Drama defines the Championship play-offs and the EFL rulebook ensures ties never fizzle out. If semi-final aggregate scores are level after two legs, teams play two 15-minute halves of extra time at the second-leg venue, with a brief three-minute break for coaching and hydration but no formal halftime exodus. Managers may use a sixth substitution in extra time, reflecting FIFA’s latest tournament guidelines. Should scores remain deadlocked, the contest proceeds to a best-of-five penalty shoot-out, followed by sudden-death kicks if parity persists.
Referees hold the whistle until both keepers confirm positioning on the goal-line and VAR is not active, so encroachment or goalkeeper movement is judged on-field. For the Wembley final, identical procedures apply; however, VAR assists referees in confirming infringements. Goal-line technology automatically signals successful strikes. History offers ample tension: the 2020 final saw Brentford trump Swansea after a shoot-out following a 1-1 draw, while Watford survived a nine-kick thriller in 2013.
Psychological preparation is meticulous; clubs hire sports psychologists to rehearse breathing techniques and pre-kick routines, while analysts compile penalty heat maps of likely takers. Extra-time fitness matters too: ball-in-play time averages drop from 58 minutes in regulation to 12 minutes across extra-time halves, so depth and cramp management are critical. UEFA-style away-goals or golden-goal provisions do not exist, simplifying the equation: outscore the opponent across the tie or live and die by the spot-kick. Fans embrace the uncertainty, aware every clearance or fingertip save could echo in club folklore for generations.
