Championship promotion odds 2025/26: Coventry closer to ending 25-year Premier League exile

Feb 18, 2026 - 12:30

The Championship has long been one of the most engaging and entertaining leagues in European football, and this season is delivering more of the same.

The race for promotion to the Premier League is more competitive than ever before, with two of the three first-year parachute teams underperforming and several unfancied sides pushing for the promised land, as we reach the mid point of February.

The Championship promotion odds show that Middlesbrough, Coventry City and Ipswich Town are regarded as the most likely three to be playing Premier League football next season, but anyone who has watched this division before knows to expect the unexpected.

With Coventry’s lead at the top having been shrunk in recent weeks, it’s looking much more likely that both automatic spots will remain up for grabs in the final weeks of the season.

Here is our analysis of what looks set to be a ferocious battle for a place in the Premier League.

Latest Championship promotion odds

Middlesbrough – 4/11 with bet365
Coventry City – 4/11 with Betfred
Ipswich Town – 4/9 with AK Bets
Millwall – 11/4 with BetVictor
Hull City – 9/2 with Paddy Power
Southampton – 13/2 with Sky Bet
Birmingham City – 10/1 with QuinnBet
Derby County – 18/1 with Midnite
Bristol City – 20/1 with bet365
Sheffield United – 20/1 with BetVictor
Wrexham – 22/1 with Paddy Power
Norwich City – 28/1 with Betfred
Watford – 33/1 with talkSPORT BET
Preston North End – 33/1 with Sky Bet
Queens Park Rangers – 40/1 with Midnite
Stoke City – 66/1 with talkSPORT BET
Swansea City – 100/1 with BetVictor
Charlton Athletic – 250/1 with talkSPORT BET
West Bromwich Albion – 500/1 with QuinnBet
Leicester City – 500/1 with bet365
Portsmouth – 750/1 with BetVictor
Blackburn Rovers – 1000/1 with Betfred
Oxford United – 2000/1 with bet365

*Odds are subject to change (Updated on 18th February).

How promotion works in the Championship

The top two teams in the Championship are automatically promoted to the Premier League after all 46 rounds of fixtures have been completed. The sides that rank between third and sixth enter the playoffs, an end-of-season tournament which determines the third and final promoted club.

Favourites to secure Championship promotion

The bookies are continually assessing all 24 teams in the Championship as the season goes on and, for various reasons that are explored below, the following sides are currently deemed to have the best chance of promotion.

Middlesbrough (4/11)

It’s not often that a club has to go out and find a new manager while in the top two but after Rob Edwards left his post to take over at Wolves in the Premier League, that’s the rare position Middlesbrough found themselves in.

They move quickly to appoint 37-year-old Kim Hellberg from Hammarby and have looked even better under the young Swede! Since the turn of the year, few could argue that Boro have been the best team in the Championship and have played the best football.

After losing 1-0 at Derby on New Year’s Day, they went on to win six in a row and briefly claim top spot after Coventry’s recent stumbles. They routed Southampton and Preston 4-0 during that stretch, and won impressively on the road at West Brom and Sheffield United. That run came to an end at Coventry but the Teessiders are still being viewed as title favourites according to most bookies.

They will have a great chance to bounce back from that defeat in the summit battle with back-to-back home games against strugglers Oxford and beleaguered Leicester.

Tip Middlesbrough for a return to the Premier League at 4/11 with bet365

Coventry City (4/11)

Coventry were at one point cruising along and looking destined for a long-awaited return to the Premier League. The road has been a lot bumpier since the start of December, however. The Sky Blues took just eight points from six games to finish 2025, losing twice to emerging promotion rivals Ipswich.

They began 2026 in similar fashion, taking eight points from seven games – and they also haven’t won in their last six away games. This saw briefly lose top spot, and the chasing pack also shrunk the gap for automatic promotion in general. Last night’s win over Boro was, therefore, vital.

Frank Lampard’s team are still by far the most potent in the league, having now scored 66 goals in 32 games – just over two a game – and have hit four in one game on five occasions, one of which was in the reverse fixture at the Riverside Stadium back in November.

The Midlands side, having been through hell and back in recent years, have been knocking on the Premier League door for a few seasons – missing out in the playoffs in two of the last three campaigns. Is this finally their time?

