As we enter what is often referred to as the "business end of the season" in the football calendar, the race for promotion to the Premier League is on.
Teams competing at the top of the EFL Championship are just weeks away from securing promotion to England's top division.
This season sees the Premier League's three relegated sides from 2022/23 in the top four of the table: Leeds United, Leicester City and Southampton.
Former Manchester United assistant coach Kieran McKenna has his Ipswich Town also competing. The Tractor Boys are aiming to play in the Premier League for the first time since 2002.
The Sporting News takes a look at the playoff picture, and how promotion works.
MORE: Premier League table 2023/24 updated standings
EFL Championship 2023/24 table and promotion picture
The top two will secure automatic promotion, whereas teams placed between third and sixth will complete in a playoff. More on that below.
Updated on Friday, March 29, 2024
| Pos | Team | Points | Matches Played | Goals Scored | Goal Difference |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | Ipswich Town | 87 | 40 | 84 | +33 |
| 2. | Leeds United | 86 | 40 | 75 | +44 |
| —— | ——————— | ——— | ———— | ——— | ———— |
| 3. | Leicester City | 85 | 39 | 77 | +42 |
| 4. | Southampton | 74 | 38 | 76 | +25 |
| 5. | West Brom | 68 | 40 | 62 | +23 |
| 6. | Norwich | 64 | 40 | 72 | +14 |
| —— | ——————— | ——— | ———— | ——— | ———— |
| 7. | Coventry City | 60 | 39 | 63 | +17 |
| 8. | Preston | 59 | 39 | 52 | -3 |
| 9. | Middlesbrough | 58 | 40 | 56 | +1 |
| 10. | Hull City | 58 | 39 | 54 | +3 |
The 'business end' of the season is about to begin! 😍#EFL | #SkyBetChampionship pic.twitter.com/UKLfMeuDVA
— Sky Bet Championship (@SkyBetChamp) March 25, 2024
How does promotion to the Premier League work?
Promotion from the Championship to the Premier League is a highly competitive process where three of the best teams can gain English top-flight status.
At the end of each season, the top two teams in the Championship table automatically secure promotion to England's top division.
The third promotion spot is determined through a playoff system involving the teams finishing third to sixth.
The top two of those teams are seeded, therefore third place plays sixth and fourth place faces off against fifth over two legs. The third and fourth teams will have the advantage of playing the second leg at home.
The winners then meet in the playoff final at Wembley Stadium on Sunday, May 26.
Extra-time and penalties will be used in the semifinal second legs and final if they teams cannot be separated.
The team that wins the playoff final claims the final promotion spot, earning the opportunity to compete against the top clubs in the country in the Premier League in 2024/25
Promotion not only brings financial rewards but also elevates a club's status and opens doors to greater exposure on a national and international level, while making teams an attractive transfer destination for players at home and abroad.
Remaining fixtures for Leeds, Leicester and Ipswich
With the table being incredibly tight at the top, here's a look at the remaining fixtures for those fighting for the automatic promotion places:
| Leeds | Result | Leicester | Result | Ipswich | Result |
| Watford (A) | 2-2 | Bristol City (A) | 1-0 | Blackburn (A) | 0-1 |
| Hull City (H) | 3-1 | Norwich (H) | 3-1 | Southampton (H) | 3-2 |
| Coventry (A) | — | Birmingham City (H) | — | Norwich (A) | — |
| Sunderland (H) | — | Millwall (A) | — | Watford (H) | — |
| Blackburn (H) | — | Plymouth (A) | — | Middlesbrough (H) | — |
| Middlesbrough (A) | — | West Brom (H) | — | Hull City (A) | — |
| QPR (A) | — | Southampton (H) | — | Coventry (A) | — |
| — | Preston (A) | — | — | ||
| — | — | — | |||
| Southampton (H) | — | Blackburn (H) | — | Huddersfield (H) | — |