The 2021/22 Championship playoff final is here as Huddersfield Town bid to return to the Premier League after three seasons away and Nottingham Forest look to reach the top flight for the first time since 1999.
Steve Cooper’s Forest and Carlos Corberan’s Huddersfield go head-to-head at Wembley knowing victory in the capital presents the opportunity of a lifetime with the Championship playoff final often billed as the ‘richest game in football’.
Huddersfield finished third with a run of five wins from their final six matches during the regular season to make the Terriers the in-form team in the division, while Forest were nearer the foot of the table as recently as December during a surge up the standings.
Champions Fulham and runners-up Bournemouth were regularly challenged by both playoff finalists throughout impressive campaigns and they now stand 90 minutes (plus potential extra-time and penalties) away from the promised land.
Sporting News is following the match live and providing live score updates, commentary.
MORE: When were Nottingham Forest last in the Premier League? How many years have they been in the Championship?
Huddersfield Town vs. Nottingham Forest live score
| 1H | 2H | Final | |
| Huddersfield Town | 0 | β | β |
| Nottingham Forest | 1 | β | β |
Goals
FOR- Levi Colwill (OG) (James Garner) – 43rd min
Huddersfield Town vs. Nottingham Forest live updates, highlights from Championship playoff final
HALF-TIME
43rd min: GOAL!
Forest take the lead right before the break courtesy of an own goal from defender Levi Colwill. Garner whips in a dangerous ball from the edge of the box and Yates looks to be the quickest to react but in his tussle with the defender it’s Colwill who accidentally steers the ball home from close range past Lee Nicholls. Forest fans have gone mad!
37th min: Danny Ward tries his luck down the left flank this time and gets close to the box to win a corner after no-nonsense tackle from James Garner. A well worked set-piece routine sees Ward played in at the near post but his goal-bound effort is deflected over. Forest clear the second corner but Huddersfield are putting them under big pressure.
33rd min: Huddersfield’s biggest chance yet. Thomas pulls off a neat bit of skill to beat his man on the left wing and races through on goal. He has options in the middle but looks to go for goal himself once inside the box and goalkeeper Brice Samba punches the ball clear.
29th min: Spence again finds space on the right but his ball into the box just sails over the head of Brennan Johnson.
26th min: Huddersfield fans are unhappy with referee Moss as Jack Colback clatters late into O’Brien but fails to get his cards out. He’s given a talking to.
23rd min: At the other end, Huddersfield go on the attack as Lewis O’Brien and Sorba Thomas lead the large but Forest’s midfield get back in time and the move breaks down in the box.
20th min: Yates finds some space and runs at the Huddersfield backline but lets one fly from the edge of the box and it goes well wide.
16th min: Huddersfield can’t string a pass together at present and can barely get it out their own half. Corberan is barking orders from the touchline but the Terriers seem content just soaking up pressure right now.
12th min: Naby Sarr gives away a clumsy foul to break up a Forest attack. The resulting free-kick is whipped into the back post and Ryan Yates connects well but his header goes just wide of the post. A big chance goes begging.
*Only available in UK
π² Not far away!#EFLPlayOffs | #StepUp pic.twitter.com/EvQOCvWg9K https://t.co/DB01yECmib
β Sky Bet Championship (@SkyBetChamp) May 29, 2022
8th min: Every attack for both sides is being cheered but nothing is working in the final third just yet. Forest are looking the more dangerous team in the early stages but there are plenty of nervous touches out there.
4th min: First sign of danger from Forest’s right-back Spence as he bursts down the wing but his cross is easily cleared.
2nd min: Jon Moss is the referee today and straight away he awards Huddersfield two free-kicks in the middle of the pitch but both attempts come to nothing and Forest build from the back.
We’re underway! Forest kick us off and Cooper’s side are attacking towards the Huddersfield end.
5 mins from kickoff: A wonderful rendition of the national anthem is belted out by everyone inside the stadium and we’re just moments away from kickoff now. It is LOUD in here. Sadly, the huge replica giant trophy has been wheeled off the pitch too.
8 mins from kickoff: A banner from the Forest end is unfurled that reads ‘Far have we travelled, much have we seen’. Forest fans are in attendance at the new Wembley Stadium for the first time and are hoping it’s a first trip to remember.
