More promising scenes at Hillsborough
Link copied to clipboard
Wednesday fought to only their second win of the season, defeating West Brom 2-1, and were also able to share the following news with their supporters:
It had been reported that the Owls would start the 2026-27 season with a 15-point deduction but that no longer loooks to be the case.
A recap of all the Championship scores
Link copied to clipboard
Blackburn Rovers 0 Leicester City 1
Bristol City 2 Stoke City 0
Derby County 1 Sheffield United 2
Hull City 2 Norwich City 1
Millwall 2 Oxford United 0
Portsmouth 1 Birmingham City 1
Preston North End 1 Southampton 3
Sheffield Wednesday 2 West Bromwich Albion 1
Swansea City 3 Charlton Athletic 1
Watford 0 Coventry 4
Wrexham 2 Middlesbrough 2
Readers react to Ipswich’s promotion
Link copied to clipboard
Andrew Milbank writes: Very well deserved Ipswich, and really hoping we stay up in the premier league for a least one season. More unlikely things have happened! 🤞 Really proud of our efforts this season 😀
Meanwhile Joanna Last can expect a happy household this weekend. She writes: Quiet day at home, all the family are at Portman Road. Hoping the Tractor Boys’ efforts mean that they will come home happy and probably rather hoarse.
McAnuff: Hull turnaround under Jakirovic phenomenal
Link copied to clipboard
On Hull City clinching the final play-off spot, Jobi McAnuff, the Sky Sports pundit, said: Hull deserved it over the course of the season. They stayed up on goal difference last year, so the turnaround and the job Sergej Jakirović has done under transfer restrictions [is] phenomenal. So again, they have the play-offs to look forward to. Brilliant season.
O’Shea: ‘We had to walk the walk and we did’
Link copied to clipboard
Speaking to Sky, Dara O’Shea, the Ipswich captain, said: “It means everything. This is what we set out to do at the start of the season. I don’t think anyone wanted us to do it. We had to walk the walk and we did. We got the job done, that’s the main thing.
Of the celebrations, he added: “It’s [going to be] a free-for-all tonight!”
The moment Portman Road knew...
Link copied to clipboard
Play-off dates
Link copied to clipboard
First legs:
Hull City v Millwall: Friday May 8, 8pm
Middlesbrough v Southampton: Saturday May 9, 1230pm
Second legs:
Millwall v Hull City: Monday May 11, 8pm
Southampton v Middlesbrough: Tuesday May 12, 8pm
Final: Saturday May 23, Wembley
Hull snatch final play-off spot
Link copied to clipboard
Wrexham cannot find a winner and Derby concede late as their play-off hopes evaporate.
McKenna: ‘It’s been the hardest one’
Link copied to clipboard
“It means a lot, I have to say. It’s probably been the hardest one if I’m honest. It means an awful lot, I’m so grateful to my family and to the staff the way they supported me. It’s brilliant.
“There are so many reasons... I know how hard we’ve had to work as a staff to turn it around. The club had such a climb and a steep fall and such a big turnover of important players, club legends have left the club. We’ve had to try and rebuild team under difficult circumstances. Everyone stuck and it and I think we deserve to be where we are today.
Ipswich win promotion to the Premier League!
Link copied to clipboard
Kieran McKenna makes it three promotions in four seasons, and they were absolutely fantastic today. They did what they had to do in the opening minutes, shutting down any possibility of an upset, before controlling the match expertly from then on. From the heartbreak of relegation this time last year, to promotion to the top table of English football. What a moment for the club!
McKenna has now secured more promotions than the legendary Sir Alf Ramsey.
The jubilant fans are the pitch and McKenna soaks in the adulation.
All eyes on the final play-off spot...
Link copied to clipboard
Hull City occupy sixth position as things stand.
Millwall looking to the play-offs now
Link copied to clipboard
The talk around the Den press box is now about possible play-off opponents. It looked like Derby, now it’s probably Hull. Neither seems to cause much terror in Millwall hearts.
Barry Bannon has just been announced as the sponsors’ man of the match. Sheffield Wednesday’s loss has been very much Millwall’s gain.
GOALL!!!!!
Link copied to clipboard
Ipswich 3 QPR 0 (McAteer) They can get the party started now! Azon and Mehmeti hound the QPR defence and the ball breaks for Taylor who breaks through the last line of defence. And while Walsh is able to stymie his advances the ball falls to McAteer who fires home. That is most certainly that.
