The EFL Championship is the second tier of English football and is widely regarded as one of the most competitive and demanding leagues in world football. Sitting directly below the Premier League, the Championship features 24 clubs competing across a long, physically intense 46-game season, followed by play-offs that determine the final promotion place.
What makes the Championship unique is its scale and unpredictability. With more matches than any other major European league and significant financial disparity between clubs, consistency is difficult to maintain. Promotion to the Premier League is often described as the most valuable prize in football due to the financial uplift it brings, while relegation to League One can be devastating.
The league blends historic clubs, former Premier League sides, ambitious challengers, and fiercely loyal fanbases. Every season delivers tight promotion races, dramatic play-offs, and relegation battles that frequently go to the final weeks.
The Championship matters because it is the gateway to the Premier League and one of the toughest proving grounds in professional football. Clubs must combine tactical discipline, squad depth, and physical resilience to survive the relentless schedule.
The competition matters because it:
Managers often describe the Championship as harder to win than staying up in the Premier League. The league’s intensity, travel demands, and lack of winter breaks push players and staff to their limits, making success especially respected across the football world.
London plays a significant role in the Championship, often hosting multiple clubs in the division at any given time. Teams such as Queens Park Rangers, Millwall, Charlton Athletic, Watford, Brentford (historically), and others regularly compete in the league.
Championship matches in London are staged at:
London derbies in the Championship are among the most intense fixtures of the season. These matches often carry promotion or relegation implications and attract heightened media attention and sell-out crowds.
Championship tickets offer some of the best value football experiences in London, particularly compared to Premier League pricing.
Ticket demand trends include:
Because stadiums are generally smaller and more traditional, fans enjoy close proximity to the pitch and a raw matchday atmosphere. For visitors, Championship matches offer authentic English football without the barriers often associated with top-flight ticket access.
The Championship enjoys extensive domestic and international broadcast coverage, with matches shown live every weekend and midweek rounds. The league has gained a strong following abroad due to its intensity and the number of well-known clubs involved.
Broadcast coverage focuses on:
The Championship play-offs, in particular, are among the most-watched events in the English football calendar, culminating in a final at Wembley Stadium often referred to as the “richest game in football.”