The EFL Championship format change Wrexham fans need to be aware of in 26/27

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North American Wrexham fans who started following the soccer team after Ryan Reynolds and Rob Mac took over may not be aware of one major change set to be implemented from the 2026/27 season.

After playing Middlesbrough in a Carabao Cup game on August 7, the Red Dragons kick off their Championship season against rivals Cardiff City on August 17.

Wrexham are no doubt hoping to better their finish from 2025/26 (7th), but thanks to the division expanding its play-offs from next season, Phil Parkinson’s side could actually finish lower and still win promotion to the Premier League.

Wrexham could benefit from Championship play-off expansion

After drawing 2-2 with Middlesbrough on the final day of last season, Reynolds and Mac’s side finished seventh in England’s second tier.

That was their highest ever finish as a soccer team, but saw them miss out on the chance to compete in the play-offs.

In previous seasons, the teams that finished between third and sixth faced off, with the winner securing a place in the Premier League.

Third played sixth and fourth played fifth over two semi-final legs, with the winner of those ties then meeting in the final at Wembley Stadium.

From 2026/27, however, it has been confirmed by the EFL that the Championship play-offs will include the teams who finish between third and eighth.

In the new format, the third- and fourth-placed teams will automatically qualify for the semi-finals.

Meanwhile, fifth will play eighth and sixth will play seventh in one-off matches at the home stadium of the higher-ranked club.

The winners of those one-off ties will then meet the third- and fourth-placed teams in the traditional two-legged semi-final affairs.

This is great news for Wrexham and every other Championship side, as there is now a higher chance of finishing in a play-off place.

However, Rob and Ryan probably wish that change had taken place a season earlier because if it had, their seventh-place finish in 2025/26 would have meant that Wrexham secured a play-off place, rather than missing out by one position as they did.