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11th September 2025
05:14pm BST
The English Football League is in discussions over implementing a major change to the Championship's playoff system that would see an extra 'Eliminator Round' added and the number of teams involved increase from just four to six.
The new format would be similar to the style used in the English fifth division, the National League.
As first reported in The Athletic, reception to the new format has been "favourable" however no final decision has been made yet on whether it will be implemented.
It was first presented by Preston North End chief executive Peter Ridsdale who suggests the new format would add greater jeopardy to the end of the season all while eliminating the number of 'dead rubber' games Championship clubs will find themselves involved in.
The proposed changes come as the EFL is under increased pressure to change the format of National League promotion and relegation.
National League clubs are demanding a three up/three down system to replace their current two up/two down format.
Last season York City F.C. finished in second place with 96 points in the league, but failed to secure promotion after losing out to Oldham, who put up more than 20 points less than them over the course of the season.
York's owners described the system as a "glaring imbalance [that] undermines sporting merit."
The EFL say they plan to update the National League model but are waiting until they can agree an all-encompassing financial distribution deal with the Premier League.
In the meantime, all focus is on making updates to the Championship.
The first play-off round that would be played is the "Eliminator."
Just like the National League, the team that finishes fifth would play the eighth place team while sixth place would pay seventh.
Both of these ties would consist of just one fixture to be completed at the higher ranked side's ground.
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Once the "Eliminator Round" is decided, the winners would then proceed to the next round where they'd meet the teams that finished third and fourth respectively.
These would be two-legged ties which is a marked difference to the National League.
The winners of each would finally face each other at Wembley to battle it out for a spot in the next season's Premier League.
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