Promotion permutations: Who could finish second in the Championship?

Promotion permutations: Who will finish second in the Championship?
Promotion permutations: Who will finish second in the Championship?MatchDay Images Limited / Alamy / Profimedia

The 2025/26 Championship season is hurtling towards one of the most dramatic conclusions in recent memory, with four clubs still battling it out for an automatic promotion spot in the final week of the regular campaign.

Coventry's promotion as champions has already been confirmed, but which side will join them in the Premier League next season?

One of Ipswich, Millwall, Middlesbrough or Southampton will secure a second-placed finish, while the other three will have to dust themselves off and go again in the play-offs.

Here, Flashscore takes a look at everything at stake during the final week of the Championship season.

A titanic midweek clash

You might have noticed that we haven't directly mentioned the usual 'final day' that accompanies dramatic end-of-season talk.

We'll get to that shortly, because first on Tuesday evening is one of the biggest matches in recent Championship history.

Second-placed Ipswich travel to fourth-placed Southampton as the two clubs settle their games in hand on the rest of the league.

Ipswich's recent form
Ipswich's recent formFlashscore

The result on Tuesday evening will have a seismic effect on the promotion race. Simply put, if Ipswich win, they will completely remove both Southampton and Middlesbrough from contention for a top-two spot heading into the final day.

Victory for the Tractor Boys would leave them all but promoted, as they would sit on 83 points, ahead of Southampton (76 points), Middlesbrough (79 points) and Millwall (80 points).

The Lions could still theoretically catch Kieran McKenna's men - but they would need at least a staggering 18-goal swing in their favour - making an automatic promotion spot essentially guaranteed for Ipswich.

A draw would leave the door ajar for both Millwall and Middlesbrough, but again put Southampton out of promotion contention.

Southampton's recent form
Southampton's recent formFlashscore

A win for the Saints would see them move to 79 points and leapfrog the Teessiders in the table on account of having more goals scored (or a better goal difference if they win by two or more) - setting up a thrilling final day where all four clubs could earn promotion.

Final day permutations

As mentioned, if Ipswich win on Tuesday, promotion is essentially theirs regardless of what happens on the final day.

But if Southampton are victorious, then there are plenty of potential outcomes for Saturday's fixtures, which are all played at 12:30 BST.

Championship top five
Championship top fiveFlashscore

Here are the key final day match-ups:

Ipswich v QPR (14th place)

Millwall v Oxford (22nd place)

Preston (12th place) v Southampton

Wrexham (6th place) v Middlesbrough

Ipswich would go into the clash with QPR knowing a win would secure second place regardless of results elsewhere.

A draw could leave the Tractor Boys nervously hoping none of the other three contenders win their games.

Millwall would need to better Ipswich's result when they face already-relegated Oxford - a win for the Lions would also prevent the two clubs below them from breaking into the promotion spots.

Both Middlesbrough and Southampton would need to win and hope that those above them drop points.

The Teessiders would also need a big victory to overturn Southampton's slightly superior goal difference (if the Saints were to beat Ipswich on Tuesday night).

Don't forget, though, all of these potential outcomes hinge on Southampton beating Ipswich in midweek. If that match were to end in a draw, both Millwall and Middlesbrough would need to better the results of the two teams around them on the final day to seal a top-two finish.

Play-off contenders

There are also three clubs battling it out for the final play-off spot.

Wrexham currently occupy sixth place on 70 points, ahead of Hull on goal difference, but only by one goal. Derby are a point behind.

Phil Parkinson's Welsh side must beat Middlesbrough and hope those below them fail to win. If the Tigers can get a big victory against Norwich, they could go ahead of Wrexham on goal difference, or even goals scored if it comes down to that.

Championship play-off race
Championship play-off raceFlashscore

Derby have the best goal difference of the three sides, but their safest bet on a play-off finish is beating Sheffield United and hoping both clubs above them drop points. A draw would be enough if the other two teams lose.

The relegation spots have already been decided - Oxford, Leicester and Sheffield Wednesday will drop into League One.

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