Championship play-off contenders 2024/25: Who will make the top six this season?

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Despite Coventry City and West Bromwich Albion occupying top-six spots for much of recent weeks, they will be looking nervously over their shoulders at the other Championship play-off contenders as we head into the business end of the campaign.

The race for the Championship play-offs is always a thrilling affair, as teams engage in a fierce battle until the final day for a coveted top-six spot. With promotion to the Premier League on the line, the stakes couldn’t be higher.

The promotion race has four clear leaders at the top of the division, which has been the case for some time now. However, numerous clubs will be eyeing the final two spots inside the top six, with seven clubs in the race for most neutrals at present.

Position	Team	Played MP	Won W	Drawn D	Lost L	For GF	Against GA	Diff GD	Points Pts
5	West BromWest Brom	37	13	17	7	47	33	14	56
6	CoventryCoventry	37	16	8	13	52	48	4	56
7	Bristol CityBristol City	37	13	15	9	47	40	7	54
8	MiddlesbroughMiddlesbrough	37	15	8	14	57	48	9	53
9	BlackburnBlackburn	37	15	7	15	41	38	3	52
10	WatfordWatford	37	15	7	15	47	50	-3	52
11	Sheffield WednesdaySheffield Wednesday	37	14	9	14	53	58	-5	51

The excitement stems from the unpredictable nature of the competition, where momentum and form can rapidly shift. That has been particularly true of this season as well, with the race wide open for numerous sides involved heading into matchday 38 and everything to play for in a race as tight as ever.

The prize is obvious for those making the play-offs, given that it’s a chance to secure the prestige and the financial windfall of Premier League football. But the race itself is dramatic enough, and there has been no shortage of twists and turns in the Championship this season.

• READ MORE: Who will win the Championship Golden Boot race?

The teams pushing for the play-offs in the Championship this season

The highest drama may be yet to come as it is usually saved for the play-offs, which conclude with the final at Wembley. By winning the so-called ‘richest game in football’, with millions expected to tune in for the EFL’s main event of the year which is famously worth nearly £200 million to the side that wins, the EFL play-off race never fails to deliver the drama and entertainment befitting what is on the line.

Players will get their chance to write their name into club folklore as both heroes and villains in the run-in but also the finals as well, while it’s an occasion that, for both good and bad, fans will never forget for those that make it to Wembley.

The likes of Swansea City, QPR, and Millwall have flirted with the play-off picture in months gone by, but each of them have fallen away since. Norwich City still have the games and means to turn things around, but it is not that simple with so much traffic in front of them and they are quickly slipping away from contention.

Thus, we outline each other member of the chasing pack in the frame, with the cut-off point at Sheffield Wednesday and teams over 50 points, as we approach the business end of the season and the nine-game run-in.

Sheffield Wednesday – 11th

Sheffield Wednesday have been in the mix for the majority of the season and have one of the Championship’s most promising managers in Danny Rohl. The squad has quality sprinkled throughout, but as much as the other teams in the batch below sixth? Arguably not.

Do they have enough amid a defensive injury crisis to make it? Especially with so many teams between them? We’re unsure. The Sheffield Wednesday manager will have to do something special from here on out.

Watford – 10th

Watford are one of the most interesting cases this season under the guidance of Tom Cleverley. Imran Louza and Giorgi Chakvetadze are certainly play-off level players, but do they have enough depth in their ranks to sustain their push?

The Hornets concede more xG and chances than any of the other teams in the mix. They have strong home form and can come out on the right side of chaotic games consistently, but the competition is fierce and they should be considered as more of an outside chance; they simply must win the next two.

Blackburn Rovers – 9th

Not long ago, many would have Blackburn Rovers to be the favourites for fifth nevermind sixth. John Eustace had them purring and defying all the odds after survival on the final day of last season. However, that progress has halted in a major way.

He’s since moved on to Derby County and things have not been so rosy at Ewood Park. With Valerien Ismael now at the helm, they have a manager with play-off experience, but does he have the time to get his ideas across with other sides more settled and already on a roll? Fans have lost faith already, and it’s unlikely Rovers will make the cut.

Middlesbrough – 8th

This season promised so much for Michael Carrick and Middlesbrough, but even if they have fallen below lofty expectations, they remain firmly in contention for a top six berth. A run of five defeats in a row threatened to derail their hopes recently but three wins in four has them back on track.

Their underlying attacking data and the individuals they have in forward areas are the envy of the majority of teams in the division. However, are they too much of a soft touch at the back? Time will tell, but the Middlesbrough manager certainly has the firepower to get the team in there and maybe even win it.

Bristol City – 7th

Bristol City are the dark horses for the top six this season and the fight shown this week at Bramall Lane underlines that. Only the top five in the division have lost fewer games than Liam Manning and co. who have made themselves one of the sturdiest sides in the mix.

That alone should see them push all the way until the final day of the season, albeit their away form is perhaps a concern for both making the top six and potentially going further and getting to Wembley. Either way, it’s been a hugely impressive and progressive season for the Robins and their fans to be proud of.

Coventry City – 6th

The team with the joint-best form of 2025 in the Championship and also the winners of nine of the last 11 league games, it’s fair to say Coventry City and Frank Lampard have turned their season around since the departure of Mark Robins.

Not only that, but key players such as Ben Sheaf and Haji Wright look to have returned to fitness at the opportune moment. However, the next three fixtures could be the making or breaking of Cov, starting with Sunderland today. They have an excellent chance should they come through this period relatively unscathed.

West Bromwich Albion – 5th

Tony Mowbray has continued the good work of Carlos Corberan, despite the shifts and tweaks in style. Despite those teething issues, the Baggies remain an impressive outfit with just seven defeats this season so far, and big away points at Leeds and Burnley underline the vital know-how in this squad.

Their vast experience throughout the spine of their team combined with a healthier looking attack post-January has to have them as one of the favourites to maintain their place inside the play-offs, but they know many sides behind them are licking their lips at the idea of any dropped points between now and May.

The only issue is, West Brom’s play-off record is poor, but Tony Mowbray could be the man to correct that this year.

Sunderland – 4th

Sunderland are perhaps the most consolidated side of any team in the division, with no one expecting a collapse to drop out of the top six, and not many predicting them to suddenly put a run together for automatic promotion.

That is reflected by Opta, who believe they have a 1.06% chance of an automatic place but a 98.92% chance of a play-off berth. They have an excellent young squad under Regis Le Bris — with some of the best players in the Championship among their ranks — and many will fancy them to make it all the way to Wembley, if not to win it, should they settle for fourth as expected.

• READ MORE: The highest points tallies in Championship history: Can Leeds United or Sheffield United break the record this season?

The play-offs can be equally unpredictable as they can be frustrating

The EFL play-offs are perhaps the greatest invention in football and ought to be protected at all costs, but they can also be incredibly frustrating for those involved in them.

The unpredictable nature means a team with 20 points fewer than another can knock them out or go all the way and win it themselves, after sneaking into sixth spot on the final day of the season.

Coventry’s form is difficult to ignore, in spite of their harder run-in, while West Brom may still have further problems during the teething process under Mowbray. Instinctively, we want to push for Carrick and Boro, given how easy on the eye they are when at their best.

However, it’s difficult to look beyond Bristol City currently. They have the consistency that others lack, and if anyone is to punch in ahead of the Baggies, then we fancy their chances. It looks too much for Wednesday, Watford, and out-of-form Blackburn.

Obviously, it’s hard to predict who will eventually win the play-offs at this stage. Sunderland look the best bet right now, but whichever team finishes third out of Leeds, Sheffield United, and Burnley will be incredibly tough to beat, too.