Back Coventry City to get over the line and secure Championship promotion at 4/11 with Betfred

Ipswich Town (4/9)

Having been the pre-season title favourites, it took Ipswich some time to start stringing wins together. December turned out to be a strong month for the Tractor Boys – they won four and drew two of their seven games, including a quick-fire double over Coventry, which really propelled them into the automatic promotion fight.

Kieran McKenna’s side have also begun to turn Portman Road into a fortress – they haven’t lost there in their last 10 outings, winning seven of those.

There have, however, also been plenty of disappointing showings, such as defeats at Oxford in late November and at Sheffield United in January. Other than the games against Coventry, there hasn’t been a true statement win to truly scare the Sky Blues and Boro.

The Suffolk side are currently seven points off the top two, but have two games in hand.

Bet on Ipswich Town to go straight back up into the Premier League at 4/9 with AK Bets

Millwall (11/4)

Millwall have punched above their weight for several seasons at Championship level and this season has been no different so far under experienced manager Alex Neil.

This season, they’ve had the away form to match their usually impressive record at The Den. The Lions have won seven times away from home and, including – at the time of writing – three of their last four, at Watford, Wrexham and Sheffield Wednesday.

They have some tricky ones coming up, however. In March and early April they’ll go to fellow surprise package Hull, then Ipswich and Middlesbrough.

As of the middle of February, Millwall are five points behind the Teessiders but also have an eight-point cushion to those trying to break into the top six.

Tip Millwall to win their first ever promotion to the Premier League at 11/4 with BetVictor

Hull City (9/2)

With four wins in a row in January, Hull City have re-emerged as an unlikely promotion candidate, and this time the bookies are buying in. The Tigers were up in the top six earlier in the season, but were still being priced below several teams in a lesser position.

That may have owed to the fact that the Acun Ilıcalı era has never been short of headlines, with the outspoken Turkish owner hiring and firing several managers in recent seasons. Sergej Jakirovic, however, looks like he might finally be the right fit.

Oli McBurnie, returning to English football after a year in Gran Canaria with Las Palmas, has been a revelation. The Scot has scored 12 times, and is firmly in the race for the Golden Boot. Teammate Joe Gelhardt has also reached double figures with ten.

Take a punt on Hull City to be promoted back to the Premier League at 9/2 with Paddy Power

Southampton (13/2)

It has taken Southampton a while to shake off their miserable Premier League campaign, with summer appointment Will Still lasting just 13 league games in charge.

Interim manger Tonda Eckert, however, was able to quickly get a tune out of a talented squad and The Saints won six of seven in November and early December – a run which brought them back into the playoff conversation saw Eckert rewarded with the permanent position.

After then regressing, with a run of seven without a win, they have bounced back again with a run of five wins and a draw in six – including a stunning comeback at Leicester to win 4-3 from 3-0 down!

Despite blowing extremely hot and cold, The Saints are just two points off the top six and have shown how good they can be when at their best, which may be why most bookies are still keeping them at around 13/2.

Back Southampton to be promoted to the Premier League at 13/2 with Sky Bet

Dark horses to secure Championship promotion

Seasoned Championship followers will know to expect the unexpected, and that the picture could change completely in the coming months. Several sides are still just a win or two from the top six and one or two will probably emerge as contenders in the second half of the campaign.

Equally, there are a couple of teams occupying lofty positions right now – such as Preston – who nobody thought would be up there, and the bookies still don’t fully believe they’ll have the staying power.

With that in mind, here are four more teams who could be in the mix for the playoffs, alongside their promotion odds.

Birmingham City (10/1)

After initially settling back into the second tier like a duck to water, The Blues’ form have been rather up and down. They’re currently on one of their better runs – they’re unbeaten in seven, beating local rivals Coventry and Leicester at St Andrew’s.

After unveiling ambitious plans for a new stadium in November, the ownership group clearly don’t plan on spending too long in the Championship and will want to see Chris Davies and his team remain in the hunt for the top six this season.

£15 million pound man Jay Stansfield continues to be the main man, even after another lavish summer spend. Stansfield has nine goals, just ahead of new signings Marvin Ducksch and Demarai Gray – who have seven and five respectively. Gray has also contributed four assists on his return to the club where he came through the academy ranks a decade ago.

