With the EFL Championship season now over, we know which four teams will battle it out in the playoffs for the right to earn promotion to the Premier League.
Huddersfield Town, Nottingham Forest, Sheffield United and Luton Town secured places third to sixth in the table, with Middlesbrough and Millwall missing out on the final day.
Brentford won last season’s playoff final at Wembley 2-0 against Swansea City, sealing a place in the top division for the first time since 1947.
The playoffs were introduced in 1987 and, since 1990, the winners have been crowned via a one-off final.
Memorable finals over the years include Charlton Athletic’s win on penalties after a 4-4 draw with Sunderland in 1998, and Glenn Hoddle’s Swindon Town holding off Leicester City 4-3 in 1993 to earn The Robins their only season in the Premier League.
Which teams are in the EFL Championship playoffs?
With Fulham having already earned promotion to the Premier league for 2022-23, Bournemouth won the battle for the second automatic spot to England’s top division in the penultimate matchday.
Nottingham Forest made a valiant run for that second spot, but ultimately fell short, losing 1-0 to Bournemouth in the decisive showdown on May 3. They will have another shot at a return to the top tier via the playoffs, along with Huddersfield Town, Sheffield United, and Luton Town.
Championship table 2021/22: Final top eight
| Rank | Club | GP | W | D | L | Pts | GD |
| 1. | Fulham** | 46 | 27 | 9 | 10 | 90 | +63 |
| 2. | Bournemouth** | 46 | 25 | 13 | 8 | 88 | +35 |
| 3. | Huddersfield Town* | 46 | 23 | 13 | 10 | 82 | +17 |
| 4. | Nottingham Forest* | 46 | 23 | 11 | 12 | 80 | +33 |
| 5. | Sheffield United | 46 | 21 | 12 | 13 | 75 | +18 |
| 6. | Luton Town | 46 | 21 | 12 | 13 | 75 | +8 |
| 7. | Middlesbrough | 46 | 20 | 10 | 16 | 70 | +9 |
| 8. | Blackburn Rovers | 46 | 19 | 12 | 15 | 69 | +9 |
** = Won promotion
* = In the playoffs
MORE: How do the EFL Championship playoffs work?
When are the EFL Championship playoff semi-finals?
The playoff semi-finals take place over two legs, home and away, with the team finishing third in the EFL Championship taking on those who ended in sixth. Fifth place battles fourth for the other spot in the final.
The higher seeds host the second leg. If the aggregate scores are level after both games, the tie will go to extra time and penalties if required. Away goals do not count double.
The first legs will be held on May 13/14, with the return fixtures taking place over May 16-18.
| Fixture | Date | Kickoff time (UK) | Kickoff time (USA) | Kickoff time (Canada) | Kickoff time (Australia) |
| Luton Town vs. Huddersfield Town | May 13/14 | 19:45 BST | 14:45 ET | 14:45 ET | 04:45 AEST |
| Sheffield United vs. Nottingham Forest | May 14 | 14:45 BST | 09:45 ET | 09:45 ET | 23:45 AEST |
| Huddersfield Town vs. Luton Town | May 16/17 | 19:45 BST | 14:45 ET | 14:45 ET | 04:45 AEST |
| Sheffield United vs. Nottingham Forest | May 17/18 | 19:45 BST | 14:45 ET | 14:45 ET | 04:45 AEST |
When is the EFL Championship playoff final?
The 2021/22 EFL Championship final is a single-elimination match taking place on Sunday, May 29 at Wembley.
Kick-off is at 16:30 local time (BST), 11:30 ET (in USA and Canada), and 01:30 AEST in Australia on Monday, May 30.
How to watch EFL Championship playoffs
| UK | US | Canada | Australia | |
| TV | Sky Sports | — | DAZN | beIn SPORTS |
| Streaming | Now/SkyGo | ESPN+ | DAZN | — |
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.
