EFL approves new six-team Championship play-offs with quarter-finals and two-legged semis from next season
· Yahoo Sports
Football League clubs have voted in favour of expanding the Championship play-offs from four to six teams.
The new format will be introduced from next season and will be similar to the system currently used in the National League. The changes mean the teams who finish seventh and eighth in the Championship will now enter the play-offs.
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Under the format, the fifth-placed team will face the eighth-placed team at home in a one-legged tie, while sixth will host seventh in the other 'quarter-final'.
The winners of those teams will progress to face the clubs who ended the season third and fourth in two-legged semi-final ties.
The changes have now been approved by the Football Association and Football League authorities with an official statement confirming the news.
"The decision is intended to increase the number of competitive fixtures during the closing stages of the campaign, while also giving two additional clubs the opportunity to reach the play-off final at Wembley Stadium and progress to thePremier League," the EFL said.
Chief executive Trevor Birch added that there is confidence the changes will 'give more clubs and their supporters a genuine opportunity of achieving promotion' to thePremier League.
"Following several months of discussion with clubs and other stakeholders, we are confident this change will further strengthen the Championship as a competition and give more clubs and their supporters a genuine opportunity of achieving promotion," Birch said.