When are the play-offs?
Everything you need to know as promotion places are decided
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.Promotion places are still to be decided in the Football League as the ever-entertaining play-offs begin.
Four teams in the Championship, League One and League Two will bid to finish the season strongly as they vie to be elevated to the next tier.
Wembley will again host all three play-off finals across the late May bank holiday weekend.
But to get to those showpiece dates, the 12 remaining clubs in contention for promotion will have to survive two-legged semi-finals that always seem to deliver drama.
Here’s everything you need to know:
When are the play-offs?
The play-offs begin on 12 May with the first leg of the League One semi-finals, and conclude with the third tier’s final at Wembley on Monday 29 May.
Who has qualified for the play-offs?
In the Championship, the teams who finished third, fourth, fifth and sixth will compete for the final promotion place to the Premier League. They are: Luton, Middlesbrough, Coventry and Sunderland.
In League One, it is the finishers in that same spread from third to sixth: Sheffield Wednesday, Barnsley, Bolton and Peterborough.
League Two, meanwhile, awards an extra automatic promotion place, meaning the fourth to seventh-placed clubs progress to the play-offs: Stockport County, Carlisle United, Bradford City and Salford City are the quartet.
How can I watch it?
All of the play-off action will be live for viewers in the United Kingdom on Sky Sports. Subscribers can stream every game via the Sky Go app.
If you’re not a Sky customer you can grab a NOWTV Day Pass here to watch without a subscription.
Championship play-off schedule:
Semi-final first legs:
Saturday 13 May, 5.30pm BST: Sunderland vs Luton (Stadium of Light, Sunderland)
Sunday 14 May, 12pm BST: Coventry vs Middlesbrough (Coventry Building Society Arena)
Second legs:
Tuesday 16 May, 8pm BST: Luton vs Sunderland (Kenilworth Road, Luton)
Wednesday 17 May 8pm BST: Middlesbrough vs Coventry (Riverside Stadium, Middlesbrough)
Final: Saturday 27 May, 4.45pm BST
League One play-off schedule
Semi-final first legs:
Friday 12 May, 8pm BST: Peterborough vs Sheffield Wednesday (London Road, Peterborough)
Saturday 13 May, 3pm BST: Bolton vs Barnsley (University of Bolton Stadium)
Second legs:
Thursday 18 May, 8pm BST: Sheffield Wednesday vs Peterborough (Hillsborough, Sheffield)
Friday 19 May, 8pm BST: Barnsley vs Bolton (Oakwell, Barnsley)
Final: Monday 29 May, 3pm BST
League Two play-off schedule
Semi-final first legs:
Saturday 13 May, 7.45pm BST: Salford City vs Stockport County (Moor Lane, Salford)
Sunday 14 May, 7pm BST: Bradford vs Carlisle (Valley Parade, Bradford)
Second legs:
Saturday 20 May, 12.30pm BST: Stockport County vs Salford City (Edgeley Park, Stockport)
Saturday 20 May, 3pm BST: Carlisle United vs Bradford City (Brunton Park, Carlisle)
Final: Sunday 28 May, 1.30pm BST
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments