Championship 1-24 Predictions 2026-27: Read Jack Critchley's season preview with finishing places for every team

Expanded playoffs and Premier League arrivals make for a massive season to come

Another remarkable season awaits in the Championship with the expansion of the playoffs. With the teams finishing seventh and eighth now able to qualify for the post-season, there will be even more excitement, especially for those who are jostling for positions in the top half of the table.

Burnley and Wolves are back in the second tier, and will be joined by West Ham, who return to this level for the first time since 2011-12. Keep reading to find out Jack Critchley's best bets for the season and where he believes each team will finish in May 2027.

Title Winners - West Ham - 7/42.75 to win the Championship

I generally try to steer clear of predicting short-favourites at this stage of the season. I'm finding it difficult, however, to look beyond West Ham. Unlike the other clubs to come down from the Premier League, Wolves and Burnley, West Ham have retained their manager, and crucially, Nuno has been reunited with Rui Pedro Silva, who joined the club as assistant head coach at the beginning of July. The pair have enjoyed successful spells together at Porto, Valencia, and Nottingham Forest. They also worked together to help guide Wolves back to the Premier League in 2018.

There is some uncertainty about the squad's makeup, with further incomings and outgoings expected ahead of 1 September. Nevertheless, Jarrod Bowen - the 6/17.00 Championship top scorer favourite - has committed his future to the club, and as one of the most creative players in recent Premier League seasons, he should relish this step down. He will be determined to guide the Hammers back to the top-flight at the first time of asking.

Malick Diouf, Max Kilman, Aaron Wan-Bissaka, Mohamadou Kante and Taty Castellanos all remain with the club and make up an impressive spine.

The London Stadium could easily turn on the team if things don't get off to a positive start, and they still look a little light in midfield, but they should have enough quality to make it the briefest possible stop-off in the second tier.

2nd - Middlesbrough - [9/1]

Middlesbrough came close to securing their return to the Premier League last season, yet they failed to turn up at Wembley in the play-off final and will spend a 10th consecutive campaign in the second tier. There were a couple of issues last season, most notably their inability to take their opportunities.

Boro have recruited strongly this summer, offsetting the loss of Hayden Hackney with Sebastian Berhalter and the addition of the highly-rated Will Lankshear. The latter could be the perfect foil for David Strelec, and adequate competition for Tommy Conway, who will not be fit enough to start the season.

Kyle Joseph has impressive work-rate, whereas Myles Peart-Harris adds competition for places. Max Arfsten is reportedly on his way and he will solve a long-standing issue on the left-hand side. Furthermore, Leo Castledine should be a year further along with his development. Boro will need to upgrade their goalkeeping department, with a top-class stopper expected to be added before the window closes.

Overall, the squad looks strong and Hellberg will have learned plenty from his first few months in England. Teams managed by the Swede have typically improved during his second season in charge, so I expect that pattern to continue. A few more additions and they may just have enough to sneak into the automatics.

3rd - Wolves - [11/2]

Last season, Wolves finished bottom of the Premier League, collecting just 20 points and failing to win any of their last eight fixtures. They drop back into the Championship, and have appointed Cesar Peixoto, who has never managed outside of his native Portugal.

He inherits a talented but mentally fragile squad, yet the additions of Kieran Trippier and fan-favourite Raul Jimenez will add some much-needed experience and know-how.

Tommy Doyle, Ki-Jana Hoever and Adam Armstrong have an abundance of Championship experience, whereas Mateus Mane and Fer Lopez have the potential to be electric at this level, assuming they are still at the club.

The squad should be good enough to clinch promotion, yet doubts about Peixoto's credentials remain. He impressed at Gil Vicente, but his success has largely come when managing underdogs and he is potentially better at defying the odds, rather than justifying shorter ones.

4th - Norwich - [14/1]

Only Coventry and Southampton collected more Championship points than Norwich in 2026. Philippe Clement's side were still in the relegation zone on 4 January, yet a run of nine wins in their subsequent 11 games saw them gatecrash the top half.

Continuity has been key at Carrow Road, with Clement sticking around and the majority of the squad remaining intact. Andre Brooks arrives from Sheffield United, Bruno Alves from Cruzeiro and Sam Field from QPR.

There are a few injury issues, which could affect their ability to hit the ground running and another striker would be welcomed by supporters, but if Mathias Kvistgaarden and Jovon Makama can kick on, they should be able to fire the East Anglians into the playoffs.

5th - Burnley - [9/1]

Burnley's managerial quest was finally resolved with the appointment of Club Brugge's Nicky Hayen at the beginning of July.

The Clarets have become adept at bouncing between the top two divisions and the fans will be expecting another tilt at the Championship title. It may take Hayen a couple of months to find his best XI, with plenty more incomings and outgoings expected.

