Inside Championship play-off vote as clubs' feelings on radical new format revealed

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Plans to increase the number of teams involved in the Championship play-offs from four to six were passed overwhelmingly during an EFL vote on Thursday, with just one club voting against the idea.

Confirmation that the current play-off format, widely viewed as one of the three division's most exciting features, will change from next season arrived on Thursday, with the news dividing opinion on social media. But while fans have questioned, and in some quarters criticised, the decision to pass the initiative, it proved significantly popular among clubs.

A new report from The Athletic reveals that Tranmere Rovers were the only club to vote against the proposal, which was passed unanimously by Championship teams.

A majority was required from the teams in the divisions, meaning 37 was the threshold for the vote to pass. Three teams were absent from the vote, which finished 67 votes for, one against and one abstention.

The new format, which will come into effect for the 2026-27 campaign, will see the two-legged Championship semi-finals remain, with the teams finishing third and fourth respectively advancing. Fifth and sixth place will play one-off home games against eighth and seventh respectively to determine who will advance to those semi-final fixtures.

The report notes that, after a suggestion from Doug King, Coventry City's chairman, the third-placed team will have the benefit of playing the lowest-ranked opposition to advance from said games.

Reaction to the change has been split with the vast majority of fans criticising the move. Gary Rowett, the newly minted head coach of Leicester City, admits he too is "not a massive fan" of the idea.

"From a commercial, monetary and excitement aspect I can understand why people want to add teams to the play-offs - they have been a success although you can argue if team six finishes 25 points behind team three should they have a chance to go up?" he said.

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"So, as a football purist I'm not a massive fan but I understand why clubs would be so keen for more opportunities to get this golden ticket of £150m or whatever it is.

"Sometimes you can change things all the time and the game becomes less and less recognisable but maybe I'm just being miserable."

Neil Warnock, the manager who has enjoyed the most success in the play-offs since they were introduced in 1987, sees some positives. "I thought it was a bad thing when it first came in but it turned into a good thing - certainly for me anyway. I finished in every position and got promotion so I don't think it matters," he told BBC Sport .

"For mid-table teams after Christmas it gives you more impetus but it makes it more difficult for the teams that finish third or fourth as there's a bit more opportunity for other people to conquer the top teams."

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