The English Football League has locked in the 2025 Championship play-off calendar, compressing promotion drama into a 14-day window. First legs kick off on Saturday 10 May when the sixth-placed side hosts third at 17:30, followed by fourth versus fifth on Sunday 11 May at 14:00. Return legs switch venues mid-week: Tuesday 13 May sees the higher-seeded third-place club welcome sixth at 20:00, and Wednesday 14 May brings the second tie back to the fourth-placed team’s ground at 19:45. Each match will be broadcast live on Sky Sports Main Event and Sky Sports Football with highlights on ITV4 at 23:00.
Clubs have been instructed to leave a 48-hour buffer between domestic fixtures and potential FA disciplinary hearings in case of fan misconduct. The showpiece final is slated for Saturday 24 May with a 16:30 kick-off designed to avoid clashing with the FA Cup final scheduled a day earlier. Should Manchester United qualify for the Champions League final, contingency talks include moving the play-off to Sunday evening, though stadium staff regard this as unlikely. Ticket allocations will be confirmed 24 hours after the second leg ends, giving supporters 10 days to arrange transport and accommodation.
The EFL’s operations manual reiterates that VAR will be active only in the Wembley match. Staggered dates ensure equal rest periods: both finalists will enjoy at least nine days between second-leg exertions and the richest game in football. Fans can synchronise diaries now; the road to Wembley is officially mapped.
