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September 12, 2026Short & citedBlog
Civic Viewpoint.
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Kept by Bryan McAllister — short guides, clear facts, and the Canadian angle when it matters.
Sports Desk • Soccer

EFL Championship

The EFL Championship is the second-highest division in the English football league system, below the Premier League.

Updated September 12, 20261 min readCited sources

The EFL Championship is the second-highest division in the English football league system, below the Premier League. It is the top division of the English Football League and includes 24 clubs.

What is the EFL Championship?

The EFL Championship is England's second-tier men's professional football league, administered by the English Football League. It sits directly below the Premier League and has 24 teams. The league was originally called the Football League Championship from 2004 and was renamed the EFL Championship in 2016.

How promotion and relegation work

Each season, the top two clubs are automatically promoted to the Premier League. Clubs finishing third to sixth enter playoffs for one additional promotion place. The bottom three clubs are relegated to League One. This system is part of England's promotion-and-relegation pyramid.

Cross-border participation

Although the Championship is an English league, Welsh clubs may compete in it, making it a cross-border competition. This reflects the broader structure of English football, which includes clubs from Wales.

In short

  • Second-tier English men's professional football league.
  • 24 teams; top two promoted automatically, one via playoffs.
  • Bottom three relegated to League One.
  • Renamed EFL Championship in 2016.
Canadian angle

Canadian readers may know the league mainly through its wide coverage in international football and through Canadian players, managers, and clubs with Canadian ownership or investment interests.

Quick questions

What is the EFL Championship?
It is the second-highest division in English professional football and the top division of the English Football League.
How many teams are in the EFL Championship?
The league has 24 teams.
How does promotion work in the EFL Championship?
The top two teams are promoted automatically to the Premier League, and one additional team is promoted through playoffs involving clubs placed third to sixth.

Sources

  1. Wikipedia — https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/EFL_Championship
    Supports: League level, 24 teams, promotion and relegation format, cross-border participation
  2. Wikipedia — https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/English_Football_League
    Supports: Championship as the top division of the EFL and its place in the English football pyramid
  3. English Football League — https://www.efl.com/
    Supports: EFL as the governing body of the competition and official league context
  4. Wikipedia — https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/EFL_Championship
    Supports: Founded in 2004/05, 24 teams, current naming history