Championship Final Matchday: Seven-Team Battle for Premier League Glory
by Geoffrey Ejiga | by Geoffrey Ejiga
Teams Fighting for Life on Championship Final Day
Unlike the relegation battle, which has already been sealed, the battle for promotion still continues till the final day. As many as seven teams enter Matchday 46 fighting for just five promotion spots.
Of those five promotion spots, only one is direct (2nd-place), while the other four are playoff spots.
Ipswich are in 2nd and look to join Coventry as the only two teams to win direct promotion. However, they’re just one and two points ahead of 3rd-placed Millwall and 4th-placed Middlesbrough, respectively.
5th-placed Southampton cannot climb to second as they’re four points behind. However, just as Ipswich, Millwall, and Middlesbrough, The Saints have already secured a promotion playoff spot at least.
Who truly enters this game with tension is Ryan Reynolds’ Wrexham side that occupies the final playoff spot. Wrexham are level on points with 7th-placed Hull and just one point ahead of 8th-placed Derby. These three are locked in a do-or-die affair where only one wins.
Championship Standing Ahead of Matchday 46
| Position | Team | Played | Points |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Coventry | 45 | 92 |
| 2 | Ipswich Town | 45 | 81 |
| 3 | Millwall | 45 | 80 |
| 4 | Middlesbrough | 45 | 79 |
| 5 | Southampton | 45 | 77 |
| 6 | Wrexham | 45 | 70 |
| 7 | Hull | 45 | 70 |
| 8 | Derby | 45 | 69 |
The Battle for Promotion: 5 Games That Could Change Everything
Ipswich vs QPR
Ipswich and its fans must already be feeling like Premier League teams after a 45-game run that’s landed them in 2nd position. One more win, just one more win, and Tractor Boys will return to the ranks of teams competing against the likes of Manchester City, Arsenal, and Chelsea.
The only thing standing in the way of Ipswich’s EPL return after their fall in 2025 is QPR. Ipswich beat QPR 4-1 earlier this season. Can they run it back at home? Check out our football predictions before you bet.
Millwall vs Oxford United
Challenging Ipswich’s claim to the 2nd position is Millwall, who are just one point off. They enter the final day banking on the possibility of Ipswich losing or drawing, essentially winning one point at most.
If that happens and Millwall manages to win, then The Lions will graduate to the Premier League for the first time in history.
Whether they can make that history depends entirely on whether Millwall can overcome Oxford to avoid another stalemate after they drew 2-2 earlier this season.
Wrexham vs Middlesbrough
Perhaps the most intense final day matchup is the battle between 6th-placed Wrexham and 4th-placed Middlesbrough. This is the only game featuring two teams directly in promotion contention, making it the most impactful.
- If The Boro wins, they can mathematically finish 2nd and avoid the promotion playoffs entirely.
- If Wrexham wins, Middlesbrough are still in the safe zone, and both will fight it out in the playoffs.
- What’s certain is that both teams won’t settle for another draw as they did in October (1-1).
Hull vs Norwich
If Wrexham loses, it’s Hull that’ll be jumping for joy as even a draw against Norwich will see them edge The Red Dragons by just one point. Hull already beat the visitors 2-0 earlier this season, and will be looking to complete the double with everything on the line.
But that requires Hull winning their first game after a six-match winless run against a Norwich that’s only lost one of its last seven.
Derby vs Sheffield
Derby might not be in the spotlight, but they’re the dark horses who could just steal the glory on the final day. They’ve lost just as many games as Watford in 16th, but won more than Wrexham in 6th and two fewer than Ipswich in 2nd.
The Rams have done just enough that only one point now separates them from the promotion playoffs. But that’s only if they can repeat their November win (3-1) over Sheffield United.