π Weβre back under the arches at Wembley Stadium this afternoon for the Championship Play-off Final! π€©
But will it be Huddersfield Town or Nottingham Forest who win a place in the Premier League? β¬οΈ#EFLPlayOffs | #HUDNTF pic.twitter.com/Ug4lh7zaDh
β ππ‘π ππ©π¨π«ππ’π§π πππ°π¬ UK π¬π§ (@sportingnewsuk) May 29, 2022
15 min from kickoff: The players have left the pitch for their final pre-match team-talk of the season as Cooper and Corberan deliver one final motivational talk. The Forest fans have packed out their end but there’s still a few empty seats in the Huddersfield section. Oh, and a beach ball has just landed in the press box. A party atmosphere for sure awaits the players.
30 mins from kickoff: So who will be lifting this trophy come full-time? (The one on the left, by the way…)
40 mins from kickoff: The atmosphere is building at Wembley with fans starting to take their seats. Considering this is the last EFL playoff of the season the pitch still looks immaculate. Huddersfield players are the first to take to the field for their warmup and a few minutes later Forest join them to a huge roar from the red half of the stadium.
60mins from kickoff: Team news is in…
π¨ TEAM NEWS π¨
Carlos CorberΓ‘n makes 2οΈβ£ changes for this afternoonβs @SkyBetChamp Play-Off Final at Wembley!
Great to see Sorba Thomas return to the starting XI this afternoon, whilst Matty Pearson is among the substitutes π#htafc | @SportsBrokerHQ pic.twitter.com/qc67HNhvlZ
β Huddersfield Town (@htafc) May 29, 2022
π Team news π Huddersfield Town
1οΈβ£ change for The Reds as Keinan Davis comes in for Sam Surridge
π³π΄ #NFFC pic.twitter.com/onv7740PdP
β Nottingham Forest FC (@NFFC) May 29, 2022
70 mins from kickoff: Don’t be surprised to keep hearing today’s match being dubbed ‘the richest game in football’. Here’s just how much money is at stake for both teams today.
Previous estimates broadly place the figure at Β£100 million ($125m) as an ‘immediate’ cash win, but figures vary year-on-year and continue to rise despite concerns over the COVID-19 pandemic causing it to reduce during 2022/23.
TV revenue alone is estimated at Β£3.1 billion ($3.9 billion) a season in the Premier League, with a minimum payment of Β£100m ($125m) for the lowest-ranked team in the division, in comparison to Β£7m ($8m) per club in the Championship.
Figures from Deloitte in 2020 estimated an increase in overall club revenue from Β£135m ($170m) to Β£265m ($333m), depending on non-TV agreements, with 2022 calculations placing it closer to Β£200m ($225m) as a base line.
π¬ 2020/21: #HTAFC finish 20th, six points above the bottom three.
π 2021/22: #HTAFC finish 3rd, six points off the top two.
π΅ Whatever happens at Wembley, Carlos Corberan has turned Huddersfield Town’s fortunes around! #HUDNTF | #EFLPlayOffs pic.twitter.com/yM7U1d8EB2
β ππ‘π ππ©π¨π«ππ’π§π πππ°π¬ UK π¬π§ (@sportingnewsuk) May 29, 2022
90 mins from kickoff: So how did both teams reach Wembley?
Huddersfield finished third in the Championship and booked their spot at Wembley courtesy of a 2-1 aggregate win over Luton Town in the playoff semi-finals.
In the other semi-finals, fourth-placed Sheffield United headed to the Forest’s City Ground 1-0 down but a 2-1 win for the visitors forced extra-time and then penalties.
Forest held their nerve in the shoot-out to win 3-2 on penalties courtesy of three saves from goalkeeper Brice Samba.
2 hours from kickoff: Hello and welcome to today’s live coverage of the Championship playoff final at Wembley. Only one team can join already promoted Fulham and Bournemouth and we’re at Wembley to see if Huddersfield Town or Nottingham Forest will be the final team confirmed to play in the 2022/23 Premier League season.
MORE: How much is Championship playoff final worth?
How to watch Huddersfield Town vs. Nottingham Forest
| UK | USA | Canada | Australia | |
| Date | Sun, May 29 | Sun, May 29 | Sun, May 29 | Mon, May 30 |
| Time | 16:30 BST | 11:30 ET | 11:30 ET | 01:30 AEST |
| TV channel | Sky Sports Football | β | DAZN | beIn Sports |
| Streaming | Now/Sky Go | ESPN+ | DAZN | β |
UK: Viewers in the UK can watch the Championship playoffs on Sky Sports Football or streamed through SkyGo. Now TV subscribers can also watch or stream the action if they have Sky Sports included.
USA: In the United States, you can stream the playoffs via ESPN+.
Canada: In Canada, DAZN is your port of call for Championship action.
Australia: In Australia, beIN SPORTS will broadcast the Championship playoffs.
