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2026–27 League One Playoffs: Fixtures, Dates, Teams in Contention
To earn a place in the Championship—the second tier of English soccer and the division directly below the Premier League—clubs must first navigate the demands of League One.
With 24 teams competing across a long and physically demanding campaign, League One is filled with ambitious newcomers, historic clubs looking to climb back up the pyramid and fierce competition for every point. Promotion is a valuable prize, but getting there is anything but easy.
There are two routes to the Championship. The teams finishing first and second go up automatically, while those placing third through sixth enter the promotion playoffs.
Automatic promotion is simple enough. The playoffs are another story.
So, how exactly do the 2026–27 League One playoffs work, and when are they scheduled? Here’s everything you need to know.
Jump To:
- How Do the League One Playoffs Work?
- When Are the 2026–27 League One Playoffs?
- Current League One Playoffs, Standings
- How Much Is Winning the League One Playoff Final Worth?
- Who Has the Best League One Playoffs Record?
How Do the League One Playoffs Work?
When the League One campaign ends, the teams placed third through sixth enter the playoffs for the division’s final promotion spot.
The semifinals are played over two legs, with third facing sixth and fourth taking on fifth. The higher-ranked team hosts the second leg, giving them a small reward for their stronger regular-season finish.
The winner of each tie is decided by the aggregate score. If the teams are still level after both games, extra time and, if needed, a penalty shootout determine who advances.
The two semifinal winners then meet in a one-off final at Wembley Stadium. With a place in the Championship at stake, the game goes to extra time and penalties if necessary.
When Are the 2026–27 League One Playoffs?
The 2026–27 League One regular season is scheduled to conclude on Saturday, May 8, 2027, with the final round of matches.
The EFL has not yet confirmed when the playoffs will be held, although the semifinals and Wembley final are expected to take place later that month, following the competition’s usual timetable.
Current League One Playoffs, Standings
How Much Is Winning the League One Playoff Final Worth?
Winning the League One playoffs does not come with a direct EFL prize, with clubs already receiving around £2 million ($2.7 million) annually through standard distributions and solidarity payments.
The Wembley final can provide extra matchday revenue, but the real prize is promotion. Reaching the Championship can increase central funding and solidarity payments to roughly £11 million ($15 million), while also bringing higher TV income and bigger crowds.
No jackpot, then—but promotion can be worth millions.
Who Has the Best League One Playoffs Record?
Eight clubs have managed to win the third-tier playoff final twice, joining an exclusive group of repeat winners.
Walsall became the first to accomplish the feat in 2001, while Sheffield Wednesday were the latest, beating Barnsley in the 2023 final.
The other six clubs with two League One playoff triumphs are Peterborough United, Huddersfield Town, Barnsley, Millwall, Rotherham United and Blackpool.
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Barnaby Lane, better known as Barney, is a soccer writer for SI FC. With nearly a decade of experience in the industry, he has worked for a range of household-name publications in both the United States and the United Kingdom, and has interviewed some of the world’s biggest athletes—from Usain Bolt and Rafael Nadal to Christian Pulisic (though his favorite interview remains Adebayo Akinfenwa). Barney specializes in Premier League soccer, covering everything from the nostalgia of years gone by to the modern, vastly different landscape of today’s game. He also has experience reporting on La Liga and Major League Soccer, the latter of which he developed a particular affinity for during his university days at Virginia Commonwealth University in Richmond.