Zian Flemming remains on the books for now, alongside Hannibal Mejbri and Marcus Edwards. New signing Ugo Raghouber is a solid addition, whereas Lyle Foster and Jacob Bruun Larsen should be effective at this level.

It's difficult to assess the mentality of the squad, given that they appeared destined for relegation from October 2025 onwards, and it may take them a few weeks to turn things around. The potential for a slow start, caused by transfer activity, may count against them.

6th - Southampton - [12/1]

'Spygate' took the gloss off Southampton's 2025-26 campaign, with Tonda Eckert's appetite for espionage tarnishing his reputation as one of the division's best young coaches. The German appears to have largely weathered the storm, although further punishment could be in the pipeline.

Although they begin on minus four points, there has been very little turnover at St. Marys this summer with both Cyle Larin and Daniel Peretz committing their future to the club. Lewis Dobbin is an exciting addition, too.

January 17th was the last time they suffered a defeat at this level, and assuming that Eckert's antics haven't soured the atmosphere within the dressing room, they should be able to continue where they left off.

Southampton's propensity to concede goals on the road, however, may just prevent them from challenging a little higher.

7th - Wrexham - [18/1]

There will be plenty of eyes on Wrexham once again, and the expanded play-off format gives them a realistic chance of extending their season. Phil Parkinson's side fell agonisingly short with just two wins in their final seven outings, ending their playoff ambitions.

Parkinson has addressed this with the addition of Danny Imray, who proved that he's up to this level. They have also added Preston's combative midfielder Ben Whiteman.

The Welsh side have opted for quality over quantity this summer, with their squad requiring very little upgrade. Parkinson has added Danny Imray, who proved that he's up to this level, and Preston's combative midfielder Ben Whiteman.

If they wish to challenge for promotion, their away form must improve, having won just twice on the road during the first half of the campaign. Travel issues aside, they should enjoy a successful campaign.

8th - Birmingham - [12/1]

Expectations were a little high at St. Andrews last season and Chris Davies was unable to deliver. Davies remains at the helm, although a slow start is likely to see much of the fan disgruntlement directed towards the dugout.

The loss of Kai Wagner, who couldn't settle in the West Midlands, is a blow, but there have been some savvy additions with Dael Fry adding Championship experience, and Luis Vazquez providing a different threat in the final third.

There is still plenty of work to do over the coming weeks, but I expect them to strengthen significantly, with a left-back, right-back, midfielder and striker all on the list.

The Blues should improve on last season and sneak into the expanded playoffs, but it is unlikely to be without a few bumps in the road.

9th - Millwall - [25/1]

Millwall defied their pre-season expectations in 2025/26, reaching the playoff semi-finals before coming up short against Hull. This achievement was made even more impressive given their lack of midfield options for large parts of the season.

Alex Neil is a steady hand, and knows what it takes to successfully navigate a Championship campaign. He has added Elkan Baggott, Mark Sykes and Jenson Metcalfe, all of whom will contribute this season.

The Lions have a recent record of finding gems from further afield and will be hoping that Mathis Servais and Tairyk Arconte fit the bill. Kyrell Lisbie has been recruited as a potential Femi Azeez replacement should the winger be snapped up this summer.

The Bermondsey side were excellent on the road last season, so improving their record at The Den is essential. They do lack a little consistency and dropping points against some of the lesser lights could prevent them from reaching last season's dizzy heights.

10th - Derby - [28/1]

Last season saw solid progress from Derby who will be expected to kick on. Their odds have shortened recently with news of a potential takeover, although any investment is unlikely to arrive for a while.

Like Millwall, the Rams have a wily gaffer with John Eustace able to markedly improve players and play an effective style of football. They have recruited sensibly with the additions of Sammie Szmodics and Charlie Taylor, who have plenty of Championship experience. Bobby Clark also returns to Pride Park.

Patrick Agyemang's injury is likely to keep the striker out until 2027 and they will miss his presence up front. The squad is strong, the management team are settled and Derby will undoubtedly be troubling the top of the table for the second successive campaign.

11th - Swansea - [40/1]

Vitos Matos felt like a risky appointment at the time, but the gamble paid off with the Portuguese coach guiding them to 11th, ensuring Swansea spent very little time worrying about their Championship status.

Matos' team were exceptionally tough to beat in South Wales, presiding over an 11-6-6 record and a goal difference of +7. They lost just twice in front of their own fans between November and the end of the season, with those defeats coming against champions Coventry and Southampton.

The Swans have a strong starting XI, but scratch below the surface and they perhaps lack a bit of depth. They have added Joseph Opoku and Elijah Just alongside Moussa Yeo. They've also been linked with Ross Stewart.

They won't be easy prey this season and have a strong spine, which should make them competitive once again.

