The EFL Championship is regarded by many to be the best league in world football. That’s because of its unpredictability, it’s almost impossible to know what will happen on a weekly basis.

The 2025/26 Championship season is a good example of that. At the start of the campaign, Leicester City were tipped by many to bounce straight back up to the Premier League. They ended up having a dismal season and suffered relegation to the English third tier.

Hull City, on the other hand, were one of the favourites for relegation to League One. The Tigers defied the odds to finish in a playoff berth, before beating Middlesbrough in the playoff final to book their place in the Premier League.

With the 2026/27 Championship season on the horizon, GiveMeSport have asked GrokAI to predict the final table, and it thinks it knows where all 24 teams will finish.

Relegation Battlers (17-24)

Blackburn Rovers and Portsmouth both narrowly escaped relegation in the 25/26 campaign. They are expected to do the same again in 26/27 as they are tipped to finish 17th and 18th respectively.

Watford follow in 19th, while Bolton Wanderers, who sealed their return to the Championship with a 4-1 victory over Stockport County in the League One playoff final, are expected to survive in their first season back in England’s second tier.

Queens Park Rangers are expected to accumulate just 42 points in 26/27 campaign, but that will be enough for them to survive the drop.

Cardiff City are being predicted to finish in 22nd and go straight back down to England’s third tier, alongside Charlton Athletic and Lincoln City. The latter amassed 103 points in League One in 25/26 as they blew everyone away, but are being tipped to struggle following the loss of manager Michael Skubala to Bristol City.

Mid Table (9-16)

Millwall came so close to promotion to the Premier League in 25/26. They narrowly missed out on an automatic promotion spot before losing to Hull in the playoffs. They are being predicted to finish 10th in the upcoming campaign, a place behind Norwich City.

Derby County and Stoke City are expected to complete the top half and finish 11th and 12th respectively.

James Morrison led West Bromwich Albion to safety in 25/26, and they are expected to be a lot better in the upcoming campaign. They are being tipped to finish 13th, a place above Skubala’s Bristol City.

AI thinks Vítor Matos’ Swansea City will amass 54 points and finish 15th, a place above perennial mid-table side Preston North End.

The playoffs will be expanded in 26/27, with the top eight now qualifying. Southampton will start the season with -4 points after being found guilty of spying on multiple teams during the 25/26 campaign. Despite that disadvantage, they are expected to finish 8th and qualify for the playoffs.

Sheffield United are being tipped to bounce back from a dismal 25/26 season and finish 7th, behind Wrexham, Middlesbrough and Birmingham City.

AI thinks the three clubs that have dropped down to the Championship from the Premier League will finish in the top three.

Burnley are expected to amass 82 points and finish third as they just miss out on automatic promotion. AI thinks Wolves and West Ham will return to the Premier League at the first time of asking, with the latter finishing seven points clear of Rob Edwards’ side to be crowned champions. Grok wrote about the Hammers: