement after the announcement. “CBS Sports continues to be the premier destination for European football fans in this country, with Paramount+ and CBS Sports Golazo Network as must-haves thanks to their wide array of soccer properties and robust year-round match coverage.”

In a world where content is king, the marketing and storied history of English soccer, even at the lower levels, are being viewed in a new light in America. Networks are no longer only chasing the “best” leagues in the world — Premier League, Serie A, La Liga, UEFA Champions League, Europa League — but also leagues with clubs that can carry compelling storylines and generate interest.

Photo by Kya Banasko/Getty Images

Enter Wrexham, where Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney transformed a modest Welsh club into an international underdog sensation. Their story, amplified by a popular documentary series, weaves together sports, entertainment, and community spirit into a feel-good narrative that captivates audiences well beyond soccer fans.

Then there is Tom Brady’s venture into soccer, with his minority stake in Birmingham City. Brady is one of the central figures of a docu-series, Built in Birmingham: Brady & The Blues, capturing the fish-out-of-water element of an NFL legend navigating the ups and downs of English football and teams constantly moving between divisions. In the series, Brady questioned the work ethic of then-manager Wayne Rooney, sparking debate. While an elite performer like Brady can be demanding, critics question whether he fully understands that soccer isn’t the NFL and that Birmingham City was, at the time, and in many ways still, is a very mediocre team.

So what’s behind this big push for second-tier soccer?

No matter how it’s presented, marketed, or spun, the EFL Championship and the leagues below are lower-division soccer — not elite by definition. Yet elite-level spending, corporate interest, and foreign investment have turned the second tier into a surprisingly high-profile product.

Photo by Alex Pantling/Getty Images

The EFL Championship now has 10 of its 24 clubs with some level of American ownership. Add investors from India, Italy, Indonesia, Thailand, and Turkey, and suddenly a second-tier league has a lot of first-tier elements — money above all.

“There’s talk of the Premier League acquiring the English Football League — Championship, League One, and League Two, according to my sources,” says Stefan Wojciechowski, founder of sports data firm Hyperset Group. “For U.S. investors, this is appealing because relegation is less of a risk: teams could drop a division but remain part of the Premier League franchise. It also creates opportunities to develop American players in these lower leagues while maintaining their connection to the Premier League brand.

“U.S. ownership is rife throughout the entire EFL — this is likely driven by the commercial opportunities these owners see in the United States in the years ahead. You also have the Wrexham effect. Not only is this increasing interest in the EFL, but it is also showing U.K. teams what is possible in the U.S. market with some strategic thinking.”

That strategic thinking may explain the influx of Americans into the league. How else could Derby County justify spending $7 million for Patrick Agyemang, a 24-year-old striker with surprisingly little high level experience?

Agyemang, who made the move from North Carolina to Derby last July, is one of 10 American players in the EFL Championship, most of whom have ancillary roles on the United States men’s national team. Haji Wright and Aidan Morris have seen success for Coventry City and Middlesborough, respectively. Both clubs currently have the second-best odds to earn promotion to the Premier League according to top betting sites like Caesars Sportsbook.

The biggest name however, is Josh Sargent of Norwich City, who has 54 goals in 140 club games, though his national team output hasn’t matched — raising questions about the league’s level compared to elite international competition.

While Americans have proved their mettle and in some cases thrived in the Championship, could they achieve the same accolades in a top-flight European league, such as Italy’s Serie A or France’s Ligue 1?

Still, the drive to make these teams more globally appealing is evident, with players from emerging soccer nations like the U.S. or Australia increasingly present in the league.

What is the True Level of the EFL Championship?

The EFL Championship is one of the most competitive and financially powerful second-tier leagues in the world. While one step below the Premier League, its mix of recently relegated clubs, ambitious challengers, and high-profile owners has created a level of play that often rivals top divisions elsewhere — at least on paper.

Clubs spend heavily on varying levels of talent, and matches are intense, physical, and unpredictable, reflecting the stakes of promotion and survival. This storytelling appeal is strong, though defensive lapses can sometimes rival poor MLS defending, the cornerstone of many Eurosnobs’ categorical dismissal of the American top flight.

The Championship has the packaging, the sounds, and even the celebrity-owner power reminiscent of the Premier League — but it is not the Premier League.

“It’s a league with its own weight,” said ESPN Argentina English football producer Rosario Pompizzi. “I see a style of play that is physical, fast, fluid, and often structured around clear patterns — especially among the stronger teams. It’s competitive: toward the end of the season, it’s common to see only a few points separating a large number of clubs. The playoffs also add a unique appeal.

“The league generates significant revenue and has a good level of coaches and talented players, though it lacks true star players. It is the best second-division league in the world, and overall I would place it in a top 10.”

Aside from the on pitch product, storytelling is one of the Championship’s strong suits. Wrexham’s push to the Premier League is the most recent, while back in 2018 Marcelo Bielsa’s tenure at Leeds United, complete with “Spy Gate,” was one of the most captivating narratives in world soccer, shining a spotlight on the EFL Championship.

Yet the end goal for just about all of these stories remains promotion to the Premier League, which can limit the Championship’s long-term identity. Whether or not it belongs in a global top 10 is arguable; the reality is that no club in the league will compete for Europe’s elite competitions — the last exception being Wigan Athletic, who qualified for the Europa League after winning the FA Cup in 2014.

In a way, it’s striking to see a second tier being pushed to an American audience. Americans are often accustomed to “the best or nothing,” but in the age of content, the EFL Championship can offer a tighter, more emotional investment than the Premier League. The Championship’s parity and competitive balance makes up for its lack of elite status.

Is it the best? No. Can it be exciting? Yes. Could it grow in the U.S.? Possibly. If investment continues and we see more players moving from elite European clubs to Championship sides — like Julián Carranza, who scored in the UEFA Champions League last season with Feyenoord and is now on loan at Leicester City — the league’s dynamics could shift.

If Americans start swapping PSG kits for Millwall ones, the EFL’s U.S. movement will have succeeded. More than ever, this is a moment to observe how corporate, international investors are reshaping English football, turning tradition into profit and global appeal.