80min Ipswich 2 QPR 0
Link copied to clipboard
Things look to be petering out to their natural conclusion at Portman Road. There are 10 minutes left to play and Ipswich look to be enjoying these final moments. The fans are in good voice as they sense what is coming. Ed Sheeran sighted somewhere in the crowd. “We are going up” chants ring out around the ground.
Hirst gets a hug off the boss
Link copied to clipboard
A big, hearty hug from Kieran McKenna to George Hirst as the Ipswich striker is subbed off. Hirst has put in a brilliant shift today and his hold-up play caused QPR all sorts of problems, especially in the first half. And let’s not forget about that early goal, too.
GOALL!!
Link copied to clipboard
Hull City 2-1 Norwich (McBurnie) Another twist! That fourth play-off position has a third tenant of the day as McBurnie taps in a knockdown off a set-piece to put Hull in front for the first time this afternoon. He wheels away in delight. As he should. A massive goal.
Further praise for Azeez
Link copied to clipboard
You’d like to think that Azeez, on this showing, will be gracing the Premier League next season one way or another.
He comes off to a well-deserved standing ovation after 73 minutes. It’s a smart move by manager Alex Neil not to risk injury to his star man in the rest of what is beginning to peter out as a contest with the playoffs to come.
News filters in at the Racecourse
Link copied to clipboard
This is what makes these days so unique. News has arrived of Sheffield United’s equaliser and the atmosphere has changed again, now that Wrexham are back in the play-offs places. Middlesbrough are safe, they won’t be going up automatically as Ipswich have such a commanding position and you wonder if they will start to ease up. It’s going to make the last 25 minutes incredible.
GOALLL!!!
Link copied to clipboard
Derby 1 Sheffield United 1 (Cannon) A potentially huge goal in the context of the race for the play-offs. Cannon arrows in an equaliser after an error by Ward to the dismay of the home fans at Pride Park. Their side must do it all over again to get back into the top six.
— Sky Sports Football (@SkyFootball) May 2, 2026A bitter blow for Derby, who fall out of the play-off places after an equaliser from Tom Cannon ❌
Wrexham go back up to sixth as it stands 💪 pic.twitter.com/RlIK5tfheM
Coventry pull ahead at Watford, Preston half Southampton’s lead
Link copied to clipboard
Simms completes his hat-trick to put Coventry 3-0 up at Vicarage Road. Dobbin with the goal at Deepdale.
Wrexham still masters of their own destiny
Link copied to clipboard
The aspect so obvious at the moment is the lack of tension amongst Wrexham fans: you might expect nerves to start betraying some, for groans to meet misplaced passes, but there isn’t anything like that at the moment. They are sailing close to the wind in terms of their defending but they are still masters of their destiny with 30 minutes to go. A home goal changes everything.
Ipswich want a third
Link copied to clipboard
This stadium calmed right down after a frantic opening 20 minutes but they have just erupted again for no reason other than to will their team on.
A missed Ilias Chair free-kick sparked the latest wave of noise with fans no doubt noticing that the Hoops have gained a foothold and are starting to threaten. They desperately want that third.
What a player Azeez is
Link copied to clipboard
Regardless of what happens to Millwall this season, you simply cannot see Azeez being a Championship player for too much longer. The winger has stepped up in important moments all season and here, once again, he is the player asking all the questions of the opposition. An attempted rabona cross is followed by a dangerous sprint in behind.
Southampton extend lead
Link copied to clipboard
Meanwhile Ross Stewart grabs a second goal for Saints, who are up to fourth with Boro drawing at Wrexham.
GOALLL!!!!
Link copied to clipboard
Millwall 2 Oxford (Azeez) Bannan rolls back the years with a wonderful piece of invention to wriggle away from his marker before feeding Ballo who gets his cross away just before he runs out of road. And at the back post awaits Azeez, who finishes on the half-volley. A really nicely worked goal.
2-0 to Millwall early in the second half and of course it’s Azeez again. But this time it was almost a tap-in, as Thierno Ballo’s low cross from the right was deflected across the face if goal by an Oxford toe and Azeez could hardly miss.
Four goals at the Racecourse Ground
Link copied to clipboard
It has been difficult to avert your eyes from the action unfolding in north Wales. Parkinson’s men looked to have turned things around but not sooner had Smith scored their second than they gave up that advantage. Both Wrexham and Hull dropping points has allowed Derby to sneak in to the top six. Opta gave the Rams a 20.5 per cent chance of making the play-offs before kick-off today.
