Championship news: A shootout for the Premier League - Everything that can happen on the final day
With relegation confirmed for Sheffield Wednesday, Leicester City and Oxford United, all eyes dart towards the top of the Championship table, where Premier League football is up for grabs heading into the final day.
As is usually the case, England’s second tier has treated fans to a rollercoaster season packed with drama as the 2025/26 campaign draws to a close.
With one match remaining, Sports News Blitz writer Gabriel Mills looks at what each team involved will need in the race for automatic promotion and play-off places.
Battle for second
A remarkable four teams are still battling for the second automatic promotion place - Middlesbrough, Ipswich, Millwall and Southampton all have eyes on a superb prize.
Middlesbrough
With Coventry City being the only team in the top eight guaranteed to finish in the position they currently take up, the fight for the second promotion place is a thrilling four-horse race.
As recently as February, Middlesbrough sat top of the table after a six-win streak and looked very likely to at least finish a close second to Frank Lampard’s Coventry.
Form dipped for Boro, however, with several disappointing results at home stifling their promotion push.
Draws to Oxford, Leicester and Bristol City on top of 1-0 losses to both Charlton and Portsmouth meant the chasing pack caught up.
Middlesbrough sit fourth on 79, and only a win gives them a realistic chance of second place as they travel to Wrexham on Saturday.
Ipswich
After relegation from the Premier League this time last year, Ipswich Town were favourites to secure promotion back at the first time of asking.
Players like Jaden Philogene, Jack Clarke, Jacob Greaves and Dara O’Shea make this a squad with proven quality at this level.
A slightly underwhelming start to the season meant Ipswich had ground to make up after winning just three times in the opening 11 matches.
Since then, Ipswich have performed at the level that was expected going into the season - since a dramatic 5-3 loss to Wrexham in February, the Tractor Boys have lost just once in 13.
Crucially, Ipswich have a game in hand - an absolutely huge trip to the coast to take on a seemingly-unstoppable Southampton on Tuesday night.
Ipswich are perhaps in the strongest position to finish second as they have 80 points, a game in hand and superior goal difference.
Avoiding defeat against Southampton puts them in control on the final day against Preston.
A win against the Saints means a point from the final match confirms promotion for Ipswich.
READ MORE: Championship news: Coventry City secure title and return to the Premier League after 25-year wait
Milwall
The surprise package among teams recently in the top flight, Millwall, have enjoyed a very successful season.
Despite that, fans will be disappointed with last week's result as the Lions only managed a 1-1 draw against relegated Leicester.
A win would have put them in pole position heading into Saturday - but as it stands, Millwall sit third on 80 points, having played a game more than Ipswich.
Alex Neil’s side host Oxford in a favourable final match - a win gives them an outside chance with their fate dependent on other results.
Southampton
Under Tonda Ekert, Southampton are on a quite incredible run.
Since losing at home to Hull on February 17, the Saints have won 13 league matches out of 17, drawing the other four.
On top of the remarkable league form, Southampton also made it to Wembley after defeating Fulham and Arsenal to reach an FA Cup semi-final.
Their most recent league match was a dampener in the late push for second place.
A 2-2 draw at home to Bristol City means only a win for Southampton against Ipswich on Tuesday night will realistically be enough to give themselves a slim chance.
Saints sit on 76 points with a game in hand - a trip to Preston on Saturday means 82 points is their ceiling and results will have to go their way in order for automatic promotion.
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The play-off fight
Three teams are chasing the final play-off position in sixth - Wrexham, Hull City and Derby County are all in contention and desperate for a shot at promotion.
Wrexham
A footballing story straight from Hollywood, Wrexham’s rise has been outstanding.
Many predicted that the Championship would be the stumbling block for the Welsh side following three successive promotions.
Instead, they look right at home in the second division, with eyes on a top-six place.
Wrexham are on 70 points, level with Hull, and have a slim goal difference advantage of +4 to Hull’s +3.
The good news for Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney is that the final match is at home, the bad news is the visitors are fellow promotion battlers, Middlesbrough.
A win would see Wrexham finish sixth unless Hull win by a greater scoreline - Hull lead on goals scored by just one.
Fans of “Disney FC” will be desperate for Hollywood’s scriptwriters to have a happy ending in store on Saturday.
Hull City
It really is tantalisingly close between Hull and Wrexham.
The Tigers’ form, however, is worrying to say the least, with no wins in the last six.
A visit from an in-form Norwich side on the final day is yet another challenging hurdle to overcome for manager Sergej Jakirovic and his team.
But in the Championship, anything can happen - the Tigers will hope Wrexham falter against Middlesbrough, leaving sixth spot ready to be snatched at the death.
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Derby County
Derby sit on 69 points in eighth, one behind their play-off competitors going into the last match.
Unlike their rivals, Derby go into their home match against Sheffield United on the back of a dramatic 3-2 victory against QPR last week.
Both Wrexham and Hull lost to Coventry and Charlton, respectively, meaning the door is slightly ajar for Derby County on Saturday.
The situation for the Rams is simple - beat Sheffield United and hope Wrexham and Hull fail to win.
This would result in a last-gasp sixth-place finish for a team that played in League One as recently as 2023/24.
Whichever way this final day goes, it is guaranteed to be fantastic viewing and another great advert for one of the most exciting leagues in world football.
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