Blues are currently two points off the playoff spots but have a tough trio of games coming up – they head to rapidly improving Norwich, then Millwall and then host Middlesbrough.

Back Birmingham City to earn back-to-back promotions at 10/1 with QuinnBet

Derby County (18/1)

John Eustace jumped ship from Blackburn (who were in the playoff mix) in the middle of last season to take over relegation-threatened Derby. Not only did he guide one of his former clubs as a player to safety, he now has them in a similar position to where he was with Rovers a year ago.

After 10 games, however, The Rams were near the bottom again having won just once. A midweek win over Norwich – who were also struggling mightily at the time – kickstarted a five-game winning run.

Following a strong start to the new year, in which they’ve won five in eight – a run which saw them claim the scalp of Middlesbrough and demolish Bristol City 5-0 on the road – they’ve crept all the way into the top six on goal difference.

Take a punt on Derby County to get promoted from the Championship at 18/1 with Midnite

Bristol City (20/1)

Last season’s playoff gatecrashers Bristol City are once again in the mix, but they are consistently inconsistent. They both won a game 5-0 and lost a game 5-0 in January. Following their drubbing at the hands of Derby County, The Robins went and won 3-2 at Hull.

Gerhard Struber has also had to contend with the loss of playmaker Anis Mehmeti in January, who had notched eight goals and six assists. With the Albanian having departed, Scott Twine and Emil Riis Jakobsen will carry the goalscoring burden – they both also have eight apiece so far.

The Robins are just a point off the playoffs, having rescued a late point against fellow contenders Wrexham.

Tip Bristol City for a first-ever promotion to the Premier League at 20/1 with bet365

Wrexham (22/1)

The Hollywood-backed Welsh club are continuing their sharp upward trajectory and can’t be ignored in playoff conversations after winning four in-a-row over Christmas and New Year, plus their first four away games of 2026.

After whispers earlier in the season that Phil Parkinson might come under pressure if their slow start continued, they lost just once in fourteen games starting with a win at Norwich in September through to early December.

During that run, they became the first team to beat Coventry and took valuable points away at Ipswich and Middlesbrough. They also won an eight-goal Boxing Day feast against Sheffield United and recently knocked top-flight Nottingham Forest out of the FA Cup. They’ll now host Chelsea in the fifth round of that competition.

Pundits were unsure what to expect of a team that had won three straight promotions from Non-League, but Wrexham look as though they’re here to stay and push for the Premier League either this season, or in the next couple of seasons.

Back Wrexham to go from non-league to Premier League with four straight promotions at 22/1 with Paddy Power

My Championship betting tips

Here are my selections for the Championship promotion race in 2025/26.

Coventry to win the title (7/4)

Frank Lampard’s side was, at one point, on course for 100 points and 100 goals. While their form has dipped significantly since a 4-2 win at Middlesbrough in late November, completing the double over the Teessiders may have gone a long way to fending them off in the automatic promotion race – and also the title race.

Coventry have remained imperious at home and, should they get their away form back on track, could still have enough to end their 25-year exile from the Premier League as champions of the second tier.

Back Coventry City to be crowned Championship champions at 7/4 with Betway

Middlesbrough to finish in the top two (4/9)

Despite losing to Coventry on Monday night, Boro have been seriously impressive in the last couple of months. Their surge throughout January landed Kim Hellberg with the Manager of The Month award, with midfielder Alan Browne being named Player of The Month.

One fixture to keep an eye on – they go to Ipswich on the 18th April, four games from the end of the season!

Tip Middlesbrough to go up automatically at 4/9 with Betfred

Wrexham to finish in the top six (11/2)

Of all the chasing pack, it’s hard to ignore the momentum Wrexham are carrying right now and the sheer feel-good factor permeating throughout that football club.

If league results haven’t made the rest of the Championship stand up and take notice by now, then their FA Cup victories will have done. Had the Welsh club have fared better in recent home games (they’ve picked up just one point at the Racecourse from three games there so far in 2026), they’d be in the top six.

As we approach the final few months, no team in and around the top six will have had as much recent experience of promotion chasing as Wrexham – certainly not Hull, Derby or Preston! Their squad is packed with Championship experience too, from Kieffer Moore and Nathan Broadhead to Conor Coady and Josh Windass – there is no shortage of playoff and promotion know-how!

