All 24 teams confirmed for 2025/26 Championship season as second tier looks set for most competitive campaign yet

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The 2024/25 EFL season is now over, and what a thrilling campaign it was. But now, we get to look ahead to the 2025/26 Championship campaign, with all 24 teams confirmed for the second tier battle.

Next year’s 2025/26 Championship will be without Leeds United and Burnley, who stormed to the top two places this term with record-breaking points tallies. Sunderland will join them in the Premier League after a dramatic play-off win against Sheffield United.

Meanwhile, we have big names coming up from League One, and three familiar faces dropping down from the top flight.

The fixtures for next season are yet to be confirmed but we’ve already laid out our predictions for the 2025/26 Championship. And, given the teams involved and the big stories still to play out, we’ve got a feeling it will be the best Championship campaign ever.

• READ MORE: Championship experts predict which club is an ‘early dark horse’ for the play-off places in 25/26 season

Birmingham City and Wrexham will be mixing it with the big boys in the Championship

We’ve known for a while that Birmingham City would be joining the Championship party, after the Blues set an EFL record with their points haul in League One.

Birmingham are eyeing another promotion next season, with the Premier League very much in their sights. Indeed, Championship rivals are already worried about Birmingham’s aggressive transfer plan for the summer.

We will also see another big-spending, high-profile outfit coming up to the second tier, with Wrexham making history with a third-successive promotion.

Wrexham intend to add quality to their squad, too, and given the names they’ve been linked with (Jamie Vardy, Ben Davies, Danny Ings), they’re not about to rest on their laurels.

Charlton Athletic won the League One play-offs, securing a return to the Championship for Nathan Jones. The Addicks earned roughly £14m from their Wembley exploits, but will surely find it tough to compete next season.

• READ MORE: Every Championship free agent this summer including Jamie Vardy, QPR’s key man, and £5.8m Blackburn star

Leicester City, Southampton, and Ipswich come crashing back down

The gulf between the Premier League and the Championship became even more apparent this season, with all three promoted clubs being relegated quite comfortably.

Southampton, last year’s play-off winners, were the worst of the bunch, picking up just 12 points to narrowly avoid Derby County’s record-low points tally from 2008.

Leicester City and Ipswich fared slightly better, but were still 13 and 16 points adrift of safety by the end of the campaign.

Parachute payments will give all three teams an advantage in the transfer market this summer, of course. But, Leicester will likely start the season with a huge points deduction that will severely hold them back.

Meanwhile, Southampton have a new manager in Will Still. We expect big things from the former Lens and Stade Reims manager, but it will be fascinating to see how he adapts to the EFL.

• READ MORE: The best loan signings in the EFL this season as Leeds United ace and Leyton Orient duo make the XI

Sheffield United, Coventry, and Bristol City must do it all again

Try as they might, Sheffield United, Coventry, and Bristol City will all be forced to go again in the 2025/26 Championship campaign, after failing in the play-offs this term.

The Blades will feel the most aggrieved, having spent more time in the top two than Burnley and Sunderland this season. But, you simply have to get the job done at Wembley, and they collapsed when it mattered most.

United are now likely to lose Gustavo Hamer, while Vini Souza is also thought to be off this summer. That means yet another rebuild for Chris Wilder, but he will fancy his chances in 2025/26.

Coventry City look set to keep Frank Lampard at the helm despite initial interest from Southampton this summer. However, they will fear losing the likes of Jack Rudoni and Haji Wright.

Meanwhile, Bristol City are poised to lose Liam Manning, who is on the verge of joining Norwich City as their new manager.

Full list of all 24 teams confirmed for 2025/26 Championship

We saw Plymouth Argyle, Luton Town, and Cardiff City slip out of the second tier in 2024/25. Thanks to them, the likes of Hull City, Derby County, and Preston North End just about survived.

Further up the table, the likes of West Brom, Blackburn, Middlesbrough, and Millwall all missed out on the play-off places and will need to improve this summer.

It will be an interesting summer for Sheffield Wednesday, who are in financial trouble and may need a new manager amid Danny Rohl’s clear desire to leave.

And, of course, we have midtable dwellers like QPR, Swansea, and Watford, who will all want to make more of an impact on the 2025/26 Championship.

We can’t wait to see how it all plays out!