Football promotion, relegation, play-offs and European qualification 2024/25 season: Ups and downs in Premier League, EFL and more
Football ups, downs, play-offs and the race for Europe in 2024/25 - keep track of the issues across the divisions in the Premier League, EFL, WSL and Scottish Premiership
Wednesday 30 April 2025 23:37, UK
The 2024/25 football season is nearing its conclusion, with some issues resolved and some still left to settle at the top and bottom of the leagues. Keep track of promotion, relegation, play-offs and the race for Europe in England and Scotland.
Premier League
Liverpool have been crowned Premier League champions, equalling Manchester United's record of 20 top-flight titles.
The Reds clinched the title in style at a jubilant Anfield with a thumping 5-1 win over Tottenham.
The top five in the Premier League will qualify for the Champions League 2025/26 league phase, with Arsenal's quarter-final first-leg win over Real Madrid boosting England's UEFA coefficient and securing an extra place beyond the regular top four.
In fact, Sky Sports has calculated a scenario that could see 11 Premier League sides in Europe.
Newcastle have already secured a Conference League spot with their Carabao Cup win but could upgrade to the Champions League or Europa League through their league position.
At the wrong end, Southampton were the first of three teams to be relegated to the Championship. The Saints suffered the earliest relegation in Premier League history and are seeking a new permanent manager after Ivan Juric's exit.
Leicester's relegation has since been confirmed following a 1-0 defeat to Liverpool. That result meant they became the first team in top-flight history to go nine consecutive home league games without scoring.
Ipswich's return to the Championship was confirmed after a 3-0 defeat to Newcastle, meaning for a second year running, all of the newly-promoted teams were relegated back to the second tier.
WSL
Chelsea clinched their sixth successive WSL title with a 1-0 win against Man Utd on Wednesday.
It also earns them a place in the Champions League league phase, with the runners-up joining in the second round and the third-placed side in the first round. Arsenal are two points clear of third-placed Manchester United.
Bottom-side Crystal Palace were relegated from the Women's Super League after losing 7-1 to West Ham.
Championship
Leeds and Burnley were promoted to the Premier League on a decisive Easter Monday.
Sheffield United are guaranteed third place and Sunderland fourth spot, with both sides earning home advantage in the play-off semi-final second legs.
Bristol City and Coventry are in fifth and sixth but Millwall, Blackburn and Middlesbrough could all still swoop in and take one of the final two spots.
Cardiff have been relegated, with Plymouth all but down. Hull find themselves in 22nd, a point adrift of Derby, Preston and Luton heading into the final day. Stoke are a point ahead of those three.
The Championship concludes on May 3, with the play-off semi-finals on May 8/9 and May 12/13, and the final taking place at Wembley on Saturday May 24.
League One
Birmingham secured promotion to the Championship on April 8 - the earliest promotion across the divisions this season - and were crowned champions a few days later. Blues have also set a new League One points record with their 4-0 hammering of Mansfield, seeing them reach 105 points with two games remaining.
Chris Davies' side now need two more points to break Reading's all-time English league high of 106 achieved in the 2005/06 Championship.
Wrexham have secured second after beating Charlton 3-0 on Saturday. They have become the first side in history to secure three consecutive promotions.
Stockport, Wycombe and Charlton have all booked play-off spots. Leyton Orient and Reading - separated only on goal difference - will do battle for the final play-off spot on the final day of the season.
Shrewsbury, Cambridge, Crawley and Bristol Rovers have all been relegated to League Two.
League One concludes on Saturday May 3 at 3pm. The League One play-off semi-finals take place on May 10 and May 14/15, with the Wembley final on Sunday May 25.
League Two
Doncaster and Port Vale have sealed promotion with a game to spare. Third spot goes to the final day. Bradford are in pole position, with Walsall a point behind and Notts County a further two back.
AFC Wimbledon (70pts) are in sixth, with Salford (68pts) in seventh. Grimsby (68pts), Chesterfield (67pts) and Colchester (66pts) all still harbour play-off hopes.
Morecambe and Carlisle have been relegated to the National League.
The play-off semi-finals take place on May 11 and May 16/17, with the final scheduled at Wembley on Monday May 26.
National League
Barnet have secured their place back in League Two, being crowned National League champions after beating Aldershot 4-0.
With one game to play, York and Forest Green have secured their places in the play-off semi-finals. Rochdale, Oldham and Halifax will play in the quarter-finals, with the final spot of four teams - either Southend or Gateshead - set to be decided in the final game.
The bottom four teams are relegated to National League North or South, and will be replaced with the respective champions and play-off winners of those divisions.
Ebbsfleet became the first team in England's top five tiers to be relegated when demotion was confirmed on March 22. Fylde have since joined them.
Scottish Premiership
Celtic secured their fourth consecutive title with a 5-0 win against Dundee United. The champions will enter the Champions League play-off round, with the runners-up entering in the second qualifying round.
Hibernian, Dundee United and Aberdeen are all in a race for third spot, while St Mirren also have a slim chance of catching those above them.
The third-placed team will enter the Europa League at the second qualifying round, with the fourth-placed team securing a second qualifying-round spot in the Conference League.
If the Scottish Cup is won by the Premiership winners, the club that finishes third will instead go into the Europa League play-off round, otherwise that prize goes to the Scottish Cup winner.
The bottom club will be relegated to the Scottish Championship, while the 11th-placed team will enter a play-off with one of three Championship sides, live on Sky Sports.
St Johnstone are currently bottom and six points adrift. However, just three points separate the three teams above them - Ross County, Dundee and Kilmarnock.
Scottish Championship
The champions will be promoted to the Scottish Premiership. Ahead of Friday's season finale, Falkirk and Livingston are level on 70 points, with Falkirk having a superior goal difference.
The runners-up will enter a play-off with Ayr and another Championship side still to be confirmed, with the winner of those ties facing the 11th-placed Premiership team.
