Premier League spots are worth tens — if not hundreds — of millions of dollars, so when it comes to promotion and relegation in the English top flight, everything is on the line.
Two teams were already resigned to relegation entering the final day and Burnley and Leeds United were battling to avoid the final spot on the final day. Leeds won out in the end with a 2-1 victory at Brentford, while Burnley suffered a 2-1 home loss, sending the Clarets down.
Everton had previously earned Premier League safety with a dramatic comeback win over Crystal Palace in the penultimate match of the season.
In the second-tier Championship, the two automatic promotion spots to the Premier League were claimed after Fulham and Bournemouth ensured they'll be moving up to the top flight in 2022/23 by clinching the top two spots in the table. The third team, Nottingham Forest, earned their place in the top division after winning the Championship playoff final 1-0 against Huddersfield Town on May 29.
MORE: Final Premier League table with title, relegation and European verdicts
Premier League relegation: Which teams are going down?
Norwich City was the first team to suffer relegation and Watford joined them a week later as both clubs dropped down to the second division just one season after earning promotion.
The third and final trap door to the Championship was occupied by Burnley, who were surpassed by Leeds United on the final day.
Heading into the final day FiveThirtyEight had given Leeds United a 76 percent to go down and Burnley only 24 percent since they were in control of their own destiny.
The table below is updated as of the final day on Sunday, May 22.
| Place | Team | PTS | GP | GD |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 15. | Southampton | 40 | 38 | -24 |
| 16. | Everton | 39 | 38 | -23 |
| 17. | Leeds United | 38 | 38 | -37 |
| 18.* | Burnley-X | 35 | 38 | -19 |
| 19.* | Watford-X | 23 | 38 | -43 |
| 20.* | Norwich City-X | 22 | 38 | -61 |
* = The bottom three teams are relegated to the second-tier Championship.
X = Relegated to the Championship
Premier League promotion race
With three teams dropping from the Premier League, three teams must rise up to replace them.
The Championship, the second tier of professional soccer in England, automatically sends the top two finishers to the Premier League. The third team to move up is determined via a promotion playoff involving the teams finishing 3rd through 6th qualifying for the four-team knockout tournament.
MORE: How the Championship Promotion Playoff works
That playoff final is a massive spectacle, with the income generated in the Premier League proving a game changer for teams stuck in the Championship. The match is said to be worth upwards of $100 million, with the winner advancing to the Premier League and reaping the rewards of the top flight's revenue sharing and parachute payments.
Fulham won the 2021/22 Championship, clinching automatic promotion to the Premier League. Bournemouth clinched the second automatic spot, staving off a late challenge from Nottingham Forest, which settled for a playoff spot alongside Huddersfield. The other two spots were secured by Sheffield United and Luton Town, which both won on the final day to lock up their place in the playoffs.
- Championship Playoff Semifinals (two legs):
- No. 3 Huddersfield vs. No. 6 Luton Town
(Huddersfield advance 2-1 on agg.) - No. 4 Nottingham Forest vs. No. 5 Sheffield United
(Notts. Forest advance on PKs after 3-3 on agg.)
- No. 3 Huddersfield vs. No. 6 Luton Town
- Championship Playoff Final (Sunday, May 29):
- Huddersfield vs. Nottingham Forest
The table below is final after the season concluded on Saturday, May 7. Promotion probabilities via FiveThirtyEight.
MORE: Fulham promoted to Premier League, can the Whites stay?
| Place | Team | PTS | GP | GD | Promotion Probability |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1.* | Fulham-X | 90 | 46 | +63 | 100% |
| 2.* | Bournemouth-X | 88 | 46 | +35 | 100% |
| 3.** | Huddersfield-Y | 82 | 46 | +17 | 19% |
| 4.** | Nottingham Forest-Y | 80 | 46 | +33 | 53% |
| 5.** | Sheffield United-Y | 75 | 46 | +18 | 11% |
| 6.** | Luton Town-Y | 72 | 46 | +8 | 18% |
| 7. | Middlesbrough | 70 | 46 | +9 | 0% |
| 8. | Blackburn Rovers | 69 | 46 | +9 | 0% |
X = clinched promotion
Y = guaranteed promotion playoff spot
*The top two teams are automatically promoted to the Premier League.
**Teams finishing 3rd-6th qualify for the promotion playoffs.
Fulham dominated the Championship with a formidable attack and the Cottagers were the first team to secure a spot in the top flight. Bournemouth, for long stretches in second place, only locked up the other automatic spot on the penultimate matchday of the season.
Championship Playoffs
Championship playoff semifinals
| Date | Match | |
|---|---|---|
| Fri, May 13 | Luton Town 1, Huddersfield Town 1 | Highlights |
| Mon, May 16 | Huddersfield Town 1, Luton Town 0 | Highlights |
Huddersfield Town advance past Luton Town, 2-1 on aggregate after two legs.
| Date | Match | |
|---|---|---|
| Sat, May 14 | Sheffield United 1, Nottingham Forest 2 | Highlights |
| Tues, May 17 | Nottingham Forest 1, Sheffield United 2 | Highlights |
Nottingham Forest and Sheffield United finished level on aggregate 3-3. Nottingham Forest advanced to the playoff final via a 3-2 penalty shootout win.
Championship playoff final
| Date | Match | Time (ET) |
|---|---|---|
| Sunday, May 29 | Huddersfield Town 0, Nottingham Forest 1 | 11:30 a.m. |
