Leeds and Burnley have sealed promotion to the Premier League, but it is still ALL to play for in the EFL this weekend.
By the end of Saturday night we could have four more promotions sorted, including a history-making one for Wrexham, and five relegations.
It is set to be a defining penultimate day in the best football pyramid in the world…
Key permutations across all three leagues this weekend
Championship play-offs
- Coventry guaranteed play-offs if they win and Middlesbrough and Millwall fail to win. A point will be enough if Middlesbrough and Millwall lose and Blackburn fail to win.
- Bristol City guaranteed play-offs if they win on Monday. A point will be enough if Middlesbrough, Millwall and Blackburn all fail to win on Saturday. In top six regardless if Middlesbrough and Millwall lose and Blackburn fail to win.
Championship downs
- Plymouth relegated if Derby or Luton better their result.
- Cardiff relegated if Derby or Luton better their result.
League One ups
- Wrexham promoted if they win and Wycombe fail to win.
League One downs
- Cambridge relegated if they fail to win. Down regardless if Bristol Rovers win.
- Crawley relegated if Burton or Bristol Rovers better their result.
League Two ups
- Doncaster promoted if they win. A point will be enough if Walsall fail to win. Up regardless if Walsall lose. Will be champions if they win and Port Vale lose.
- Port Vale promoted if they win and Bradford or Walsall fail to win.
- Bradford promoted if they win and Walsall lose.
League Two play-offs
- AFC Wimbledon guaranteed play-offs if they win. A point will be enough if Grimsby lose or Salford vs Colchester ends level.
- Notts County guaranteed play-offs if they win and Grimsby or Colchester fail to win.
League Two downs
- Carlisle relegated if they fail to better Tranmere’s result.
Not got Sky? Get Sky Sports or stream with no contract on NOW 📺
Got Sky? Watch EFL matches on the Sky Sports app 📱
EFL fixtures on Sky Sports+
Sat Apr 26 (all 12.30pm unless stated) – games in bold also on Sky Sports Football
- CH: Luton vs Coventry, QPR vs Burnley
- L1: Bristol Rovers vs Reading, Leyton Orient vs Wycombe, Wrexham vs Charlton (5.30pm)
- L2: AFC Wimbledon vs Port Vale, Doncaster vs Bradford
Mon Apr 28
- CH: Leeds vs Bristol City (8pm)
Championship play-offs: Bristol City and Coventry to book their spot?
Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player
Simeon Gholam and David Prutton look ahead to the impending battle for the final two play-off places on the Essential EFL podcast
Championship play-offs
- Coventry guaranteed play-offs if they win and Middlesbrough and Millwall fail to win. A point will be enough if Middlesbrough and Millwall lose and Blackburn fail to win.
- Bristol City guaranteed play-offs if they win on Monday. A point will be enough if Middlesbrough, Millwall and Blackburn all fail to win on Saturday. In top six regardless if Middlesbrough and Millwall lose and Blackburn fail to win.
Leeds and Burnley have secured the top two, Sheffield United will finish third and Sunderland have fourth wrapped up.
Bristol City and Coventry are in pole position to take fifth and sixth, with Middlesbrough, Millwall and Blackburn all maintaining hope of swooping in.
The key play-off games (Sat 3pm unless stated): Luton vs Coventry (Sat 12.30pm, live on Sky), Blackburn vs Watford, Middlesbrough vs Norwich, Millwall vs Swansea, Leeds vs Bristol City (Mon 8pm, live on Sky)
Analysis by Sky Sports News’ Rob Dorsett:
“Burnley and Leeds United have confirmed their places in the Premier League for next season, but there are still nine teams with a mathematical chance of promotion via the play-offs and nine more teams in a relegation battle – in what is one of the tightest Championship tables for years.
“England’s second tier is typically the most competitive in the country, but this season – outside the top three teams who have battled for many months for automatic promotion – the gap from top to bottom has been particularly narrow.
“Middlesborough in seventh are much closer to the relegation zone than they are to Leeds and Burnley at the top – Boro are 31 points behind second and only 20 points ahead of Plymouth, who sit rock bottom of the table. Bristol City’s points tally in fifth leaves them almost as close to the relegation places as they are to the automatic promotion spots – they are 17 points off the top two, and only 20 points above the bottom three.”
Championship relegation: Plymouth and Cardiff to have fate sealed?
Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player
Simeon Gholam and David Prutton look ahead to the relegation tussle this weekend on the Essential EFL podcast
Championship downs
- Plymouth relegated if Derby or Luton better their result.
- Cardiff relegated if Derby or Luton better their result.
Saturday could be the day that sees the bottom two have their relegation to League One confirmed. Victory would keep Cardiff and Plymouth’s aims alive until the final day, but goal difference concerns mean they realistically need to better the result of the sides above them.
Derby, meanwhile, visit Hull in the hope of reeling them right back in.
The key relegation games (Sat 3pm unless stated): Luton vs Coventry (Sat 12.30pm, live on Sky), Hull vs Derby, Preston vs Plymouth
League One promotion: Can Wrexham make history?
League One ups
- Wrexham promoted if they win and Wycombe fail to win.
Wrexham took control of the race back on Easter Monday, and Saturday could be the day they seal promotion – becoming the first side ever to achieve three successive promotions in English/Welsh football history.
They will need Wycombe to fail to win at Leyton Orient at lunchtime, and then beat Charlton – who have designs themselves on forcing their way into contention – in the evening.
The key promotion games: Leyton Orient vs Wycombe (12.30pm, live on Sky), Wrexham vs Charlton (5.30pm, live on Sky)
League One play-offs: Orient or Reading for final spot?
Nothing can be decided for sure on Saturday, but it is one from two for the final play-off place. Leyton Orient and Reading are locked on 72 points, although the former have a far better goal difference.
The key play-off games: Bristol Rovers vs Reading (Sat 12.30pm, live on Sky), Leyton Orient vs Wycombe (Sat 12.30pm, live on Sky)
League One relegation: Can Crawley and Cambridge stave off the drop?
League One downs
- Cambridge relegated if they fail to win. Down regardless if Bristol Rovers win.
- Crawley relegated if Burton or Bristol Rovers better their result.
Shrewsbury are already down, and Cambridge and Crawley may join them. Bristol Rovers, meanwhile, need some points to have any chance of dragging themselves out of the bottom four. They kick off earlier than the others, so if they manage to win at lunchtime, Cambridge will be down before they have even kicked off.
The key relegation games (Sat 3pm unless stated): Bristol Rovers vs Reading (Sat 12.30pm, live on Sky), Burton vs Cambridge, Crawley vs Northampton
League Two promotion: Who can secure top-three spot on Saturday?
League Two ups
- Doncaster promoted if they win. A point will be enough if Walsall fail to win. Up regardless if Walsall lose. Will be champions if they win and Port Vale lose.
- Port Vale promoted if they win and Bradford or Walsall fail to win.
- Bradford promoted if they win and Walsall lose.
Remarkably, with two games to go, no one in League Two has sealed promotion yet. But three sides could on Saturday. Doncaster, Port Vale and Bradford are in pole position, while Walsall will hope to overturn their recent slump and keep the pace.
Two of the top, three, however, meet on Sky at lunchtime as Doncaster host Bradford.
The key promotion games: AFC Wimbledon vs Port Vale (Sat 12.30pm, live on Sky), Doncaster vs Bradford (Sat 12.30pm, live on Sky), Walsall vs Accrington (Sat 3pm)
League Two play-offs: All to play for down to 10th
League Two play-offs
- AFC Wimbledon guaranteed play-offs if they win. A point will be enough if Grimsby lose or Salford vs Colchester ends level.
- Notts County guaranteed play-offs if they win and Grimsby or Colchester fail to win.
AFC Wimbledon and Notts County will be hoping to book their spot in the play-offs, while any one of four could end Saturday occupying seventh.
The key play-off games (Sat 3pm unless stated): AFC Wimbledon vs Port Vale (Sat 12.30pm, live on Sky), Harrogate vs Notts County (1pm), Chesterfield vs Morecambe, MK Dons vs Grimsby, Salford vs Colchester
League Two relegation: Carlisle to be condemned?
League Two downs
- Carlisle relegated if they fail to better Tranmere’s result.
Morecambe have had their relegation confirmed, and Carlisle could join them. Defeat at Cheltenham and they are down, anything else and they will still be relying on Tranmere’s result to keep their hopes alive until the final day.
The key relegation games (Sat 3pm): Cheltenham vs Carlisle, Tranmere vs Crewe
Meanwhile, Barnet will be promoted from the National League back to League Two if they claim a point at home against Aldershot on Saturday afternoon or even if they lose if York fail to beat Solihull Moors at home.
Listen to the Essential EFL podcast – predictions, interviews and more
Sky Sports brings you the Essential EFL podcast channel, featuring all the best content from the Championship, League One and League Two.
Among the latest offerings are…
- EFL Interviews: Featuring chats with big names from across all three leagues.
- Championship Predictions: Simeon Gholam and David Prutton look ahead to the weekend fixtures.
Make sure you don’t miss an episode…
NOW Sports Membership Q&A
All your questions answered about how to get the EFL action straight to your device without a Sky Sports subscription…
Your guide to Sky Sports+ and how to watch your EFL team
Here’s everything you need to know about Sky Sports+ including how to watch your EFL team this season…