| EFL considering changing playoff format from next season 11:37 - Sep 11 with 2113 views | ElderGrizzly |
So 8th are included
https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/6618936/2025/09/11/championship-promotion-playo
The English Football League (EFL) is considering a plan to add an eliminator round to the Championship play-offs, a move that would extend the number of teams in the play-offs to six.
The proposal, which has received wide initial support from Championship clubs, is for a similar format to the one used by the National League, with the team that finishes fifth playing the eighth-place team and sixth meeting seventh in singles ties at the better-placed team’s home ground.
But unlike the National League’s play-offs, which are all one-off matches, the winners of these eliminators would then proceed to two-legged ties against the teams that finished third and fourth, with the winners meeting at Wembley for a place in the Premier League.
Preston North End chief executive Peter Ridsdale presented the idea to fellow Championship club executives at a meeting last week and it was very well received as it would reduce the number of dead-rubber matches at the end of the season, add two more high-profile games to the calendar and give more clubs a shot at promotion. |  | | |  |
| EFL considering changing playoff format from next season on 11:39 - Sep 11 with 1849 views | SitfcB |
UWN. |  |
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| EFL considering changing playoff format from next season on 11:39 - Sep 11 with 1834 views | giant_stow |
speaking a lowly Norwich fan, this sounds good! Should keep the hope alive for longer (maybe not for us, but someone will enjoy it) |  |
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| EFL considering changing playoff format from next season on 11:42 - Sep 11 with 1781 views | _clive_baker_ |
Don't mind it tbh, doesn't disadvantage the clubs who finished 3rd or 4th and gives more of the division something to go after. |  | | |
| EFL considering changing playoff format from next season on 11:45 - Sep 11 with 1722 views | positivity |
| EFL considering changing playoff format from next season on 11:42 - Sep 11 by _clive_baker_ |
Don't mind it tbh, doesn't disadvantage the clubs who finished 3rd or 4th and gives more of the division something to go after. |
depends on how far apart the games are, potentially the 3rd/4th teams are rusty, whilst the eliminator teams are match ready? [Post edited 11 Sep 11:46]
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| EFL considering changing playoff format from next season on 11:47 - Sep 11 with 1682 views | giant_stow |
| EFL considering changing playoff format from next season on 11:45 - Sep 11 by positivity |
depends on how far apart the games are, potentially the 3rd/4th teams are rusty, whilst the eliminator teams are match ready? [Post edited 11 Sep 11:46]
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Fair point, but if they play the prelim games quick, shouldn;t be a problem - would also give an advantage to the teams above who'd earnt it. Edit: as in the winners of the prelim games would be more spent than 3rd and 4th, if they had other games to follow quickly.. [Post edited 11 Sep 11:49]
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| EFL considering changing playoff format from next season on 11:48 - Sep 11 with 1671 views | franz_tyson |
There wasn't that many dead rubber matches at the end of last season. Its just that clubs like PNE get that extra sniff of a chance.
What the EFL should say to Risdale is that they'll also be relegation play-offs for clubs 8th from bottom to reduce dead rubber games. Bet he won't be so enamoured with that.
It's already a unfair system which we just about have got used to because it does offer that extra bit of excitement and opportunities for a few more clubs.... why push it even further? [Post edited 11 Sep 11:49]
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| EFL considering changing playoff format from next season on 11:48 - Sep 11 with 1666 views | ElderGrizzly |
| EFL considering changing playoff format from next season on 11:39 - Sep 11 by SitfcB |
UWN. |
I’m so out of touch, I have no idea what that means.
Is it young people saying U win Nothing? Originating in Norfolk I assume… | | | |
| EFL considering changing playoff format from next season on 11:49 - Sep 11 with 1654 views | positivity |
| EFL considering changing playoff format from next season on 11:39 - Sep 11 by giant_stow |
speaking a lowly Norwich fan, this sounds good! Should keep the hope alive for longer (maybe not for us, but someone will enjoy it) |
yes, if this had come in last year, norwich would have almost have been closer to the playoff zone than the relegation zone!
almost... | |
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| EFL considering changing playoff format from next season on 11:50 - Sep 11 with 1600 views | giant_stow |
| EFL considering changing playoff format from next season on 11:49 - Sep 11 by positivity |
yes, if this had come in last year, norwich would have almost have been closer to the playoff zone than the relegation zone!
almost... |
brute.
There's always hope! | |
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| EFL considering changing playoff format from next season on 11:56 - Sep 11 with 1480 views | SitfcB |
| EFL considering changing playoff format from next season on 11:48 - Sep 11 by ElderGrizzly |
I’m so out of touch, I have no idea what that means.
Is it young people saying U win Nothing? Originating in Norfolk I assume… |
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| EFL considering changing playoff format from next season on 11:56 - Sep 11 with 1478 views | EJP |
Wonder if the PL have considered a relegation play-off? Bottom two teams are relegated and replaced by top two teams of the Championship, then play-offs between teams in 15th to 18th place, with the loser of the final going down and being replaced by the winner of the Championship play-off final
I'm not advocating it, but can see it being a money spinner ...
