As the Boxing Day results settle and the dust begins to clear in the EFL Championship, fans and analysts alike turn their gaze towards the clubs most likely to battle for promotion and playoff glory by season’s end.
With Leeds United, Burnley, and Sunderland plying their trade in the Premier League, the Championship landscape for 2025-2026 is wide open for new and familiar contenders. Here, our analysis dives into the six teams who are poised to occupy the league’s upper echelons. It considers not just results, but also the impact of other factors such as summer signings, tactical depth, squad harmony, and the all-important fixture list as the season resumes in August.
AI has stepped in to offer some insight into the early pacesetters it expects to lead the charge for Premier League football.
1. Southampton
Southampton are strongly positioned to set the pace, they possess a squad with a clear quality advantage.
As of today, they have retained the services of prolific striker Adam Armstrong, whose goalscoring is a known quantity at this level, and the defensive leadership of Taylor Harwood-Bellis.
The club has acted decisively in the transfer market, recruiting German defender Joshua Quarshie from Hoffenheim to bolster their backline and forward Damion Downs from Cologne.
Their season starts with a winnable home fixture against Wrexham, creating an ideal platform for momentum.
A crucial early statement will be a projected 2-0 home victory over Norwich City on September 13th. This win against a promotion rival would underscore their dominance and establish them as the team to beat.
2. Leicester City
Leicester City enters the campaign with a squad laden with top-flight experience, making them a clear favourite for automatic promotion.
While the legendary Jamie Vardy has departed, the club has retained the crucial midfield dynamism of Harry Winks and the defensive experience of players like Conor Coady and Jannik Vestergaard. Under new manager Marti Cifuentes their transfer business is expected to accelerate, but stability in key areas remains.
Their attacking quality should be evident in a projected 3-1 home win against a strong Coventry City side on October 18th.
This key victory against a potential play-off contender will be a powerful demonstration of their offensive capabilities, keeping them firmly in the hunt for top spot as the year ends.
3. Ipswich Town
Under Kieran McKenna’s leadership, Ipswich Town’s vibrant, attacking football is set to make a significant impact.
Their success will be built on retaining creative linchpins like Conor Chaplin and Leif Davis, whose technical ability and attacking output are outstanding for this division.
Although they have lost some players, their recruitment has been targeted, adding experienced goalkeeper David Button from Reading to provide depth and guidance.
An opening-day home fixture against Millwall offers a perfect chance to make a strong start.
A pivotal early result will be a hard-fought 2-1 victory over Bristol City at Portman Road on September 28th. This win would prove they possess the resilience to complement their attractive style, ensuring they are firmly in the automatic promotion race by the festive period.
4. Sheffield United
The passionate support at Bramall Lane and a core of experienced players make Sheffield United formidable Championship promotion candidates.
They boast genuine game-changer in midfielder Gustavo Hamer, whose quality can decide tight matches.
The club, now managed by Ruben Selles, has been quieter in the market but has made a notable addition in young forward Ehije Ukaki and secured defender Tyler Bindon on loan from Nottingham Forest.
Their season kicks off with a challenging away trip to Bristol City.
An important early victory will be a projected 1-0 win in a tough bonfire night contest against Watford at home on November 5th. Defeating a physically strong opponent like Watford would be a testament to their organisation and crucial for maintaining pace with the league leaders.
5. Coventry City
Coventry City has become a top Championship side through shrewd recruitment and an exciting style of play under Frank Lampard.
Their attack is spearheaded by the powerful American international Haji Wright, whose goals are vital. Alongside his attacking intent, Coventry also have Ben Sheaf in the engine room in midfield.
This summer, they have significantly strengthened their defence by signing the highly-rated right-back Kaine Kesler-Hayden from Aston Villa and left-back Miguel Ángel Brau from Granada.
A key early victory will be their projected 2-0 home win against Sheffield Wednesday on September 14th.
This dominant performance against another established club will showcase their quality and help build the momentum required to secure a deserved top-six position by Christmas.
6. Norwich City
Norwich City are perennial challengers in the Championship with a clear footballing identity under new head coach Liam Manning.
Despite the notable departure of Borja Sainz, the Canaries have reinvested, signing Danish forward Mathias Kvistgaarden in a significant deal and adding goalkeepers Vladan Kovačević and Daniel Grimshaw.
An important victory that will underscore their top-six credentials is a projected 2-1 away win at QPR on October 1st.
Demonstrating they can win difficult away matches is crucial for any promotion hopeful and will keep them comfortably in the play-off picture as the season progresses.
Come back later this evening when we take a look at the bottom 3’s projected results.