HT: Ipswich 2 QPR 0
Link copied to clipboard
That was exactly the start McKenna would have dreamed off last night. Quick-fire goals from Hirst and Philogene opened up a sizeable lead before QPR had got their bearings. Town are on the brink of a third promotion in four years. This is the Championship, though, where anything can happen in 45 minutes.
HT: Millwall 1 Oxford 0
Link copied to clipboard
Neil’s side are doing all they can, leading Oxford through Azeez’s crafty strike. They will be praying for favours from their fellow Londoners QPR who will need to pull off a Houdini-esque feat of escapology to takes points off Ipswich.
The half-time whistle was greeted with cheers, so the home crowd still believe a miracle is possible. And there’s always the playoffs.
Next goal huge at Portman Road
Link copied to clipboard
Ipswich players might be relaxed but their supporters certainly aren’t. The usual cries of “away” when hoping for a defensive clearance have been replaced by high-pitched shrieks of pure terror.
It’s cliche but the next goal will be absolutely huge here. One more for Ipswich and they will be out of sight. One from QPR to halve the deficit and the hosts’ mental fortitude will be pushed to its limits.
Oxford playing role of ‘perfect guests’
Link copied to clipboard
Oxford were looking to spoil the party early on, defending in numbers and even coming close to scoring on the break when early sub Cameron Brannigan had a shot blocked. But it looks as if they’ve accepted a role as perfect guests now, Michal Helik passing the ball straight out of play under no pressure whatsoever.
Goall!!
Link copied to clipboard
Wrexham 2 Middlesbrough 2 (Smith) Wow, what a roller-coaster this match is turning into. Middlesbrough go up the other end and score through Strelec. Wrexham were in the top six for all of two minutes!
Didn’t we say there would be drama? Danny Ward, Wrexham’s veteran goalkeeper, went from delirium to incredulity in the space of 90 seconds after Wrexham took the lead then surrendered it. This is a terrifically entertaining game and four goals before half-time tells you there will be more after the break. Both teams have to be committed to go for it.
GOALL!
Link copied to clipboard
Wrexham 2 Middlesbrough 1 (Smith) What a turnaround at the Racecourse Ground. Sam Smith powers in a go-ahead headed goal to lift Parkinson’s men back into the final play-off spot. A wonderful cross by Kabore.
Azeez deserves his goal
Link copied to clipboard
Azeez puts Millwall ahead with a thunderous shot into the roof of the net after a cute step-over. He deserves that - he’s been the most likely source if a breakthrough all game.
— Sky Sports Football (@SkyFootball) May 2, 2026Femi Azeez grabs the opener for Millwall in some style! 💥
Second spot looks out of reach for now with Ipswich winning, but Millwall are strengthening their hold on third. pic.twitter.com/cU0FC7mIEw
Windass provides the jolt Wrexham needed
Link copied to clipboard
Wow! Someone within close proximity of the press box said “please God don’t shoot” as Josh Windass shaped up to take his free-kick from 30 yards. When his shot ripped into the net seconds later, there was as much laughter as there were cheers. Thank goodness for the home side that Windass did shoot. Everything had been pedestrian in response to Middlesbrough’s opener but this was the jolt they needed.
Goallll!!!!
Link copied to clipboard
Millwall 1 Oxford 0 (Azeez) Millwall hit the front! With Oxford’s defence not set, the Lions break, Ivanovic charging through the middle before feeding Azeez on the right. The winger was included in the Championship team of the season and here he shows his quality once more, facing up his marker before darting on to his supposedly weaker right foot and spearing the ball beyond Cumming.
Goal!!
Link copied to clipboard
Hull City 1 Norwich 1 (McBurnie pen.) It takes Hull just two minutes to draw level after Norwich had taken the lead. After Gelhardt had been felled up steps McBurnie and he slides the ball down the middle having sent Kovacevic diving.
Goal!
Link copied to clipboard
Hull City 0 Norwich 1 (Toure) Toure volleys in after a lovely ball over the top from Ben Slimane.
Goal!
Link copied to clipboard
Wrexham 1 Middlesbrough 1 (Windass) Who else? So often the man for the big occasions, Windass fires a wonderful free-kick from almost 30 yards out into the top corner.
No sign of jitters at Portman Road
Link copied to clipboard
Ipswich players Jack Taylor and Leif Davis were stood around chatting with QPR’s Harvey Vale during a lengthy injury stoppage for Nicolas Madsen.
Absolutely no signs of jitters from the side who have it all to throw away. Two goals can be a deceptively dangerous leading margin but the Tractor Boys are nice and relaxed - and still on top.
