2026/27 EFL Championship Predictions

The 2026/27 EFL Championship promises to be one of the most competitive second-tier seasons for years, with three clubs relegated from the Premier League joining a division that already contains several established promotion contenders.

West Ham United, Wolverhampton Wanderers and Burnley have all dropped into the Championship, while Lincoln City, Cardiff City and Bolton Wanderers have been promoted from League One.

There has also been a significant change to the play-off system. From this season, six Championship clubs will compete in the play-offs rather than four. The teams finishing third to eighth will qualify, with the sides finishing seventh and eighth playing eliminator matches before the winners face the third- and fourth-placed clubs in two-legged semi-finals.

That means there is even more incentive for clubs to remain in contention throughout the season.

Here are my predictions for the final 2026/27 Championship table, starting at the bottom.

24th – Lincoln City

Lincoln City return to the Championship for the first time in 65 years after winning the 2025/26 League One title. Their promotion came under Michael Skubala, but the manager subsequently left Sincil Bank to take charge of Bristol City.

Chris Cohen and Tom Shaw have taken over as joint head coaches, giving Lincoln a different managerial structure just as they step up a division.

The club's recruitment model has attracted plenty of attention in recent seasons, but the loss of Skubala and the challenge of competing against clubs with considerably greater Championship resources make this an extremely difficult season.

Lincoln begin life back in the second tier away to Middlesbrough.

Prediction: 24th

23rd – Cardiff City

Cardiff City are back in the Championship after winning promotion from League One.

Brian Barry-Murphy guided Cardiff back into the second tier, and the club have had a relatively quiet summer in comparison with some of their Championship rivals. Their most significant addition has been goalkeeper Anthony Patterson, who arrived from Sunderland for a club-record fee.

Cardiff also face the unusual situation of having Wrexham, their Welsh rivals, in the Championship for the first time. The two clubs meet in Cardiff on the opening weekend.

The squad that secured promotion deserves credit, but there are questions over whether it contains enough Championship quality to survive.

Prediction: 23rd

22nd – Blackburn Rovers

Blackburn are my other major relegation call.

Rovers survived by finishing 20th last season, only three points above the relegation places, and Tony Mowbray has returned to Ewood Park to try to prevent another battle at the bottom.

The problem is recruitment.

Blackburn have made only a small number of additions, with Sam Morsy, Moussa Baradji and Jayden Fevrier among the arrivals. There has been concern that the squad remains particularly thin in midfield.

Mowbray's experience should help, but the lack of substantial reinforcement is a concern in a division that now includes three relegated Premier League clubs.

Blackburn began the season with a 2-2 draw at Wolves, showing plenty of fight but ultimately surrendering victory to a stoppage-time penalty.

Prediction: 22nd

21st – Charlton Athletic

Charlton survived comfortably enough last season after promotion from League One and now face the challenge of establishing themselves in the Championship.

Nathan Jones remains in charge and has experience of winning promotion from this division, while Karlan Grant has returned to the club. Millenic Alli has also joined, adding another attacking option.

However, Charlton have been identified as one of the clubs facing a difficult campaign, and the squad still has to demonstrate that it can compete consistently at Championship level.

They open the season at home to Derby County.

Prediction: 21st

20th – Portsmouth

Portsmouth finished 18th last season and John Mousinho remains responsible for taking the club forward.

Pompey have adopted a clear recruitment strategy centred around younger players. Luke Brooke-Smith, who joined from Wellington Phoenix, is one of the players attracting attention after becoming an option in the first-team squad at just 18.

The challenge for Mousinho is balancing development with the need to collect enough points.

Portsmouth have already shown some attacking potential during the opening weeks of the campaign, but the Championship is significantly stronger this season.

Prediction: 20th

19th – Queens Park Rangers

QPR finished 15th last season after a strong first half of the campaign was followed by a disappointing second half.

Julien Stéphan has taken over as manager, giving the club a new direction after Martí Cifuentes' departure. The club have also added players including Kwame Poku, Amadou Salif Mbengue, Rumarn Burrell and Richard Koné.

There is enough experience at Loftus Road for QPR to compete, but the second half of last season and the change in management make it difficult to predict a significant improvement.

Prediction: 19th

18th – Bolton Wanderers

Bolton return to the Championship after a dramatic League One play-off campaign.

Steven Schumacher's side demolished Stockport County 4-1 in the play-off final to secure promotion.

Bolton have recruited David Watson, Ben Davies, Akin Famewo, Luca Stephenson, Kyliane Dong and Gaizka Larrazabal, but Schumacher has acknowledged that the squad still needs attacking reinforcements.

The manager has also been clear that Bolton's budget is limited and that consolidation is an important objective.

Their opening fixture is particularly demanding: a home Lancashire derby against Preston.

Prediction: 18th

17th – Watford

Watford's managerial turnover has continued, with Alessio Dionisi the latest head coach tasked with moving the club forward.