Bet on Wrexham to reach the Championship playoffs at 11/2 with Sky Bet

Haji Wright to finish as top scorer (6/1)

Haji Wright’s hat trick against Middlesbrough brought him back to within two goals of Swansea’s Žan Vipotnik at the top of the scoring charts.

With Coventry having outscored the league by a hat-full so far, it makes sense to back one of their players to land the Golden Boot. Wright missed a chunk of the season through injury, but has recently been reinstated as the main man with Brandon Thomas-Asante now on the sidelines.

You could’ve had 33/1 on Wright just a month or two ago – now he has shrunk back down to 6/1, but that’s not bad for someone aiming to fire his team into the Premier League. I think the price is Wright.

Back Haji Wright to finish as the league’s top goal scorer at 6/1 with QuinnBet

Teams promoted to EPL in the 2023/24 season

For the first time ever, two teams broke the 100-point barrier in the Championship last term.

Leeds United and Burnley both reached triple digits and went up automatically, with Leeds taking the title on the final day courtesy of a winning goal against Plymouth Argyle in second-half stoppage time.

Sunderland were the playoff winners after finishing the regular campaign in fourth, which was a surprise in itself. There was plenty of drama in their semi-final against Coventry City, as Sunderland secured a 3-2 aggregate victory thanks to a goal deep into extra time.

Sunderland once again left it late in the final against Sheffield United, as Tom Watson’s strike in injury time saw Régis Le Bris’s side promoted back to the Premier League for the first time since 2017.

Which of this year’s Championship teams have been promoted before?

Of the 24 teams in this season’s Championship, only Wrexham have yet to play in the top flight.

If we only count the Premier League era, which began in 1992, all bar six have won promotion from the second tier – Wrexham, Coventry, Millwall, Preston, Bristol City and Oxford.

The most successful sides in terms of winning promotion to the Premier League are Norwich, West Brom and Leicester, each of whom has gone up five times. Middlesbrough and Watford both have four promotions to their name since 1992.

Championship promotion – recent trends

There is a widening financial gulf between the top two divisions of English football. Last season, Southampton earned £109.2m for getting 12 points in the Premier League. Leeds, who won the Championship title with 100 points, pocketed about £11m for that achievement.

Just spending one season in the Premier League is worth an eye-watering amount of money, especially when you throw in the parachute payments sent to every relegated club. It is those funds that have helped several sides return to the top flight at the first time of asking in recent years.

Indeed, in the past three seasons, four teams have been promoted immediately after demotion – Burnley in 2022/23 and 2024/25, and Leicester and Southampton in 2023/24. Rewind a decade and you will find that, between 2012/13 and 2014/15, only two teams returned within a year.

FAQ about the 2025/26 Championship season

1. Which managers in this year’s Championship have been promoted before?

Four managers in this season’s Championship have won promotion before.

Kieran McKenna (Ipswich) did so with his current employers in 2023/24. Alex Neil (Millwall) won promotion with Norwich back in 2014/15, while Paul Heckingbottom (Preston North End) achieved the feat with Sheffield United in 2022/23. The returning Chris Wilder also led The Blades to the top flight in 2018/19.

2. How quickly can the picture change at the top of the Championship?

Very quickly indeed. The Championship is one of the most volatile leagues in Europe, partly because its 46-game seasons are comparatively long. Things change quickly in this division, so expect constant shifting of Championship promotion odds 2025/26.

3. How many points do teams typically need for automatic promotion, and to win the title?

If we look at the last 10 Championship seasons, 96 points would have been enough to win the title and 91 points would have been sufficient for promotion (on average).

4. How often does the battle for promotion, and the title, go to the final few weeks (or the final day)?

The battle for promotion almost always goes to the last few weeks of the season. Even in the unlikely event that the top two secure their place in the Premier League with several games to spare, the race for the playoffs provides another source of drama and excitement.

At times the fight for a top-two finish goes right down to the final day. In 2019/20, West Brom grabbed the last promotion place on matchday 46 ahead of Brentford and Fulham. Meanwhile in 2024/25, Leeds only claimed the title ahead of Burnley on the final day.

About the author

Greg Lea

Greg Lea is a freelance football writer from London. He predominantly covers the Premier League and has had work published by the Guardian, FourFourTwo, ESPN and others.

Follow Greg on X: @GregLeaFootball

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