Who Will Be Promoted to the Premier League According to the Bookmakers?
by Steve Ashfield | by Steve Ashfield
The Richest Match in Football is on its Way
On May 26, the English Championship play-off final will take place at Wembley Stadium in London. It's known as "the richest match in football" with the winners going into the Premier League where millions of pounds are available via TV rights and the possibility of European qualification. Leeds United, Southampton, West Bromwich Albion and Norwich City are all hoping to make their return to the top-flight of English football. Who will join Leicester City and Ipswich Town as the sides promoted to the Premier League?
Semi-Finals
- Norwich City v Leeds United - May 12/16
- West Bromwich Albion v Southampton - May 12/17
Leeds Bid to Make an Immediate Return to the Premier League
Leeds United finished third in the Championship, missing out on automatic promotion by six points. Their fans will hope to be celebrating later this month but first they need to beat Norwich City in the semi-finals.
They travel to Carrow Road on May 12th with the return leg being played four days later. United have already beaten City twice this season with a 3-2 away win in October. That was a dramatic match as they trailed 2-0 but fought back to get the win. The reverse fixture was in January with Leeds winning 1-0 at home. United are 1.35 at Vbet to qualify for the Wembley final.
Leeds were relegated from the Premier League last season and will want to bounce back at the first attempt. They did not have the best of ends to the main season though with only four points from their last five league games. Home form has been strong this season and they were unbeaten in their first 21 league games. Then they lost the last two but will hope to bounce back in the all-important play-offs.
Canaries Flying High?
Norwich City finished sixth in the main season, 17 points behind their opponents in this play-off semi-final. The Canaries last played in the Premier League in 2022 but were only 13th last season back in the Championship. Now they have the chance to again win promotion to the Premier League and are 3.00 at bet365 to reach the final.
That's despite them losing 15 of their games in the main season. They'll hope for a repeat of the 2015 play-offs when beating Middlesbrough at Wembley to win promotion. They will be going all out to get a first leg lead having won 15 home league games this season. That's compared to just six away league victories. Remember to read our Championship predictions written by our team of betting experts.
Saints on the March
Just like Leeds United, Southampton are bidding to make a return to the Premier League at the first time of asking. They ended the main season in fourth place, nine adrift of automatic promotion but 12 clear of their play-off semi-final opponents West Bromwich Albion.
The Saints would have been closer to automatic promotion but for a disastrous September during which they lost four successive league games. They then went unbeaten in 22 league games, not losing again until March. Southampton are 2.45 at WIlliam Hill to win the away first leg at the Hawthorns. You can check out all the Championship odds on our site.
They also had a poor end to the main season though with only 14 points earned from their last ten league games, They lost three in a row before returning to form with a 2-1 final day win at Leeds United, who they could meet in the play-off final.
Hawthorns Heroes Hopeful of Premier League Return
It was in 2021 that West Bromwich Albion last played in the Premier League. The past two seasons have seen them fail to reach the play-offs but that's changed this year. They ended the main season in fifth place and like their opponents, won their final fixture with a 3-0 home win over Preston North End.
The Baggies won 15 home league games this season but didn't do well against Southampton. They lost 2-0 at home to them in February after a 2-1 away loss last November. It's 2.8 at Unibet that they can get a home first leg win over the Saints.
That may well be needed as Albion (who are 2,63 at Betfair to qualify for the final) lost nine away league games. Keep up to date with all the games on our Championshp livescore with live text commentary and updated statistics.
Odds to win the Championship Play-Offs
Leeds United, odds of 2.5
Southampton, odds of 2.61
Norwich City, odds of 5.50
West Bromwich Albion, odds of 6.50
odds from bet365
