WHEN ARE CHAMPIONSHIP PLAY-OFFS SEMI-FINALS AND FINAL AND WHO COULD LEEDS UNITED PLAY
In an ideal world, Leeds United fans will be able to sit back and enjoy the drama of the Championship play-offs safe in the knowledge that the eventual winners will join them in the Premier League next season.
Daniel Farke's Whites have just three games in which to secure an automatic promotion spot, with the race for a top-two place heading right to the finish line. As we enter what could be a make-or-break week, Leeds sit four points behind league leaders Leicester City and just two points off Ipswich Town in second place, with Southampton a further three points behind Farke's men.
There are still some huge games to come, with Southampton having to travel to both Leicester and Leeds, and Ipswich facing two play-off contenders in Hull City and Coventry. Leeds, of course, play Middlesbrough tonight before travelling to QPR and then ending the campaign with that final-day Elland Road showdown with Southampton.
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If all goes to plan, Farke and Co will be celebrating promotion to the Premier League on May 4, but the spectre of the play-offs looms for two of the four who have led the table for the majority of the season. Here's all you need to know, but hopefully won't need!
When are the Championship play-off semi-finals?
The semi-finals are played over two legs, with the teams that finished higher having the advantage of the second leg at home. The matches will take place as follows:
Championship play-off semi-final first-leg
- Sunday May 12: 6th vs 3rd, 12.30pm
- Monday, May 13: 5th vs 4th, 8pm
Championship play-off semi-final first-leg
- Thursday, May 16: 3rd vs 6th (8pm)
- Friday, May 17: 4th vs 5th (8pm)
When is the Championship play-off final?
The winners of the two semi-finals will go through to the play-off final, held at Wembley Stadium on Sunday, May 26. The kick-off time has yet to be confirmed.
Are the Championship play-offs on TV?
Yes, all the games will be shown live on Sky Sports.
Who could Leeds United play in the Championship play-offs?
With three games to go, there is still nothing decided when it comes to the play-off teams. Should Leeds finish third, they would play the side in sixth place. That is currently Norwich City, who are level on points with fifth-placed West Bromwich Albion. Both those sides only have two games left, while Hull City in seventh have three to play - and eighth-placed Coventry City have four.
Both Hull and Coventry can achieve a maximum of 75 points, meaning Norwich and West Brom just need four points from their remaining two games to secure a play-off spot. West Brom have the better goal difference so are potentially more likely to finish in fifth. However after this remarkable season, rule nothing out just yet.
What are the remaining key games?
Here are the remaining Championship fixtures for the sides in the play-off picture.
Tonight
- Middlesbrough vs Leeds United (8pm)
Tuesday, April 23
- Leicester City vs Southampton (8pm)
Wednesday, April 24
- Coventry City vs Hull City (7.45pm)
Friday, April 26
- Queens Park Rangers vs Leeds United (8pm)
Saturday, April 27
- Norwich City vs Swansea City (3pm)
- Sheffield Wednesday vs West Brom (3pm)
- Blackburn vs Coventry (3pm)
- Southampton vs Stoke City (3pm)
- Hull City vs Ipswich Town (8pm)
Monday, April 29
- Preston vs Leicester City (8pm)
Tuesday, April 30
- Coventry vs Ipswich (8pm)
Saturday, May 4 (all 12.30pm)
- Leeds United vs Southampton
- Coventry vs QPR
- Ipswich vs Huddersfield
- Leicester vs Blackburn
- Plymouth vs Hull
- Birmingham vs Norwich
- West Brom vs Preston