Wrexham and Boro headline EFL's day of destiny
The curtain falls on an enthralling 2025-2026 EFL Championship season tonight (AEST), and while champion Coventry City has already popped the champagne, the races for the final automatic promotion spot and the last remaining play-off berths are far from over.
At 9:30pm AEST, all 24 clubs will kick off simultaneously, bringing a conclusion to one of the most unpredictable campaigns in recent memory, and it will end with a three-way shootout to find out which of them is guaranteed to join Coventry in next season's Premier League by finishing second.
Ipswich Town, Millwall, and Middlesbrough are separated by a mere two points in that quest.
The dark horse is Middlesbrough on 79 points. Currently fourth on the table, Kim Hellberg's men face a daunting trip to The Racecourse Ground to take on Wrexham in what is effectively a cup final for both sides.
Boro requires a perfect storm - it must win and hope both Ipswich and Millwall lose to take second spot.
But with Wrexham also fighting desperately to hold on to sixth spot and its chance to play for an unprecidented fourth straight promotion in the play-offs, Boro won't have it easy as it attempts to write an alternate script in the Red Dragons' Hollywood story.
Even if it doesn't, Boro, along with Ipswich, Millwall and Southampton, has already guaranteed at least a play-off spot, while the final place in the top six is Wrexham's to lose.
Phil Parkinson's side is on 70 points, but only holds sixth spot on goal difference, and only by a single goal at that, with Hull City waiting to pounce from seventh if things go south in north Wales.
Ipswich, on 81 points, enters the final day arguably in the driver’s seat for the automatic lift to the top flight with Coventry, which travels to Watford for its final game of the season.
Currently second, a victory at Portman Road against mid-table Queens Park Rangers would end the Tractor Boys' long wait for Premier League football.
Managerial stability has been the bedrock of their season, but the pressure of the final hurdle will certainly test their resolve against a QPR side with nothing to lose.
Hot on Ipswich's heels is Millwall on 80 points. The Lions host already-relegated Oxford United at The Den, a fixture that, on paper, seems the most straightforward of the day.
But Millwall must win and pray for an Ipswich slip-up to jump into the top two. Should Ipswich draw and Millwall win, the London side would also clinch promotion on points.
Hull City travels to Carrow Road to face Norwich City and must win to sneak into the top six, but that will only happen if Wrexham falls at the final hurdle. But the Tigers know if they better Wrexham's result, they will break into the top six.
Derby County, one place below Hull with 69 points, still has an outside chance of making the play-offs, but it must defeat Sheffield United at Pride Park and hope both Wrexham and Hull fail to win, which is the one of the more unlikely scenarios of what will be a thrilling final day of the regular season.
In a rare turn for the Championship, the drama at the bottom of the table has already concluded.
After a difficult winter period, Oxford United, Leicester City, and Sheffield Wednesday have all been mathematically relegated.
For Leicester, the drop to EFL League One marks a stunning fall from grace for the Premier League champion of just 10 years ago, but it will hope to finish the season on a positive note by beating Blackburn Rovers away from home.
Wednesday hosts West Bromwich Albion, while Oxford, as we know, will be at Millwall.
Less consequential fixtures see fifth-placed Southampton travel to Preston North End, Portsmouth host Birmingham City, Bristol City welcome Stoke City and Swansea City host Charlton Athletic.
