Around the leagues: Final run-in check-up

Jonathan Victoria • 23 Apr 2026 Features

Titles to be decided and relegation spots still yet to be filled.

The domestic football season is coming towards the end of their respective campaigns, with only a few weeks remaining for each league.

This means that every team who currently still has something to fight for has only a handful of games left to decide their fate for the following season - and for some teams, their fate for the foreseeable future.

With that, let’s look into what’s still up for grabs across England’s top four tiers - Premier League, Championship, League One and League Two.

Note: The following was written on 23/04/26, with results and standings correct as of then.

How to watch the run-in

Sky Sports is the place to watch EFL football, so if you’re planning on tuning in for the remaining games this year be sure to check your Sky TV subscription to add Sky Sports or sign up now if you aren’t with Sky already.

As for the Premier League, most remaining games will be on Sky Sports, but TNT Sports will also host a couple matches.

Premier League

The Premier League this season has been all over the place, to say the least. We’ve had the league leaders bottling a commanding gap over the chasers at a late stage, one of the three promoted teams becoming one of the league's biggest bogey sides, and Tottenham somehow outdoing themselves from last year’s abysmal campaign.

Title race

After having a firm hand on their first title for over 20 years back at the halfway point of the year, Arsenal have gone full Arsenal and have slipped up a few too many times to allow Manchester City in.

A mega clash between the pair during Matchday 33 - where City once again got the better of the Gunners - followed by a midweek win over Burnley has now handed the top spot to Pep Guardiola and his merry men on countback alone.

Matched on points, goal difference and even record (21 wins, seven draws, five losses), City only have the top spot because they have scored more goals (66 to Arsenal’s 63).

Man City have been sensational in the latter portion of the year, as they often are, so you can expect them to keep it up. Arsenal, on the other hand, have slipped massively, especially in the last 30 days, where they’ve only had one win in all competitions in that time.

Form and past knowledge favours Man City in this race but I reckon this fight will come down to the final Sunday.

Europe battle

Behind the two at the top has been a monumental content for the European spots - emphasis on the mental in monumental as realistically, anyone from sixth all the way down to 15th can still claim a spot in one of the three European competitions next season.

The Premier League is guaranteed five teams in the Champions League for next season and currently those five spots are filled with their likely candidates. Obviously you have the top two, then behind them is Manchester United and Aston Villa in third and fourth respectively, both on 58 points, and in fifth is Liverpool on 55 points.

Then from Brighton in sixth right the way down to Leeds in 15th, there’s just 10 points in it. That’s 10 teams all with a chance at finishing with at the very least Europa League football for next season.

Let’s simplify this by looking at it in table form:

Within these sides are different stories being told, including Brighton’s stellar form that has seen them go unbeaten in five games, Chelsea appalling slide where they’ve now lost five on the trot and sacked their second manager of the year, and Brentford who seem content with draws, seeing five in their last five - and weirdly, each either goalless or two goals each.

Obviously as you can see, some sides also have a game in hand - or two in the case of the reigning FA Cup champions Palaces’ case. A win for each of those sides could see that section of the table change even further, and as it stands, it really is anyone’s guess as to who will get Europe.

There’s a lot of possibilities as to who will get Europe and exactly how many will be available and really, we’d need a whole other feature just on that, so keep your eye out for that one coming soon.

Relegation fight

Credit: Jamie Carragher & Dean Ashton relegation battle PREDICTIONS! 🔮 (Sky Sports Premier League, YouTube)

Now down to the bottom of the table where there is only one remaining relegation spot. Wolves have long been destined for the drop this year but they managed to hold afloat long enough until this past weekend, where a loss to Leeds confirmed their fate.

Along with them is Burnley, continuing their run of bouncing between the first and second divisions. Their loss to Man City on Wednesday sealed the deal.

The final spot is yet to be taken but will likely be occupied by one of two London sides - West Ham or the reigning Europa League champions Tottenham.

There probably aren't any more jokes that can be made at Spurs’ expense for this season. Their last-ditch effort to remain in the top tier is hiring Roberto De Zerbi to see out their campaign and hope he can instill just enough of a lift to keep them safe.

They currently need to find two points to take West Ham’s 17th spot but may only have one chance to do so, with Wolves up next in Matchday 34 followed by four sides fighting for a European spot.

In fairness, West Ham have only sides fighting for Europe plus Arsenal left to play this year so a hope of picking up many vital points seems slim.

It should also be mentioned that Nottingham Forest are only five points ahead of Tottenham, have only four games left in their season compared to Spurs and West Ham’s five, and are competing in the Europa League semi-finals which will take a lot of effort. They’re not exactly safe.

Championship

My personal favourite league, not just because my beloved Southampton are currently slapping up but because you genuinely never have any idea of who’s going to be who on any given matchday. 

In my opinion, no league in the world is more entertaining than the Championship.

Title & automatic promotion race

Having said that, there is no title race to be had this year unfortunately as Frank Lampard has masterminded a wondrous campaign for Coventry, taking the title this past weekend.

It’s not the absolute best title winning campaign in league history, but for the most part this season Coventry have been inevitable and have claimed a well-earned spot in the Premier League for next season.

As for who gets the second automatic promotion spot, that’s been a much more enthralling contest.

For the longest time it seemed like Middlesbrough would have it, but a slight slide over the last two months has allowed others in, particularly Millwall and Ipswich. Even my Saints, who at one point were staring at a battle with our sworn rivals Portsmouth for who will get the drop this year, have been on a Europe’s-best run of form that has seen us rise all the way up to have a say for that second spot.

However, it seems Ipswich will likely be returning to the top flight. Currently occupying the spot on the same points as Millwall but with a vastly superior goal difference, they still have a game in hand which gives them a major boost.

Or it would be, if it wasn’t against the mighty Saints! That’s right, in one last potential twist for the season, two sides fighting for the same spot are playing their rescheduled game days before the final weekend of the season.

You really couldn’t write this stuff any better!

Playoff battle

While there’s four sides fighting for the spot, only one can get it. The other three will turn their sights to the playoffs for one last chance at promotion.

Out of Ipswich, Millwall, Southampton and Middlesbrough, three will have to go the playoff route. They will be joined by whoever finishes in sixth, which in itself has a tasty two-way contest going on.

The Hollywood story of Wrexham has defied many’s expectations - including mine - to find themselves in with a shout of promotion.

That is if they can hold on to the sixth spot, which they only have because of goal difference. They and Hull both have equal points but the Welsh side has two goals over Hull.

Unfortunately, the scriptwriters didn’t put them together in either of their final two games of the season, but it’ll be interesting regardless to see who gets the final playoff spot.

Relegation fight

Credit: Leicester City RELEGATED to League One 📉 | IMMEDIATE REACTION (Sky Sports Football, YouTube)

Finally, at the bottom there isn’t too much going on again. Two spots are already taken, one quite unfortunately so.

Sheffield Wednesday, one England's most historically successful clubs, have been experiencing hardships financially in recent years, with the worst of it coming this season. They had been in trouble before the season had even started. This has lasted all season long.

They were placed into administration in October, which came with a 12-point deduction. They were handed another six-point deduction in December before being relegated on 22nd February - the earliest relegation ever in the EFL.

The second side already falling down to League One is Leicester, who saw their fate sealed after their draw with Hull this past week. Their unfortunate demise comes 10 years after their sensational Premier League crowning and only five years on from their one FA Cup title.

As for the final relegation spot, Oxford United currently look like the likely candidate for it, sitting six points behind safety. 

However, West Brom are said to be in a spot of trouble after an alleged breach of profit and sustainability rules during the 2024/25 season, meaning they could yet still get a points deduction. How much it would be or even if it will happen is yet to be seen, but a decision will have to be made soon.

League One

The third division has been rather interesting this year, with every weekend providing competitive matchups and entertaining results.

