The Championship playoffs will expand to six teams from next season after the change was approved by EFL clubs on Thursday. The Guardian revealed last month that a plan to increase the participating teams from four was on the table.
The EFL said: “The decision is intended to increase the number of competitive fixtures during the closing stages of the campaign, while also giving two additional clubs the opportunity to reach the playoff final at Wembley stadium and progress to the Premier League.”
Quick GuideHow do I sign up for sport breaking news alerts?
Show
Download the Guardian app from the iOS App Store on iPhone or the Google Play store on Android by searching for ‘The Guardian’.
If you already have the Guardian app, make sure you’re on the most recent version.
In the Guardian app, tap the Profile settings button at the top right, then select Notifications.
Turn on sport notifications.
The new format was ratified in a vote involving all EFL clubs. It means an eliminator round will be added to the Championship playoffs in a set-up similar to that used by the National League. The fifth-placed team will play eighth and sixth will play seventh, at the higher-ranked club’s ground in a one-off tie to determine progression to the two-leg playoff semi-finals against the clubs that finished third and fourth.
The EFL chief executive, Trevor Birch, said: “We are confident this change will further strengthen the Championship as a competition and give more clubs and their supporters a genuine opportunity of achieving promotion.”
