EFL League One 2025-26 Season

League One
Promotion Race

Wrexham's Hollywood rise, Birmingham City's fight back, Charlton's ambition — England's third tier is fiercely competitive. Two clubs go up automatically. Four more battle at Wembley.

🔴 Wrexham AFC 🔵 Birmingham City 🔴 Charlton Athletic

🎬 Wrexham — The Hollywood Story

🔴⬜
Wrexham AFC
Founded 1864 • National League → League One

Owned by Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney since 2020, Wrexham stormed from the National League to League One in back-to-back promotions. Now they target the Championship in what could be the most remarkable rise in English football history.

🎬 Welcome to Wrexham TV
🏆 Back-to-back promotions
👥 Ryan Reynolds & Rob McElhenney
🏟️ Racecourse Ground (15,500)
🔵⬜
Birmingham City
Founded 1875 • Championship → League One

Tom Brady and a consortium of investors took over in 2023 but relegation to League One followed. The West Midlands giant is now fighting to return to the Championship, with NFL star power and historic pedigree backing their push.

🏈 Tom Brady ownership
📉 Relegated 2024
🏟️ St. Andrew's (29,409)
🎯 Target: Championship
🔴 Charlton Athletic

South London's biggest club, fallen from Premier League heights. The Addicks bounce between divisions but have the fan base and infrastructure to push for automatic promotion.

🔵 Peterborough United

Posh have been a Championship regular. Known for prolific goalscoring and an attacking brand of football, they're constant promotion contenders in League One.

🔵 Bolton Wanderers

A former Premier League mainstay. After financial collapse and lower-league exile, Bolton rebuilt and are pushing back toward the Championship through League One.

🔴 Exeter City

The fan-owned Devon club is one of football's most inspiring stories. Democratically run, community-first — and climbing the divisions with a model other clubs envy.

How Promotion Works

1st–2nd
Automatic Promotion

Top two clubs promoted directly to the EFL Championship with no play-off needed.

3rd–6th
Play-Offs

Semi-finals (both legs) then the Play-Off Final at Wembley in late May for one more Championship spot.

21st–23rd
Relegation

Three clubs drop to EFL League Two. The fight to stay up can be just as gripping as the race for promotion.

League One Highlights

Analysis & Previews

Lincoln City just entered the weirdest experiment in League One history

Lincoln City opting for a joint-management duo is a desperate experiment that reeks of a boardroom failing to make a real choice.

How a stolen water bottle sent Charlton to the WSL and Leicester to hell

How a stolen water bottle sent Charlton to the WSL and Leicester to hell

Charlton Athletic Women secured a historic promotion to the WSL after a dramatic penalty shootout against Leicester City, fueled by goalkeeping heroics, mind games, and a stolen water bottle.

Charlton's WSL dream comes with a devastating medical bill

Charlton's WSL dream comes with a devastating medical bill

Charlton Athletic reach the WSL after a historic penalty shootout, but defender Charlotte Newsham faces a long rehabilitation following a multi-ligament knee blowout.

Sophie Whitehouse just dragged Charlton Athletic into the WSL

Sophie Whitehouse just dragged Charlton Athletic into the WSL

Charlton Athletic are heading to the WSL for the first time in history thanks to goalkeeper Sophie Whitehouse. But does this underdog squad actually have what it takes to survive the top-flight financial gauntlet?

Why Leicester's historic collapse makes Charlton the smart play-off bet

A deep tactical analysis of the high-stakes WSL promotion/relegation play-off between Charlton and Leicester. Can Karen Hills' structured side expose Rick Passmoor's struggling Foxes?

Why Stockport will break Bolton hearts in the League One play-off final

Why Stockport will break Bolton hearts in the League One play-off final

Wembley hosts a massive all-Greater Manchester clash as Stockport County and Bolton Wanderers fight for promotion. Here is why Dave Challinor's side will edge it.

David Moyes wants a final favor for West Ham while League One goes to war

David Moyes wants a final favor for West Ham while League One goes to war

A wild Premier League final-day relegation battle and a promotion war at Wembley have the football community locked in a state of absolute panic. Here is the full fan reaction roundup.

Wrexham's end-of-season medical update reveals a brutal toll

Wrexham's end-of-season medical update reveals a brutal toll

The documentary shows the Hollywood glamour, but Wrexham's true advantage lies in their elite recovery protocols and the brutal medical reality of an EFL season.

League One News