The Hornets finished 16th last season and have again undergone changes to their squad. Nestory Irankunda, Vivaldo Semedo and Nampalys Mendy are among the players brought into the squad.

Watford have also been linked with a move for former West Ham striker Michail Antonio, who has been training with the club.

The club's constant changes make them difficult to predict, and I think another season of transition could leave them lower down the table.

Prediction: 17th

16th – Preston North End

Preston finished 14th last season but enter the new campaign under increasing pressure to improve.

Paul Heckingbottom remains in charge and the club have invested around £6m in making Alfie Devine's loan move from Tottenham permanent.

The departure of captain Ben Whiteman to Wrexham was a significant development during the summer, following a public disagreement between the midfielder and the club.

Preston also invested around £1.5m in a new hybrid pitch at Deepdale.

The Lilywhites have enough experience to avoid trouble, but four wins from their final 20 league matches last season highlights the need for improvement.

Prediction: 16th

15th – Swansea City

Swansea have now recorded five successive mid-table Championship finishes, and Vítor Matos enters his first full season as head coach.

Matos replaced Alan Sheehan during the 2025/26 season and improved Swansea's results, particularly at home. He has been keen to avoid another major overhaul of the squad, preferring to strengthen specific areas and add depth.

Swansea finished 11th last season on 64 points.

Ethan Galbraith was one of their standout performers after joining from Leyton Orient, while the club have continued to add players without completely restructuring the squad.

I expect another solid campaign, but not one that quite reaches the play-offs.

Prediction: 15th

14th – West Bromwich Albion

West Brom finished 21st last season, avoiding relegation by only four points.

James Morrison has moved from caretaker to permanent head coach, giving the Baggies continuity after a difficult campaign.

The club have operated with a relatively young squad, and the summer recruitment has included Jimmy-Jay Morgan.

West Brom need a significant improvement on last season, but I think the club will have enough to stay clear of the bottom three.

Prediction: 14th

13th – Stoke City

Stoke finished 17th last season and ended the campaign badly, winning just one of their final eight league games and losing their last four.

Mark Robins remains in charge for his second full season at the club.

The Potters have continued to recruit during the summer as they look to move away from mid-table and towards the play-off picture.

Stoke have the infrastructure and resources to compete higher up the division, but they need much greater consistency than they showed last season.

Prediction: 13th

12th – Bristol City

Bristol City finished 12th last season and experienced considerable managerial change.

Gerhard Struber left during the campaign and Roy Hodgson took temporary charge for the final seven matches. Michael Skubala has now been appointed after leading Lincoln City to the League One title.

Bristol City have been active in the transfer market, with Dom Ballard, Sam Greenwood and Lorent Tolaj among a group of new arrivals.

Skubala's previous success at Lincoln makes this an interesting appointment, but Bristol City have to prove they can turn their recruitment into consistent Championship results.

Prediction: 12th

11th – Birmingham City

Birmingham finishing 11th is one of my biggest calls.

They finished 10th last season after promotion from League One and have ambitions of continuing their progress, but I don't think they will make the jump into the play-off positions this time.

Chris Davies remains in charge and Birmingham have recruited Jhon Solis from Girona, Dael Fry on a free transfer and goalkeeper James Beadle on loan from Brighton.

August Priske is another player expected to be important, but Birmingham's away form was a problem last season.

They have the resources to challenge the upper reaches, but I think the Championship's strength will keep them just outside the new play-off positions.

Prediction: 11th

10th – Wrexham

Wrexham continue their remarkable rise with a second successive promotion having taken them from the National League to the Championship in only a few years.

Phil Parkinson remains manager and Wrexham have retained a significant part of the squad that has delivered successive promotions.

The club's financial resources and growing profile mean they are not entering the Championship simply to make up the numbers. However, this is a considerably higher level and the squad needs to continue evolving.

Wrexham's opening fixture is particularly intriguing: a trip to Cardiff for a Welsh derby on Monday night.

Prediction: 10th

9th – Millwall

Millwall finished third in the Championship last season, making them one of the most established promotion contenders in this division.

Alex Neil remains in charge and Millwall have retained key players while strengthening with several additions, including Mathis Servais and former Bristol City player Mark Sykes.

Their 2025/26 campaign demonstrated that Millwall can compete with the strongest teams in the division.

However, repeating a top-three finish is a major ask. I expect them to remain in the promotion conversation for much of the campaign but eventually finish just outside the play-offs.

Prediction: 9th

8th – Sheffield United

Sheffield United endured a disappointing 13th-place finish last season after beginning the campaign with promotion expectations.

Chris Wilder remains in charge and the club have retained Patrick Bamford, who was their leading scorer last season. Tom Cannon has also joined and gives them another proven Championship attacking option.

After the problems of last summer, Sheffield United have avoided the same level of upheaval.

The new six-team play-off system could work in their favour. I expect them to finish eighth and therefore enter the new-look promotion competition.

