The Championship play-offs are the most lucrative and dramatic fixtures in the EFL calendar, yet they sit at the centre of a long-running argument about sporting fairness.
Across 46 league matches merit is measured by points, then the final promotion place is settled by a mini knock-out. For some that is a thrilling climax. For others it clashes with the logic of a league table.
Meritocracy vs entertainment
The core complaint is simple: a team finishing 3rd can end up empty-handed while 6th goes up. Sunderland were promoted to the Premier League after finishing on 76 points, 24 points behind second-placed Burnley. That’s not just a small margin either, as 28 points separated them from the bottom 3! They finished closer to 17th in terms of points than Burnley, and were even 14 behind 3rd-placed Sheffield United.
“Never really felt in danger.”
Chris Wilder can’t fathom out how they lost the play-off final against Sunderland. #twitterblades pic.twitter.com/UDHgxwgnmz
— The Real EFL (@RealEFLSocial) May 24, 2025
After months of consistency, promotion can hinge on two legs and a Wembley final. Supporters of the meritocratic view argue that the league table is the clearest test of quality and resilience, so 3rd should be rewarded automatically.
The counter-argument is that the margins among the top six are usually narrow. 2024/25 was unusual, with 32 points the difference between 6th and 2nd. A season before, the difference was 23 points, and it was just 13 in 2021/22.
Over a long Championship season the play-off quartet often finish within a small band of points, so a short, high-pressure shoot-out is not wildly unrepresentative. Crucially, the play-offs keep far more teams engaged for far longer.
Without them, the mid-table could drift into dead rubbers by March, which would flatten atmospheres, reduce attendances and weaken the product that funds the pyramid.
From a supporter’s perspective, the semi-finals and final are some of the most memorable days of a football life. Pressure is part of elite sport, and the ability to deliver under it is a relevant test.
Three matches, one stadium, 72 hours 🤯
It’s a weekend like no other – but what REALLY happens behind the scenes to make the @SkyBet #EFL Play-Offs?
Watch the full video below 🔗#3F3D | #EFLPlayOffs
— EFL (@EFL) October 10, 2025
The money, the jeopardy and the show
There is no escaping the financial logic. The “richest game in football” tag exists for a reason. Gate receipts, broadcast deals and sponsorship around the play-offs inject cash into participating clubs and advertise the Championship to a wider audience. That visibility matters when competing for sponsors and international attention. The format also discourages cruise-control complacency.
Clubs in 8th or 9th in spring retain a route to Wembley, which keeps standards higher across the division and reduces the risk of matches with nothing riding on them.
Jeopardy cuts both ways. For the 3rd-placed side it can feel punitive. Yet the same jeopardy allows smaller clubs to dream. The play-offs democratise opportunity within a league that is notoriously volatile, where injuries, fixture congestion and winter slumps can distort final totals.
The final at Wembley offers a platform many clubs and players would never otherwise experience, with the attendant career and commercial benefits.
Could the format be fairer?
If the aim is to rebalance merit and spectacle, there are credible tweaks that preserve the theatre while rewarding the season’s body of work.
- Points-gap triggers: Borrow from Italy’s Serie B, where the play-offs do not run if 3rd finishes a set distance ahead of 4th. A Championship variant could state that if 3rd is, for example, 10 points clear of 4th, they go up automatically and the play-offs compress to three teams, or are cancelled entirely.
- Seeding with advantage: Keep two-legged semi-finals, but let the higher seed progress if the tie finishes level on aggregate after extra time, removing penalties from that stage. The higher seed would also host the second leg.
- Byes or home-field weighting: Give 3rd a bye to the final, with 4th to 6th contesting a single-leg semi at the higher seed’s ground. Alternatively, play single-leg semis at 3rd and 4th to amplify home advantage earned over 46 matches.
- Financial solidarity: Ring-fence a slice of play-off revenue for the team that finishes 3rd if they do not go up, recognising the season-long achievement even in defeat.
Each change respects both principles: merit across the year and performance under pressure. None would drain the drama from Wembley.
Hi @SunderlandAFC fans 👋
Relive the full 90 minutes from that magical day at Wembley, now live on our YouTube channel! ⬇️🎬#EFLPlayOffs | #SkyBetChampionship
— Sky Bet Championship (@SkyBetChamp) June 25, 2025
Verdict
The current system is not perfectly “fair” in a strict, points-only sense, and it was never designed to be. It is a compromise between sporting purity and the realities of a modern, commercial league that must keep crowds, broadcasters and clubs engaged until the final whistle of the season.
On balance, it works because it sustains jeopardy, rewards nerve as well as consistency, and delivers a showpiece that elevates the entire division. With light reform to recognise exceptional 3rd-place seasons and to strengthen the higher seed’s hand, the Championship can keep the theatre while edging closer to meritocracy.
That feels like the right place for a league that thrives on tension, ambition and the promise that, in May, almost anything can still happen.
