EFL clubs to vote on major Championship play-off expansion | OneFootball

The race for Premier League promotion could be about to change dramatically.

English Football League clubs will vote next month on a proposal to expand the Championship play-offs from four teams to six (original reporting by Guardian).

The move that would reshape the end of the season and potentially give more clubs a shot at promotion, even though there are concerns that this would reduce the quality of teams that play in the Premier League.

The decision will be made at an extraordinary general meeting on March 5. If approved, the new format could be introduced as early as next season. This proposal has been in discussions since last year, as per Football Today (via Athletic).

📊 How the new Championship play-offs would work

Under the proposed format:

This would mean two additional high-stakes knockout matches at the end of the season and could give the teams in third and fourth an easier path to the Premier League, as they would have one fewer game to win.

📈 Why the EFL wants change

Supporters of the proposal argue that the expansion would:

With up to eight teams in contention instead of six, the Championship promotion race could become even more intense.

⚠️ Concerns over competitive balance

However, the proposal has sparked debate.

Critics worry that allowing a team finishing as low as eighth place to earn promotion could reduce competitive standards in the Premier League.

Others argue it could unfairly disadvantage teams finishing higher in the table after a long 46-game season, although the additional game the lower-placed teams will have to play could mitigate that imbalance.

The balance between entertainment and sporting merit is likely to be central to the discussion.

For reference, a quick look at the Championship table will show that the teams in seventh and eighth places could have lost 15 games before the season was over – would such a team be competitive in the Premier League?

📅 What happens next?

All 72 EFL clubs will vote on the proposal. A simple majority is required for it to pass.

If approved, the expanded Championship play-offs could mark one of the biggest structural changes to English football’s second tier in recent years.

And with Premier League promotion worth over £100 million, the stakes could hardly be higher.