Prediction: 8th

7th – Derby County

Derby finished eighth last season and enter 2026/27 with John Eustace continuing as manager.

Eustace has brought stability to the club, while the return of Bobby Clark and Sammie Szmodics has strengthened the squad.

Derby have the advantage of continuity and should be capable of competing around the play-off positions.

The new format means seventh place is now enough to secure a play-off place, and I think Derby will take advantage of that.

Prediction: 7th

6th – Burnley

Burnley are one of the three relegated Premier League clubs and therefore have to be considered among the promotion favourites.

Scott Parker left the club in April and the managerial situation has subsequently changed, meaning Burnley enter the Championship without the continuity they might have wanted.

Nevertheless, the Clarets retain players with Premier League experience and have the financial benefit of parachute payments.

They also have a difficult opening fixture, hosting West Ham on Sunday.

I expect Burnley to recover quickly from relegation but believe they will have to settle for a play-off place.

Prediction: 6th

5th – Southampton

Southampton are one of the favourites for promotion after finishing fourth last season.

Tonda Eckert remains in charge and Southampton were unbeaten in their final 19 Championship matches of 2025/26. They beat Middlesbrough in the play-off semi-finals before being removed from the final following the Spygate ruling.

That controversy continues into the new season, with Eckert facing an FA disciplinary process.

Southampton have retained a strong squad and Cyle Larin, who joined permanently after arriving during the previous campaign, provides an established attacking option.

They will begin the season with a four-point deduction following the Spygate ruling, making the task considerably harder.

Even with that handicap, I expect Saints to finish fifth.

Prediction: 5th

4th – Norwich City

Norwich finished ninth last season but improved during the second half of the campaign under Philippe Clement.

The Canaries have several young players who could become increasingly important, including Jacob Wright, Mohamed Touré and Jovon Makama.

Norwich have retained Clement and therefore have continuity at a time when several Championship clubs have changed managers.

The question is whether their young players can develop quickly enough to turn a mid-table side into a promotion contender.

I think they can make the step forward and secure a play-off place.

Prediction: 4th

3rd – Middlesbrough

Middlesbrough came agonisingly close to promotion last season, reaching the play-off final before losing to Hull City.

Kim Hellberg remains in charge and Boro have been one of the more ambitious Championship clubs in the transfer market.

Will Lankshear and Radek Vitek are among the notable arrivals, while Sebastian Berhalter and Max Arfsten have also joined.

Middlesbrough have also benefited financially from Hayden Hackney's transfer to Everton and a substantial sell-on payment relating to Morgan Rogers' move to Chelsea.

After going so close last season, I expect them to improve again and finish third.

Prediction: 3rd

2nd – Wolverhampton Wanderers

Wolves are my prediction to finish second.

They are returning to the Championship for the first time since 2018 after relegation from the Premier League, but they retain a squad containing considerable top-flight experience.

The appointment of César Peixoto was one of the more surprising managerial decisions of the summer. Peixoto has no previous experience of English football.

The club have nevertheless strengthened with experienced additions including Kieran Trippier and former Wolves striker Raúl Jiménez. Jiménez returned to Molineux this summer after three years at Fulham.

Wolves started the Championship season with a 2-2 draw against Blackburn, recovering a point through Jiménez's stoppage-time penalty.

I think they will improve considerably as the season progresses and challenge West Ham for the title, but ultimately fall just short.

Prediction: 2nd

1st – West Ham United

West Ham are my prediction to win the Championship title.

The Hammers were relegated from the Premier League after 14 consecutive seasons in the top flight. Nuno Espírito Santo remains manager and Jarrod Bowen has committed his future to the club despite relegation.

That retention of Bowen is hugely significant. West Ham also retain Premier League-level players including James Ward-Prowse, Konstantinos Mavropanos and Kyle Walker-Peters.

The club have received significant transfer fees for Crysencio Summerville and Mateus Fernandes, although incoming business has been relatively slow.

There is still plenty of Premier League quality within the squad, however, and the combination of Nuno's experience, Bowen's decision to stay and the club's financial resources makes West Ham the team I expect to finish top.

The title race with Wolves should be close, but I think West Ham will edge it.

Prediction: 1st

My final 2026/27 EFL Championship table

Position	Club
1st	West Ham United
2nd	Wolverhampton Wanderers
3rd	Middlesbrough
4th	Norwich City
5th	Southampton
6th	Burnley
7th	Derby County
8th	Sheffield United
9th	Millwall
10th	Wrexham
11th	Birmingham City
12th	Bristol City
13th	Stoke City
14th	West Bromwich Albion
15th	Swansea City
16th	Preston North End
17th	Watford
18th	Bolton Wanderers
19th	Queens Park Rangers
20th	Portsmouth
21st	Charlton Athletic
22nd	Blackburn Rovers
23rd	Cardiff City
24th	Lincoln City