Coventry and Birmingham ahead
Link copied to clipboard
Ellis Simms and August Priske have opened the scoring against Watford and Portsmouth respectively.
Mood at The Den punctured by Ipswich’s fast start
Link copied to clipboard
Three sides of The Den have been a little quiet since news of Ipswich’s two-goal lead came through. And Millwall’s attacks haven’t got the fans off their seats yet. There’s a long way to go though.
No let-up from Ipswich
Link copied to clipboard
No let-up from Kieran McKenna on the touchline as he is still barking instructions with just the same intensity as he was from kick-off. The Ipswich boss knows this is no time for complacency.
His players have come flying out of the traps and he wants them to kill this game off and rubber stamp their promotion while they have QPR on the ropes.
An early plot twist for the Hollywood owners
Link copied to clipboard
You may know that Wrexham are owned by a couple of Hollywood film stars, so maybe we should have expected an early plot twist. The atmosphere has gone flat after Middlesbrough’s early goal, bundled in by Tommy Conway, but time is on their side. How they respond in the next 20 minutes will be significant. Can they handle the pressure?
Goal!
Link copied to clipboard
Preston 0 Southampton 1 (Harwood-Bellis) Saints are in rude health and it is their titan at the back Harwood-Bellis who puts them in front at Deepdale, planting a header into the top right corner off a set-piece.
Derby County ahead against Sheffield United
Link copied to clipboard
Eustace’s side are doing what they need to do. Szmodics steals in at the near post to flick Banel’s cross into the net.
As things stand, Derby are in the final play-off spot.
Goal!
Link copied to clipboard
Ipswich 2 QPR 0 (Philogene) Wow, what a start the hosts have made. And it is that man again, Philogene, who steadies himself before stroking the ball past Walsh from point-blank range. He was never going to miss that.
4min Wrexham 0 Middlesbrough 1
Link copied to clipboard
Boro have also struck early through Conway, who finishes off from close range after good work from Brittain.
7min Ipswich 1 QPR 0
Link copied to clipboard
Ipswich are well up for this one, swarming down the right this time before finding Philogene on the penalty spot. He brings the ball down tidily but his effort is parried by Walsh.
GOAL!!!
Link copied to clipboard
Ipswich 1 QPR 0 (Hirst) Well, that did not take long. It’s Davis at the heart of things again, fizzing a delicious ball into the six-yard box for Hirst to pounce on.
2min: Ipswich 0 QPR 0
Link copied to clipboard
Huge chance at the start of the game at Portman Road. Davis is played through and finds himself one-on-one with Walsh but cannot squeeze his shot past the QPR goalkeeper who gets down smartly.
‘Bone-rattling noise inside Portman Road’
Link copied to clipboard
Ipswich players walk out to a bone-rattling noise inside Portman Road. Flags are waving, the sun is shining, the voices are deafening and a smell of sulfur hangs in the air from the pre-match pyrotechnics.
The home fans understand that they may have a crucial part to play today - and boy are they playing it.
Strap in, everyone. Kick-offs are imminent
Link copied to clipboard
Teams are emerging from tunnels around the country and the weather looks immaculate across the board. We should be in for an enthralling afternoon as the Championship season reaches its climax.
‘A proper occasion here at Wrexham’
Link copied to clipboard
One side of the stadium is missing, there will only be 10,000 or so in attendance but this is the kind of day that makes football so special. It feels like a proper occasion here at Wrexham, who have their destiny in their own hands when that really didn’t seem possible after they had lost to Birmingham last month. Everything tells you the next 90 minutes are going to be dramatic and given the amount of Wrexham lager that was being consumed outside Stok Cae Ras around 11am, you can be sure the atmosphere will be lively. It’s thirsty work when your team is trying to make history.
Readers have their say
Link copied to clipboard
Enoch Steggles writes: “My team is safe so nothing in the last day for me. I’d like Millwall to clinch it. Good people, good football club.”
Meanwhile John Barnes, an Ipswich fan, is conflicted. He writes: “It’s a clash of emotions I’m afraid. Of course I want us to win, but the prize isn’t worth winning… Congratulations you get VAR, less games a season, getting spanked most weekends desperate for any points and probably relegation…. It’s so hard to get promoted and then compete in the Premier League.”
How are you taking in the action?
Link copied to clipboard
Are you in an away end with your inflatables? Or perhaps multi-screening at home? If your team is out of the running for promotion, who are you rooting for?
Let us know in the comments section underneath this blog.
