EFL promotion and relegation permutations for Championship, League One & League Two

The Football League is renowned for its high drama and thrilling entertainment and fans can still expect to see plenty of twists, turns and surprises in what promises to be nail biting finale in League One and League Two - and a crunch afternoon of action in the penultimate weekend of the Championship.

In League One, Portsmouth have secured their position as champions - ending a 12-year wait for Championship football after more than a decade of points deductions and financial difficulties off the pitch.

Elsewhere, Stockport County, who themselves have struggled with financial issues in recent times, clinched the League Two title to return to the third-tier of English football for the first time in 13 years.

The Hatters are joined in the celebrations by Mansfield, who have clinched promotion back into the third-tier after a 21-year wait, and Wrexham, who are back in League One for the first time in 19 years after securing back-to-back promotions.

At the other end of the table the likes of Rotherham, Carlisle, Fleetwood, Port Vale and Forest Green have all experienced the heartbreak of relegation, while the battle to avoid joining them continues to be hard-fought in all three divisions.

With that in mind we take a look at all the permutations from the EFL promotion, relegation and play-off race. Starting with the Championship and building our way down to League One and League Two.

Who can be promoted from the Championship?

Championship fans have been treated to one of the most hard-fought title battles in recent memory and both automatic promotion places are still up for grabs.

Leicester City are the current pacesetters and they are just one win away from securing the Championship title with a game to spare as they prepare to travel to Preston North End on Monday night.

The Foxes need a maximum of two points from two games against Preston and Blackburn Rovers to confirm automatic promotion and three points to secure the Championship title.

Leeds United sit in second, four points behind Leicester and still have an outside chance of winning the title if they can win both of their two remaining games against QPR and Southampton.

Leeds need to pick up two or more points than Leicester in their remaining games to have any chance of winning the title on goal difference.

However, the Whites’ promotion fate is not in their own hands as they are still only one point clear of Ipswich, having played one game extra. This means that Leeds could still miss out on promotion even if they pick up maximum points.

Ipswich Town have been the surprise package of the division and their destiny remains in their hands as they chase back-to-back promotions. They face Hull, Coventry and Huddersfield in their last three games and will secure promotion if they pick up victories in all three matches.

The Tractor Boys also have an outside chance of the title if Leicester pick up less than four points from their remaining games and they have a 100 percent winning record.

Southampton’s automatic promotion dream mathematically ends if Leeds pick up a point or if Ipswich pick up two points. They have secured their place in the play-offs while West Brom and Norwich need four more points to confirm their place in the top six, though three should be sufficient given their vastly superior goal difference to Hull City and Coventry City.

Who can be relegated from the Championship?

Rotherham United will begin life in League One under returning manager Steve Evans who was recently reappointed to replace Leam Richardson.

Huddersfield Town could face the same fate less than five years on from their relegation from the Premier League. The Terriers are three points adrift of safety ahead of games against Birmingham and Ipswich - their fate remains out of their hands, though they need a minimum of one win to have any chance.

Birmingham take on Huddersfield and play-off chasing Norwich in their remaining fixtures. The Blues need to better the points tally of Sheffield Wednesday and avoid defeat against Huddersfield to survive.

Sheffield Wednesday after their worst ever start to a professional league season can guarantee safety if they win both of their matches against West Brom and Sunderland.

Plymouth and Blackburn can still mathematically be relegated if they fail to pick up at least four points and if results around them all going against them.

Who can be promoted from League One?

Portsmouth are the champions of League One and will be in party mode as they make the trip to Lincoln City.

Derby County will join them in celebrating automatic promotion if they avoid defeat against the division’s basement club Carlisle, who have won just seven in 45 games.

Bolton need a victory away to Peterborough and will need Derby to lose their game to have any hope of securing automatic promotion on goal difference.

Peterborough have already secured a place in the play-offs, while Barnsley and Lincoln will join them in the top six if they can pick up all three points.

Oxford United and Blackpool both have an outside chance of gatecrashing the play-offs if they can win their respective games, though they will need the team’s above them to drop points.

Who can be relegated from League One?

The journey is over for Carlisle, Port Vale and Fleetwood who are already preparing for the prospect of life in League Two.

Cheltenham kept their hopes alive with a dramatic victory over Peterborough. They will need a victory over Stevenage to have any hopes of beating the drop and will also need to better the outcome of either Burton or Cambridge.

Burton are safe if they can beat Fleetwood in their final game, but will be safe either way if Cheltenham fail to win.

Cambridge simply need to avoid defeat against Port Vale to beat the drop. They too will be safe regardless if Cheltenham or Burton fail to win, providing their goal difference doesn’t take a serious hit.

Who can be promoted from League Two?

Automatic promotion from League Two is wrapped up for champions Stockport County who are joined by Mansfield  and Wrexham in League One next term.

MK Dons have already secured their place in the play-offs. While an in-form Doncaster Rovers side, currently on a club-record equalling 10 match winning run, need just a point away to Gillingham to mathematically secure their spot in the play-offs.

Crewe also need just a point to secure a play-off place in their final game away to strugglers Colchester.

Barrow will be in the play-offs if they secure a victory against already promoted Mansfield. Though they will be in the play-offs either way if they simply better the results of Crawley, Bradford and Walsall.

Who can be relegated from League Two?

Forest Green Rovers are back in the National League after suffering back-to-back relegations.

Sutton United need to beat MK Dons and Colchester need to lose to Crewe to have any chance of surviving on goal difference.

Colchester will avoid the drop if they can pick up at least a draw or if Sutton fail to win.