Ipswich Town, Southampton, Birmingham City and Sheffield United are expected to be in the mix. We look at their chances going into the opening day.
| Championship Promotion | Odds |
|---|---|
| Ipswich Town | 2.10 |
| Southampton | 2.75 |
| Birmingham City | 3.00 |
| Sheffield United | 3.00 |
Odds courtesy of Stake. Correct at time of publishing and subject to change.
Championship promotion odds
The Championship is famously one of the most competitive divisions in the world, and the 2025/26 campaign is unlikely to be any different. Ipswich are favourites to win it, but there are others who will fancy their chances as well. Predicting the three that go up is even more difficult.
There’s always at least one side that defies the odds and gets themselves into the top six, and once you’re there, you’ve got a chance. Only two teams can gain automatic promotion, but the play-offs open things up completely. We take a close look at the four teams the bookies expect to be most likely to get the job done.
Ipswich Town
The favourites. The Tractor Boys had a difficult return to the top-flight last season, but they have kept the bulk of their side together on the back of relegation. Liam Delap’s departure provided them with some funds, but they haven’t had much use for it.
Azor Matusiwa has been their only real expenditure, with the likes of Ashley Young and Cedric Kipre coming in for free and on loan. They’ve got some excellent players, some who’ve come back from loan spells last season, and should be absolutely fine. If they can find their groove early, they could prove difficult to catch.
Ipswich are definitely worth backing. They have a good squad and an excellent manager - it’d be a big surprise if they weren’t there or thereabouts.
Southampton
The Saints are another side that had a rough time in the Premier League, and they’ve lost quite a few players this summer. Kamaldeen Sulemana was the biggest transfer out, but Aaron Ramsey’s departure for Newcastle United was also a big deal for them. Still, the club have brought in a solid amount of money.
This has allowed them to sign Damion Downs and Joshua Quarshie, and they retain a squad with enough quality to be successful in the Championship. Returning from his loan at Sheffield Wednesday, Shea Charles could be a big player, while Will Still brings fresh energy as a promising young manager. The rest of the window could be make or break for them.
What happens between now and the closure of the transfer window could decide how much of a title challenge they’ll mount, but they should be in the promotion hunt.
Birmingham City
Tom Brady’s squad are really going for it. They stormed their way through League One last season, and have spent big this summer as they go in search of a place in the Premier League. Expectations are high despite it being their first season back in the second tier of English football.
They’ve spent a fair bit of money, including a hefty sum on Kyogo Furuhashi, but they’ve also done some excellent work in the free agent and loan market. The return of Demarai Gray and the addition of Eiran Cashin add excitement and experience to the squad. They’re certainly a team that could turn heads in 2025/26.
While they might be considered outsiders due to their recent promotion, they've had a great summer and should challenge for top six.
Sheffield United
They got so close last time out, and for that reason, you’d expect them to challenge again, but it’s been a tough summer. Chris Wilder’s exit divided the fanbase, and there have been some concerns over their work in the summer. However, Ruben Selles does have some very good players at his disposal.
Ehjie Ukaki and Mihail Polendakov are left-field signings, but Louie Barry and Tyler Bindon add genuine quality. The departure of Vini Souza was a blow, and they haven’t bolstered enough just yet, but there’s still time.
It’s hard to say whether they’ll be title challengers, but it’s no surprise to see them amongst the favourites for promotion. The rest of the window could be key.