Who will win Championship play-offs as Premier League promotion beckons?

With the regular Championship season complete, attention now turns to the play-offs in what promises to be one of the most open lotteries in memory.

As expected, Ipswich Town defeated QPR on the final day to pip Millwall to the second automatic promotion spot, with the Lions, Southampton, Middlesbrough, and Hull City left to battle it out for the remaining route to the Premier League.

While the form book often comes into play, Sunderland proved last year that as long as you turn up when it matters, then it is possible to reach the promised land by whatever means necessary.

But who has what it takes to go all the way and triumph at Wembley? DAZN News takes a closer look at each side bidding to make history.

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Millwall

Out of the four sides aiming for play-off glory, Millwall are the only one to have never played in the Premier League, having last played in the top flight during the 1989-90 season.

In Alex Neil they possess a man for the big occasion, as he has tasted play-off success before with Norwich City in 2015 and Sunderland in 2022.

Beyond Neil, the Lions have goalkeeper Anthony Patterson, who kept the Black Cats in last season's final with a wonder save, while fellow loanee Tommy Watson scored the 95th-minute winner against Sheffield United.

Heading into their semi-final with Hull, Neil's men are in encouraging form as they are unbeaten in their last five, while they possess the fourth-best defensive record in the division thanks to Jake Cooper and co.

The clash with the Tigers has the potential to go either way, though, as Millwall were on either end of a 3-1 scoreline in their two league meetings this term.

Middlesbrough

This season feels like the one that got away for Middlesbrough, but they cannot afford to look back with regret as they prepare to face the Championship's form team.

Boro spent five straight months in the automatic promotion places and even went top briefly in February, but it all fell away towards the end of the regular campaign.

Of course, it must be noted that the Teesside club lost Rob Edwards to Wolves in mid-November, although Kim Hellberg did a valiant job in maintaining their promotion charge.

Having failed to win in seven, Hellberg's men have managed to record successive wins against Sheffield Wednesday and Watford before drawing with Wrexham to build some form heading into their clash with Southampton.

Middlesbrough have been eliminated in their last four Championship play-off campaigns, with the last time they tasted success being in 1988 when they overcame Chelsea.

Boro are unbeaten against the Saints this season, having thumped them 4-0 and drawn 1-1, but this Tonda Eckert side is an entirely different beast.

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Southampton

Many people's tip to win the play-offs is Southampton, which is unsurprising given their immense form under Eckert.

The Saints are unbeaten in the Championship since their 2-1 loss to Hull in mid-January, a run which stretches a remarkable 19 matches, while their only defeat in that time came against Manchester City in the FA Cup semi-finals.

Considering that the South Coast club were just one place above the bottom three when Will Still was sacked in November, substantial praise must be heaped on Eckert for turning around such an underperforming side.

In Ross Stewart, they have a striker who has bagged the winner at Wembley before, having done so in the League One play-off final with Sunderland in 2022, while the tricky Leo Scienza is a seismic threat on the wing.

Southampton have only been in the Championship play-offs twice, beating Leeds United in the 2024 final, while they were knocked out in the semi-finals in 2007.

Hull City

The Tigers had to rely on other results to go their way to reach the top six, but with Wrexham only able to draw, they roared from behind to defeat Norwich City and secure the final spot by two points.

Hull will be striving to defy the odds and become the first sixth-placed team to triumph in the play-offs since Blackpool defeated Cardiff City in 2010.

Sergej Jakirović's side have been something of a surprise package this campaign, given that they only avoided relegation by goal difference last term, so the pressure will be off as they head into their double-header with Millwall.

Before their final day victory over the Canaries, Jakirović's men had not won in six, so that result is sure to have given them a much-needed confidence boost.

The Tigers are the only side entering the Championship play-offs with a 100% record, having beaten Bristol City in 2008 and Sheffield Wednesday in 2016.

Last season's play-offs served up some of the most ridiculous storylines in EFL history, and there promises to be further drama this time round.

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