12th - West Brom - [33/1]

James Morrison saved WBA from relegation, negotiating a points deduction in the process. The former midfielder was reportedly keen on team bonding exercises last season and this approach appeared to pay dividends. The Baggies became incredibly tough to break down, particularly at the Hawthorns and you'd imagine they will take a similar approach again.

One question mark is whether Morrison has the ability to motivate his squad across an entire season and if he can deal with the peaks and troughs that are part of an entire campaign.

The squad remains largely the same with only a few additions so far. Nolan Galves comes in to replace Danny Imray, whereas Barney Stewart and Jimmy-Jay Morgan bolster the frontline. The latter has enjoyed an explosive pre-season campaign and the fans will have high hopes for him. He should be able to continue where he left off and could be an outsider contender for top goalscorer this season.

13th - Bristol City - [33/1]

Despite finishing perfectly mid-table, last season was anything but dull for the Robins. From obliterating Sheffield United 4-1 on the opening weekend to losing 5-0 at home against Derby in front of the Sky cameras, there were plenty of ups and downs. Gerhard Struber endeared himself to the fans, but he eventually made way for the vastly experienced Roy Hodgson.

This season, it's the turn of Michael Skubala, who is fresh from delivering a League One promotion at Sincil Bank. It remains to be seen whether he opts for the direct approach that he favoured with Lincoln, or whether he reverts to a more possession-based style.

Fans are excited by some of the summer signings with Lorent Tolaj viewed as an upgrade on Sinclair Armstrong. Jed Wallace adds buckets of Championship nous, Brad Collins is a steady pair of hands and Sam Greenwood can deliver decent set-pieces, sometimes.

Skubala will need time to get his feet under the table at Ashton Gate, and Robins fans may accept a far less tumultuous campaign this time around.

14th - QPR - [50/1]

QPR finished 15th last season and it's hard to see them progressing too much this time around. They are unlikely to flirt with relegation but injuries may reduce their chances of troubling the play-offs. Richard Kone went down after just six minutes in a pre-season friendly and their attack is significantly weakened if he isn't able to recover swiftly.

Boy Kemper looks like an exciting addition and Tariq Lamptey is an unlikely arrival at Loftus Road, although his patchy injury record may temper some enthusiasm. Keeping Rumarn Burrell, Nicholas Madsen and Ilias Chair, alongside the aforementioned Kone fit will be key this season, but the fans are likely to enjoy plenty of exciting attacking football along the way.

15th - Stoke - [28/1]

Last season, it looked like things had finally clicked in Staffordshire. Mark Robins guided the Potters to the summit, where they bobbed and weaved until November, when a run of six defeats in eight, sent them spiralling into midtable.

Despite being defeated in five of their last six, the hierarchy have retained the former Coventry boss, and will be hoping for a little more consistency this time around.

In come Ethan Galbraith, Djibril Soumare and Svante Ingelsson, alongside Josh Griffiths and Luke Graham. Milan Smit has joined permanently after showing some promise during the second half of the campaign.

It's a decent enough squad, but I refuse to get carried away with Stoke this time around. I am simply not falling into that trap, again. A finish of 15th is as high as I am willing to go.

16th - Preston - [100/1]

Alongside Bristol City, Preston are the division's perennial midtable dwellers. There are still issues with the lack of investment and reports of Ben Whiteman's exit amid criticism of the hierarchy are potentially worrying. In Paul Heckingbottom, however, they have an experienced manager who should be able to eek enough out of the squad to keep their heads above water.

So far, only Jusef Erabi, Lee Nicholls and Alfie Devine have arrived at Deepdale, but the latter is an ambitious signing who can be develop further. The squad looks a little thin, and there have been rumours of Milutin Osmajic's departure. The defence is a little creaky and Liam Lindsay simply cannot be trusted, but Heckingbottom should be able to steer them clear of any trouble for one more season.

17th - Portsmouth - [80/1]

Pompey weren't really expected to stay up last season, but John Mousinho managed to preserve their second-tier status. There were troublesome moments and they will be keeping their fingers crossed that Josh Murphy can remain fit for the majority of the campaign in 2026/27.

Colby Bishop is a battering ram, although he cannot be relied upon as a regular source of goals, so they will be hoping for a decent return from signing Marko Milovanovic. There should be a decent supply line with the aforementioned Murphy joined by Adrian Segecic, Odin Bailey and Ebou Adams. Rocco Shein is an interesting addition whereas the much-coveted Terry Devlin remains at the club.

Some of Portsmouth's recent signings have been hit and miss, but they are willing to take chances and this has enabled them to make progress. They should be able to secure their status again, unless Murphy's injury curse continues or Mousinho is headhunted by a bigger club.

