The regular season is in the rearview mirror, and while Coventry City and Ipswich Town are already popping champagne, four other clubs are gearing up for the most expensive game in football. The 2025/26 Championship Playoff fixtures are officially confirmed, and the road to Wembley is looking absolutely lethal.
After a final day of high drama, the top six is locked in. There’s no room for error now—it’s win or stay in the trenches for another year.
The Semi-Final Showdowns
The EFL has wasted no time, dropping the dates for the two-legged semi-final battles. Here is how the path to the Premier League looks:
• Hull City vs. Millwall:
• First Leg: Friday, May 8 (MKM Stadium)
• Second Leg: Monday, May 11 (The Den)
• Middlesbrough vs. Southampton:
• First Leg: Saturday, May 9 (Riverside Stadium)
• Second Leg: Tuesday, May 12 (St Mary’s Stadium)
Hull City and Millwall looks like a classic tactical chess match. Millwall has been the division’s “tough nut” to crack all season, but Hull’s attacking fluidity at home could be the difference-maker. On the other side, Middlesbrough facing Southampton is a heavyweight clash that wouldn’t look out of place in the top flight.
One Spot Left: The Wembley Date
All eyes are on Saturday, May 23, 2026. That is the day the two surviving teams will walk out at Wembley Stadium. The prize? A seat at the table with the giants and a financial windfall that changes the trajectory of a club forever.
Southampton will likely go in as the bookies’ favorite given their squad depth, but as we know with the playoffs, form usually goes out the window the second that whistle blows. Middlesbrough, under Michael Carrick, have shown they can beat anyone on their day, and the Riverside will be a cauldron for that first leg.
Who Survives the Meat Grinder?
It’s the cruelest part of the English game. You work for nine months, rack up over 80 points, and it can all vanish in a single 90-minute collapse at Wembley. With the semi-finals starting this Friday, the tension is already reaching a breaking point in East Yorkshire, London, Teesside, and the South Coast.
One thing is for certain: by the night of May 23, one set of fans will be dreaming of the Premier League, while the other three begin the long, painful process of doing it all over again.