McKenna: ‘We want to deliver a big result’
Link copied to clipboard
“It’s going to be a wonderful atmosphere in our stadium – it’s the third time in four years that we’re had a home game to try and get promoted. It’s not lost on us that these are special times. We want to deliver a big performance and a big result.”
McKenna added: “I watched their game against Derby last week, they had nearly 70 per cent possession against a team in the play-offs – they’ve got a very good manager, a very professional manager, I’m sure they’ll have trained and prepared this week.”
How Phil Parkinson’s side line up
Link copied to clipboard
A simply huge match at the Racecourse Ground this afternoon.
A fresh start at Hillsborough
Link copied to clipboard
While Sheffield Wednesday’s relegation was sealed some time ago, fans at Hillsborough are in great spirits as they prepare for new beginnings next season. Wonderful to see after all they have been through.
— Second Tier podcast (@secondtierpod) May 2, 2026New Sheffield Wednesday owner David Storch enjoying himself with the fans 😂
He has completed to buy the club and is definitely taking in the occasion 🙌 pic.twitter.com/EDIAIUf8Ag
Alex Neil: ‘It’s not in our hands’
Link copied to clipboard
Speaking to Sky, Alex Neil, the Millwall head coach, said: “It’s not in our hands. Ipswich will do what they do, obviously they’re certainly favourites. So as far as that’s concerned we’ve not spent any time thinking about what will happen elsewhere. We just need to do our job and try and win the game and then what will happen will happen. From that we’ll decide what we do next.
“As a fan, [games like today are] the whole point of being a fan. You’ve got the licence to dream and hope that we could be the team to maybe nick it in the end.”
Millwall team news
Link copied to clipboard
Top scorer Josh Coburn misses out so it is Mihailo Ivanović who leads the line. Experienced Barry Bannan replaces Derek Mazou-Sacko in midfield while EFL team of the season inclusion Tristan Crama partners Jake Cooper at the heart of Millwall’s defence.
Ipswich team news
Link copied to clipboard
McKenna makes two changes to his XI: Jack Taylor and George Hirst come in for Dan Neil and Iván Azón.
McKenna and Ipswich have done this before...
Link copied to clipboard
Can the manager make it three promotions in four full seasons at Portman Road?
How this afternoon will play out – according to the supercomputer
Link copied to clipboard
For those who believe in stats and numbers, here are Opta’s views on the potential outcomes...
To claim second automatic promotion spot:
Ipswich Town: 75.5 per cent
Millwall: 23.4 per cent
Middlesbrough: 2.2 per cent
To claim final play-off spot:
Wrexham: 45.3 per cent
Hull City: 34.2 per cent
Derby County: 20.5 per cent
The fixtures to look out for
Link copied to clipboard
Ipswich vs QPR
Millwall vs Oxford United
Wrexham vs Middlesbrough
Preston North End vs Southampton
Hull City vs Norwich City
Derby County vs Sheffield United
Automatic promotion and play-off places on the line
Link copied to clipboard
Good morning and welcome to live coverage of what is set to be a mouthwatering 2025-26 Championship finale. Though Frank Lampard’s Coventry City have already been crowned champions, there are three teams in the hunt for the second automatic promotion spot currently occupied by Ipswich Town. Kieran McKenna’s side have 81 points and victory over QPR would secure promotion back to the Premier League at the first time of asking. A draw or loss, though, would open the door to Millwall (third, 80 points) or Middlesbrough (fourth, 79 points) who face Oxford United and Wrexham respectively.
Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney’s team themselves have much to play for as they occupy the final play-off position (sixth, 70 points). Wrexham could suffer final-day heartbreak, though, should they drop points against Middlesbrough, and Hull City, seventh by only two goals, better their result against Norwich City. Derby County, eighth by a point, would need to beat Sheffield United and hope Wrexham and Hull slip up. Southampton are fifth on 77 points, and while they are out of the running for automatic promotion, their place in the play-offs is confirmed. They could leapfrog Middlesbrough to claim the fourth seeding and a home second leg play-off semi-final draw.
All three relegation spots have been settled, with West Brom’s draw against Ipswich Town last weekend confirming Oxford United’s relegation back to League One after just a season in the Championship. Leicester City will all drop down to the third tier of English football for the first time in 18 years – and only a decade after lifting the Premier League trophy – as will Sheffield Wednesday, who were deducted 18 points in a season that saw the club enter administration. Fans will welcome in a near era at Hillsborough this afternoon as Wednesday moves on from the failed ownership of Dejphon Chansiri.
All matches kick off at 12.30pm.