The Championship play-offs are among the most exciting - and most lucrative - fixtures in the football world.
With four teams involved and a place in the Premier League at stake, they make for some of the most competitive and intriguing games of the season.
Ahead of the 2021-22 edition of the Championship play-offs, GOAL brings you everything you need to know, including the teams involved, fixture dates, how to watch live on TV and more.
What are the Championship play-offs?
The Championship play-offs in England are a series of knockout games used to determine the third and final team to be promoted to the Premier League.
The play-off fixtures are played after the conclusion of the regular Championship season and feature the teams which finish third, fourth, fifth and sixth in the league.
A merit system is used to allocate the semi-final fixtures, with the third-placed team facing off against the sixth-placed team and the team in fourth place playing the team in fifth place.
The Championship play-off semi-finals are two-legged affairs, with the winners advancing to the final.
Which teams have qualified for the Championship play-offs in 2022?
The Championship regular season concluded on May 7, 2022.
Championship 2021-22 table
Pos | Team | MP | W | D | L | GD | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Fulham (P) | 46 | 27 | 9 | 10 | +63 | 90 |
2 | Bournemouth (P) | 46 | 25 | 13 | 8 | +35 | 88 |
3 | Huddersfield Town (Q) | 46 | 23 | 13 | 10 | +17 | 82 |
4 | Nottingham Forest (Q) | 46 | 23 | 11 | 12 | +33 | 80 |
5 | Sheffield United (Q | 46 | 21 | 12 | 13 | +18 | 75 |
6 | Luton Town (Q) | 46 | 21 | 12 | 13 | +8 | 75 |
Last updated: May 8, 2022
Fulham have seized the Championship title, with Bournemouth following them to seal second on May 3.
With the Cottagers and the Cherries back in the top flight, Nottingham Forest and Huddersfield became the first sides to qualify for the play-offs.
They were joined by Sheffield United and Luton Town, who each finished the season on 75 points.
Huddersfield played Luton in the first play-off semi-final, with Nottingham Forest facing Sheffield United.
Check out the favourites, contenders and outsiders for promotion from the Championship here.
When are the Championship 2022 play-offs? Fixtures & results
The Championship play-offs take place after the conclusion of the regular season.
In 2021-22, the regular season final day was May 7, 2022, meaning that the first semi-final games took place on Friday May 13 - when Luton Town took on Huddersfield Town.
Sheffield United faced Nottingham Forest in the first leg of their showdown a day later on May 14, with the return legs being played on May 16 and 17.
Huddersfield overcame Luton with a 2-1 aggregate score, while Forest required penalties to defeat Sheffield United after the teams ended tied 3-3 over two legs.
The EFL has confirmed that the 2022 Championship play-off final will take place on May 29.
Championship play-off final 2022
Date | Team 1 | Result | Team 2 | KO time |
|---|---|---|---|---|
May 29, 2022 | Huddersfield Town | TBC | Nottingham Forest | 4:30pm BST / 11:30am ET |
Championship play-off semi-finals 2022
Team | Agg. | Team | 1st leg | 2nd leg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Huddersfield | 2-1 | Luton Town | 1-1 | 1-0 |
Nottingham Forest | 3-3 (3-2P) | Sheffield United | 2-1 | 1-2 |
When & where is the Championship 2022 play-off final?
The 2022 Championship play-off final will be played on Sunday May 29, 2022, where Huddersfield Town will play Nottingham Forest.
Huddersfield overcame Luton 2-1 on aggregate, while Forest defeated Sheffield United 3-2 on penalties after their two-legged tie ended 3-3 across both games.
Wembley Stadium in London will host the game and it is the traditional venue for all EFL play-off deciders, with the League One and League Two play-offs also being played there.
Championship 2022 play-offs TV channel & live stream
Sky Sports has the broadcasting rights for the Championship in the United Kingdom and the 2022 Championship play-off games will be shown live on TV through Sky Sports Football.
If you wish to live stream the Championship play-off games in the UK, Sky Go is the network's service.
UK TV channel | UK online stream |
|---|---|
Sky Sports Football | Sky Go |
In the United States, Championship games, including the play-offs, are available to watch on ESPN / BAMTech networks, while ESPN+ is the main online streaming service.
U.S. TV channel | U.S. online stream |
|---|---|
ESPN / BAMTech | ESPN+ |
Who won last year's Championship play-offs?
Brentford won the Championship play-offs in 2021, defeating Swansea City 2-0 in the final.
Ivan Toney gave Thomas Frank's side an early lead from the penalty spot after 10 minutes and their advantage was doubled by Emiliano Marcondes 10 minutes later.
Swansea's chances of mounting a comeback were dealt a blow in the second half when Jay Fulton was sent off in the 65th minute and Brentford held on to clinch promotion to the Premier League - a first in the club's history.
The Bees had overcome Bournemouth in the semi-finals, winning 3-2 on aggregate, while Swansea beat Barnsley in the other semi-final.