18th - Sheffield United - [14/1]

This prediction may come as a bit of a surprise, yet the Blades do not feel like a club moving in the right direction. Chris Wilder still has plenty of credit in the bank, but the squad looks low on quality and, with the rumours of Femi Seriki and Gustavo Hamer's departures, it has the potential to become even weaker. Matt Doherty adds experience and the return of Oli Arblaster is a net positive, but I'm not convinced they have enough firepower and their defence looks in desperate need of repair.

They won just three matches from the beginning of March, although they conceded the first goal in each of those games. That shows that the squad has character and is willing to battle for the points, but it is also fairly concerning and they need to make themselves more resilient in a potentially tougher Championship line-up.

19th - Blackburn - [50/1]

Like many Championship fans, I love Tony Mowbray. I enjoy his enthusiasm for the game, his faith in younger players and his confectionary-based missives, and I'm delighted to see him back in the game. However, I can't help but feel that this may be a tricky assignment for the sweet-toothed Teessider.

Michael O'Neil did a fantastic job to keep them in the division last season and the squad doesn't look much stronger despite the addition of Jayden Fevrier from Stockport.

Despite their upturn in form, they still only won one of their last six games, and failed to take maximum points from any of their final six games at Ewood Park. Another tough season awaits.

20th - Charlton - [100/1]

Charlton avoided an instant return to League One, although they may have been helped by both Sheffield Wednesday and Leicester's off-field issues. The Addicks have a trump card in Nathan Jones with the fiery Welshman able to sufficiently motivate his squad and squeeze out results.

They have the ability to frustrate the better teams and are built on fairly strong foundations. They won just one of their last nine matches, but that came against play-off winners Hull City.

If he can stay fit, Karlan Grant should bag a few goals and they can expect plenty of energy from Millenic Ali. Ivan Mesik adds depth and there are high hopes for Billy Koumetio, who has caught the eye in pre-season.

It may be touch and go, but as long as Jones doesn't do anything foolish, he should be there to see them across the line.

21st - Bolton - [100/1]

Bolton fans weren't overly convinced by Steven Schumacher for large swathes of last season, yet he proved them wrong with a perfectly pitched play-off campaign.

The Trotters were quick out of the blocks when it came to recruitment, adding Akin Famewo, Ben Davies, David Watson and Gaizka Larrazabal, but the business has subsequently dropped off. The squad looks short of firepower, especially with last season's loanees having departed.

There will be a lot of pressure on Sam Dalby to stay fit and deliver, although you'd expect that he will get some support before the window closes.

Schumacher has the benefit of experience at this level and Bolton may just grind out enough narrow wins to survive the drop.

22nd - Watford - [50/1]

Here comes the unexpected dropper. Watford have been slowly declining for several seasons and this could be the year they plummet.

They have another new manager, and having cycled through another four gaffers last season, there is little chance of Alessio Dionisi being able to spend the festive period in Hertfordshire.

Dionisi prefers an exciting brand of football, which may make the Hornets watchable during the first half of the season, but that does tend to result in mistakes at the back. Expect some high-scoring games throughout August and September.

Martin Payero has joined the club, yet the midfielder struggled with the physicality of the league at Middlesbrough. Federico Ravaglia is a decent keeper, and Jordan Zemura should be good enough. The loss of Giorgi Chakvetadze is likely to stifle creativity and the defence looks bereft of experience and pace. Nestory Irankunda is undoubtedly talented, although the club is bracing itself for a few offers.

The Pozzos cannot keep managing the club in this way and not expect to face the consequences at some stage.

23rd - Cardiff - [80/1]

Brian Barry-Murphy has managed to unite the Cardiff fanbase and delivered promotion at the first time of asking. He achieved this feat without the need for expensive signings, relying on the club's superb academy.

Business has been sparse once again in South Wales with only Harry Tyrer and Gabriel Osho arriving. They have been linked with Lincoln's Jack Moylan, which would be a sizable blow for the Imps.

BBM will be tasked with performing miracles once again, but this may just be a step too much. There will be plenty of Welsh representatives in the XI, but this gruelling 46-game campaign may just be too big an ask for the former Manchester City coach.

24th - Lincoln - [150/1]

Lincoln outperformed all expectations last season, finishing top of League One, and smashing the 100-point barrier. Skubala was tempted away by Bristol City and they have lost a few key loaness. However, the arrivals of Callum Elder and Andrej Coubis are intriguing.

Chris Cohen and Tom Shaw will take charge and reports from pre-season suggest that there is plenty of work to do. Management duos rarely yield positive results in the English game and the squad does need a few reinforcements.

They will relish being written off by the media, and the lack of expectation will feed perfectly in their narrative. I'd happily be proven wrong by the Imps, but they are heading into the season a little undercooked in my opinion.

Now read our mega guide to the 2026-27 Championship season