Personally I prefer top 3 go up as they were the best performing teams, bottom 3 go down as the worst performing teams, and scrap the play-offs! |  | | |
| EFL considering changing playoff format from next season on 12:01 - Sep 11 with 1384 views | EuanTown |
So in an already long season they want to add more games to the end of it, just to include two more clubs, why not allow the teams in ninth and tenth to join in?
Also what about the relegation end, add fourth and fifth from bottom and play the winners from league One?
Just go back to top 3 up and stop this nonsense.
If this gets introduced, how long before more teams get to join in.
Not a fan. |  | | |
| EFL considering changing playoff format from next season on 12:02 - Sep 11 with 1368 views | nshearman1 |
| EFL considering changing playoff format from next season on 11:56 - Sep 11 by EJP |
Wonder if the PL have considered a relegation play-off? Bottom two teams are relegated and replaced by top two teams of the Championship, then play-offs between teams in 15th to 18th place, with the loser of the final going down and being replaced by the winner of the Championship play-off final
I'm not advocating it, but can see it being a money spinner ...
Personally I prefer top 3 go up as they were the best performing teams, bottom 3 go down as the worst performing teams, and scrap the play-offs! |
All this is a money-making exercise which, after 46 games, will leave payers exhausted and more prone to injury. They could, of course, just decide it on the final positions after 46 games, which would be the fairest situation of the lot. | | | |
| EFL considering changing playoff format from next season on 12:08 - Sep 11 with 1316 views | MattinLondon |
| EFL considering changing playoff format from next season on 11:45 - Sep 11 by positivity |
depends on how far apart the games are, potentially the 3rd/4th teams are rusty, whilst the eliminator teams are match ready? [Post edited 11 Sep 11:46]
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Probably be the other way round with the eliminator teams being exhausted when playing a much more rested 3/4 team. |  | | |
| EFL considering changing playoff format from next season on 12:09 - Sep 11 with 1298 views | andytown |
| EFL considering changing playoff format from next season on 11:56 - Sep 11 by EJP |
Wonder if the PL have considered a relegation play-off? Bottom two teams are relegated and replaced by top two teams of the Championship, then play-offs between teams in 15th to 18th place, with the loser of the final going down and being replaced by the winner of the Championship play-off final
I'm not advocating it, but can see it being a money spinner ...
Personally I prefer top 3 go up as they were the best performing teams, bottom 3 go down as the worst performing teams, and scrap the play-offs! |
‘Playoffs between 15th to 18th place, with the loser of the final going down.’
So if you don’t want to go down, you don’t want to be in the final. If you don’t want to be in the final, you make sure you lose the semi. Doesn’t seem very workable, unless I’m missing something. | | | |
| EFL considering changing playoff format from next season on 12:19 - Sep 11 with 1186 views | ArnieM |
| EFL considering changing playoff format from next season on 11:48 - Sep 11 by franz_tyson |
There wasn't that many dead rubber matches at the end of last season. Its just that clubs like PNE get that extra sniff of a chance.
What the EFL should say to Risdale is that they'll also be relegation play-offs for clubs 8th from bottom to reduce dead rubber games. Bet he won't be so enamoured with that.
It's already a unfair system which we just about have got used to because it does offer that extra bit of excitement and opportunities for a few more clubs.... why push it even further? [Post edited 11 Sep 11:49]
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Its all about money.... |  |
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| EFL considering changing playoff format from next season on 12:22 - Sep 11 with 1136 views | EJP |
| EFL considering changing playoff format from next season on 12:09 - Sep 11 by andytown |
‘Playoffs between 15th to 18th place, with the loser of the final going down.’
So if you don’t want to go down, you don’t want to be in the final. If you don’t want to be in the final, you make sure you lose the semi. Doesn’t seem very workable, unless I’m missing something. |
Good point! | | | |
| EFL considering changing playoff format from next season on 12:22 - Sep 11 with 1137 views | bsw72 |
Interesting.
I wonder if they have considered expanding the play-offs further to see which teams deserve promotion based on a longer period of time rather than a knockout mechanism down to 8th place.
Maybe that at the end of the season, we could have a kind of system where all the teams who finish 3rd to 21st play each other - maybe home and away - and gets awarded points based on the result, and whoever finishes in the top of that competition get's promoted, but then the teams finishing 2nd to 19th play each other again home and away . . . etc
More games = more money for clubs but more cost for the fans. Fecking joke. |  | | |
| EFL considering changing playoff format from next season on 12:23 - Sep 11 with 1129 views | _clive_baker_ |
| EFL considering changing playoff format from next season on 11:45 - Sep 11 by positivity |
depends on how far apart the games are, potentially the 3rd/4th teams are rusty, whilst the eliminator teams are match ready? [Post edited 11 Sep 11:46]
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Not sure that's likely to be much of an issue after a full season, think its more relevant the other way with additional games / fatigue / injuries etc. Its only 1 extra game though.
I'd say 3rd / 4th relatively unchanged, you could argue if it increases their chance of a semi against the 7th or 8th team that's (in theory) favourable.
5th / 6th are worse off, obviously. An additional round to navigate, effectively a 1/4 final, semi and final.
Rest of the division is better off. Given how tight the league is I like the fact you can be in 12th with 5 games left and stick a run together and go up. | | | |
| EFL considering changing playoff format from next season on 12:31 - Sep 11 with 1041 views | _clive_baker_ |
| EFL considering changing playoff format from next season on 11:48 - Sep 11 by franz_tyson |
There wasn't that many dead rubber matches at the end of last season. Its just that clubs like PNE get that extra sniff of a chance.
What the EFL should say to Risdale is that they'll also be relegation play-offs for clubs 8th from bottom to reduce dead rubber games. Bet he won't be so enamoured with that.
It's already a unfair system which we just about have got used to because it does offer that extra bit of excitement and opportunities for a few more clubs.... why push it even further? [Post edited 11 Sep 11:49]
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A wider benefit is it also creates some additional jeopardy between 3rd / 4th and 5th / 6th. Much more favourable to finish in the top 2 PO spots, where as now its just home advantage in the semi 2nd leg. Wouldn't have made much difference last season mind, with Sunderland having 4th nailed on from about March. | | | |
| EFL considering changing playoff format from next season on 12:49 - Sep 11 with 883 views | franz_tyson |
| EFL considering changing playoff format from next season on 12:31 - Sep 11 by _clive_baker_ |
A wider benefit is it also creates some additional jeopardy between 3rd / 4th and 5th / 6th. Much more favourable to finish in the top 2 PO spots, where as now its just home advantage in the semi 2nd leg. Wouldn't have made much difference last season mind, with Sunderland having 4th nailed on from about March. |
It's a great league... why do we need additional jeopardy? So what about the teams in 5th and 6th place who won't get 3rd or 4th place with 3 or 4 games to go... but are pretty much guaranteed a play off spot. They'll just put a weakened side out for the last few games to rest their players for the PO's. You can lessen the number of dead rubber games on one hand, but generate more dead rubber games on the other.
It will just increase the feeling of injustice. Isn't the point of getting promoted because you deserve it over a season. [Post edited 11 Sep 12:50]
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| EFL considering changing playoff format from next season on 12:55 - Sep 11 with 816 views | EuanTown |
| EFL considering changing playoff format from next season on 12:22 - Sep 11 by bsw72 |
Interesting.
I wonder if they have considered expanding the play-offs further to see which teams deserve promotion based on a longer period of time rather than a knockout mechanism down to 8th place.
Maybe that at the end of the season, we could have a kind of system where all the teams who finish 3rd to 21st play each other - maybe home and away - and gets awarded points based on the result, and whoever finishes in the top of that competition get's promoted, but then the teams finishing 2nd to 19th play each other again home and away . . . etc
More games = more money for clubs but more cost for the fans. Fecking joke. |
Will I have to buy a season ticket for the play offs? | | | |
| EFL considering changing playoff format from next season on 12:59 - Sep 11 with 759 views | EuanTown |
Or to avoid any dead rubber games, just have leagues of 6 teams with 3 up and 3 down after 10 games. Then repeat again in the new 6 team league that has just been formed with another 10 games. Keep going until 40 games have been played over the course of 4 mini seasons to find out very little indeed. | | | |
| EFL considering changing playoff format from next season on 13:00 - Sep 11 with 740 views | ITFC_Forever |
| EFL considering changing playoff format from next season on 11:47 - Sep 11 by giant_stow |
Fair point, but if they play the prelim games quick, shouldn;t be a problem - would also give an advantage to the teams above who'd earnt it. Edit: as in the winners of the prelim games would be more spent than 3rd and 4th, if they had other games to follow quickly.. [Post edited 11 Sep 11:49]
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The logistics of arranging the games, selling the tickets etc won’t allow that. |  |
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| EFL considering changing playoff format from next season on 13:08 - Sep 11 with 661 views | Jon_456 |
| EFL considering changing playoff format from next season on 12:49 - Sep 11 by franz_tyson |
It's a great league... why do we need additional jeopardy? So what about the teams in 5th and 6th place who won't get 3rd or 4th place with 3 or 4 games to go... but are pretty much guaranteed a play off spot. They'll just put a weakened side out for the last few games to rest their players for the PO's. You can lessen the number of dead rubber games on one hand, but generate more dead rubber games on the other.
It will just increase the feeling of injustice. Isn't the point of getting promoted because you deserve it over a season. [Post edited 11 Sep 12:50]
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I’m not against revamping the POs in some form to reward those who finish in 3rd and 4rd over those in 5th and 6th.
However I hope they consider the wider impact it would have on the entire season when you’re opening up the promotion / PO spots to a third of the league. My concern would be that more teams go for draws not wanting to give points away to rivals, resulting in boring matches and rewarding mediocrity. | | | |
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