Click here for the 2021 Championship play-offs
The Championship play-offs represent some of the most exciting and potentially lucrative matches in world football, with a place in the Premier League on offer.
Leeds were the first side to earn automatic promotion, but after the ordinary season the tension can be unbearable as fans live in hope that their team can reach the promised land of English football in the play-offs.
The coronavirus Covid-19 pandemic forced a postponement to matters, but the league resumed in June after three months of no games.
Goal brings you everything you need to know about the competition phase, when the games were, what TV channels they were on and more.
Contents
- What are the Championship play-offs?
- Which teams qualified for the Championship play-offs in 2020?
- When are the Championship 2020 play-offs?
- When & where is the 2020 Championship play-off final?
- Championship play-offs TV channel & live stream
- Who won last year's Championship play-offs?
What are the Championship play-offs?
The Championship play-offs in England are a series of knock-out games which take place at the end of the Championship season in order to determine which team earns the final promotion to the Premier League.
While the top two teams in the division earn automatic promotion, the teams which finish third, fourth, fifth and sixth qualify for the play-offs.
A merit-based system is in place to pair the semi-final opponents, with third place playing sixth place in one semi-final and fourth place playing fifth place in the other semi-final.
The Championship semi-finals are two-legged affairs, but the away goals rule does not apply. The semi-final winners progress to the play-off final.
Which teams qualified for the Championship play-offs in 2020?
A number of teams were in contention for the Championship play-offs this season.
Leeds United became the first side to win automatic promotion when West Brom lost to Huddersfield on July 17, with Marcelo Bielsa's side crowned champions a day later following Brentford's loss to Stoke City.
West Brom will join them in the Premier League after securing promotion on the final day of the season with a 2-2 draw against QPR.
Fulham were the final team to secure promotion to the Premier League after they defeated Brentford 2-1 in the play-off final on August 4, courtesy a Joe Bryan brace.
Championship table 2019-20
| Pos | Team | MP | W | D | L | GD | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Leeds United (P) | 46 | 28 | 9 | 9 | +42 | 93 |
| 2 | West Brom (P) | 46 | 22 | 17 | 7 | +32 | 83 |
| 3 | Brentford (Q) | 46 | 24 | 9 | 13 | +42 | 81 |
| 4 | Fulham (P) | 46 | 23 | 12 | 11 | +16 | 81 |
| 5 | Cardiff City (Q) | 46 | 19 | 16 | 11 | +10 | 73 |
| 6 | Swansea City (Q) | 46 | 18 | 16 | 12 | +9 | 70 |
| 7 | Nottingham Forest | 46 | 18 | 16 | 12 | +8 | 70 |
| 8 | Millwall | 46 | 17 | 17 | 12 | +6 | 68 |
Last updated: Games played on July 22, 2020 | Key: (P) - secured promotion | (Q) - qualified for play-offs
Brentford and Fulham had to settle for places in the play-offs having challenged the top two for most of the campaign.
They were joined by Welsh rivals Cardiff City and Swansea City, with Nottingham Forest narrowly missing out on a top-six finish.
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When are the Championship 2020 play-offs?
Championship play-off final
| Date | Team | Result | Team | Kick off time (BST) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| August 4 | Brentford | 1-2 | Fulham | 7:45pm |
Fulham were awarded the final promotion spot after they defeated Brentford 2-1 in the play-off final on August 4.
Championship play-off semi-finals
| Team | Agg. | Team | 1st Leg | 2nd Leg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Swansea City | 2-3 | Brentford | 1-0 | 1-3 |
| Cardiff City | 2-3 | Fulham | 0-2 | 2-1 |
With the Championship returning at the end of June, the play-off semi-finals were played at the end of July. First legs were played on July 26 and 27 with the second legs taking place on July 29 and 30.
When & where is the 2020 Championship play-off final?
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The 2020 Championship play-off final was scheduled for Tuesday August 4. It had originally been booked for Monday, May 25.
Since the game was played in mid-week, it kicked off at 7:45pm rather than the usual afternoon kick-off time associated with weekend play-off finals.
Wembley Stadium in London is the traditional venue for the match. Wembley is used for all EFL play-off finals with those for League One and League Two also taking place at the venue.
Affectionately known as 'The Home of Football' in England, Wembley is one of the biggest stadiums in the world and Championship play-off finals regularly attract bumper crowds.
The 2019 Championship play-off final between Aston Villa and Derby County, for example, drew an audience of 85,826.
Championship play-offs TV channel & live stream
Sky Sports has exclusive broadcasting rights for the Championship in the UK and the play-offs were shown live on Sky Sports Football . Sky Go is the channel's online streaming service.
In the US, the ESPN network and its online streaming platform ESPN+ are the sole outlets broadcasting the Championship play-offs.
Who won last year's Championship play-offs?
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Aston Villa won the 2019 Championship play-offs after a 2-1 victory over Derby County.
Goals from Anwar El Ghazi and John McGinn either side of half-time were enough to see Villa to victory over the Rams, who threatened a comeback late in the second half when Jack Marriott found the net.
Villa overcame West Brom in the semi-final to book their place in the final of the play-offs, while Derby defeated Marcelo Bielsa's Leeds United - a team that had been fancied to win the division.
It was the Birmingham club's second successive appearance in the play-off final, having lost the 2018 edition 1-0 to Fulham.