Coventry City have already secured one of the automatic promotion spots having secured the title, leaving one place still up for grabs. That currently looks like a two-team race between Town and Millwall.

The Blues sit second in the table, needing three points to secure that spot, and crucially still have a game in hand with the Lions having only one. That gives them a strong advantage but, of course, doesn’t guarantee anything.

Middlesbrough and Southampton will still hold out hope of reaching second but for that to happen they need both the Blues and Lions to slip up over the course of the next five days, twice in Town’s case.

The Race Between Millwall and Ipswich Town

At this stage, Millwall look the only remaining contender who might prevent Town from making a return to the Premier League. Both sides are level on 80 points, but with the Blues effectively another point in front due to their superior goal difference, plus-30 to the Lions’ plus-13.

Town can decide their own fate, which is exactly where they would have wanted to be at this point in the season.

On Tuesday evening, the Blues are away against the in-form Saints, who need to win to extend their automatic promotion hopes to the final day, having lost their FA Cup semi-final to Manchester City at the weekend.

The Hampshire side are unbeaten in 17 in the Championship and will fancy themselves to claim all three points and take the promotion battle into the weekend.

The Blues’ last game is at Portman Road against QPR side in mid-table which has struggled defensively this season, conceding 70 goals so far.

Town, on the other hand, have scored 75 — the third-most productive attack in the division. On paper, from a Town perspective, it’s a favourable fixture for the final day, something also reflected in the latest Championship odds, which lean towards Town finishing the job, if they haven’t already by then.
Still, nothing feels guaranteed at this point in the season. One slip changes everything.

Have Town Ever Been in the Premier League?

Ipswich Town are far from newcomers when it comes to top-flight football. In 1961/62, they won the old First Division at the first attempt under Sir Alf Ramsey, who went on to claim the World Cup for England in 1966.

They then spent most of the 1970s and 1980s in the top division under Sir Bobby Robson, coming close to winning the title on a number of occasions, most notably in 1980/81, while carrying off the FA Cup in 1978 and the UEFA Cup in 1981.

Their history in the Premier League goes back to its very beginning. They were part of the inaugural 1992/93 season and stayed up for three campaigns before being relegated in 1995.

They returned in the 2000/01 season, which remains one of the club’s standout moments. Finishing fifth, Ipswich secured a place in the UEFA Cup — an impressive achievement for a team that had just come up.

That run, however, didn’t last. Relegation followed the next season and the club slipped into a long period away from the spotlight.

It took over two decades to climb back. Under Kieran McKenna, Ipswich earned promotion again in 2023/24, bringing a sense of renewal to Portman Road.

But the return didn’t go as planned. The team struggled to keep pace and spent most of the campaign near the bottom of the table and relegation was confirmed last April.

However, despite a summer in which there was a significant turnaround of personnel and a season of rebuilding, they’re within reach of bouncing straight back.

Who Owns Ipswich Town? Is Ed Sheeran Involved?

The ownership structure at Ipswich has changed in recent years and it’s often a point of curiosity — especially because of one familiar name.

In April 2021, the club announced that Gamechanger 20 Ltd, a US-owned investment group, had acquired a majority stake. The consortium included ORG Portfolio Management and members of the Three Lions Fund.

Since then there have been changes with Bright Path Sports Partners investing a significant stake and more recently Clara Vista Partners taking a larger role, both also US-based.

Often more headlines are devoted to a minor shareholder, pop star Ed Sheeran, however.

The lifelong Ipswich fan became a minority investor in 2024 with his stake sitting at 1.4%.

While he has a visible presence around the club — including a personalised executive box at Portman Road — his role is passive. He is not part of the board and does not take part in decision-making.

Where Does the Club Stand Now?

Right now, Town are in the Championship, but that doesn’t tell the full story.
Over the past few seasons, Ipswich have moved up a level following the stagnation of the Marcus Evans years.

Promotion, relegation and now another push for the Premier League — it’s not been plain sailing, but with clear progression along the way.

Manager Kieran McKenna has played a major role in that shift. The former Manchester United assistant has master-minded the success on the field and a third promotion in four years - Town having come up from League One prior to their Championship promotion two seasons ago - would be vindication of the work he is doing behind the scenes.

There’s also a deeper historical motivation at play. Town aren’t just chasing promotion for the sake of it. The club is trying to reconnect with its past — particularly the era under Robson, when they were a respected force in English football and also in Europe.

The landscape is tougher now, of course. The margins are tighter. But the intent of the ownership is clear.

With two matches left and promotion within reach, Town are exactly where they want to be — close enough to touch promotion, just needing that one final result.