Title & automatic promotion race

The only boring part of the league has been at the top, where both places for automatic promotion have been decided for a couple weeks already. There hasn’t even really been a contest for the league title. Lincoln has that wrapped up already.

So it’s them and Cardiff who are returning to the Championship. For Cardiff, they only spent the one season away, but for Lincoln it is the end of a 65-year drought.

Playoff battle

Behind them two, it is a bit more interesting. You have several teams vying for the four playoff spots and it could come down to the final day to decide who is going to play for the final promotion chance.

Bradford, Bolton, Stockport and Stevenage currently occupy the four places but closely following them is Luton and Plymouth.

There’s seven points between Bolton currently in third and Plymouth in eighth, so barring a tragic drop off over their last two games, Bolton has their spot secured.

The rest is a bit more open. Bradford is relatively safe but not entirely, while Stockport and Stevenage can’t afford to lift up for even a second lest Luton and/or Plymouth catch them.

Relegation fight

Then we have the bottom, where it’s not three teams but four that will go down. And like the playoff battle, it is getting kind of interesting.

Three spots are already confirmed. Northampton, Port Vale and Rotherham have unfortunately failed to survive. But the final spot, which is currently occupied by Exeter, is still open.

Exeter sit just two points behind AFC Wimbledon in 20th, who in turn are just a singular point behind Leyton Orient in 19th and two points behind Burton Albion in 18th and Peterborough in 17th. This is to say, a lot can still change.

Exeter desperately needs a good run for their final two games. Ideally, a win in both games but one win and one draw with other results going their way could be enough.

Of course, that’s talking “ifs”, which I don’t love doing. But in terms of form against the likes of Leyton Orient and Peterborough, they are doing slightly better.

This is another place that may come down to the final weekend.

League Two

Last but certainly not least, the fourth division/third tier of the EFL. When I tell you that League Two may just be the most competitive league in the EFL this season, I’m not exaggerating. 

There’s still plenty to be decided which will almost certainly go down to the final day.

Title & automatic promotion race

The fight for the top spot has brewed all year long. Even still now, you have the top seven separated by just 10 points. Of course, with only two games remaining there’s only really three teams in the fight for the number one spot, but the fact it’s this close at the end of the season shows how tight its been all year.

Bromley, who prior to this season had never played in the EFL, are currently sitting at the top and have already secured their promotion. Close behind them is MK Dons, and then in third is Cambridge.

Realistically, the top spot battle is between Bromley and MK Dons, as they have two points between them while Cambridge is three points behind the Dons.

But like I mentioned, it’s three places going straight up so Cambridge shouldn’t be disheartened. They also shouldn’t get cocky, though, as behind them by one point is Salford, two points is Notts Count, and three points is Swindon. 

Any one of those four could still get the automatic place so you’ll want to keep an eye on what happens.

Playoff battle

So there’s the fight for the automatic spots, but for those who don’t make it, the playoffs will be their destiny. And once again, there’s some competition.

Currently it’s Salford, Notts County, Swindon and Grimsby in the playoff spots. Bromley don’t have to worry about dropping into the playoffs, they have their automatic spot already. MK, on the other hand, could still slip into the playoffs. Cambridge, too, but MK at least has the safety of at least having a guaranteed playoff spot.

Everyone else currently in the playoffs could still fall out, with Chesterfield sitting just one point behind Grimsby (five points behind Cambridge) and Barnet four points behind Grimsby.

As of now, the playoff spots are yet to be decided, which will provide a stunning final two matches.

Relegation fight

Only two sides drop down and out of the EFL from League Two and we have no clue who that will be as of yet.

At current, it’s Barrow and Harrogate Town who reside in the bottom, but they both are on level points and just one point from safety.

Newport is living dangerously close to the edge, as is Crawley, who are only two points ahead of the bottom duo.

Even Tranmere, who have a bit of safety on four points ahead, aren’t entirely safe. If results can go the way of the two currently in bottom, it could be an incredible end to the year.