Championship Playoffs Round Up – What Will Happen In the Final?

Last night’s thriller at the Stadium of Light has written the first part of the script for this season’s Championship Playoff final.

It will be Sheffield United that take on Sunderland underneath the arch of Wembley, as the winner takes home one of the greatest prizes in football – a place in the Premier League.

Both semi-finals provided sheer entertainment for the neutrals, yet pure heartbreak for Bristol City and most certainly Coventry. Here is everything that happened in the semis.

Sheffield United 6-0 Bristol City (Agg)

What is the best way to recover from losing out on an automatic promotion spot? Breaking a Championship Playoff record is a good way to start.

Another corner, another goal and Sheffield United are on track for a record play-off aggregate score! ✨ pic.twitter.com/setsJPUsF8

— Sky Sports Football (@SkyFootball) May 12, 2025

Sheffield United have certainly asserted heir dominance in this year’s playoff campaign, as the Blades repeated their 3-0 away first leg with matched performance at Bramall Lane on Monday. There is no doubt that Chris Wilder’s men would have been filled with disappointment after their high-flying season collapsed in the final stages to deny them automatic promotion. However, to bounce back in such fashion in the playoffs is something truly extraordinary. The two legs have set a new record of the highest scoreline margin in a Championship Playoff semi-final tie. Across the two matches, Sheffield United amounted a combined xG of 4.12, whereas Bristol City only collected 0.66. This stat alone portrays the complete domination of the team who finished 22 points higher than their opponents.

The Blades demonstrated how deadly they are from set-pieces and crosses throughout these two matches. You only have to look at left-back Harrison Burrows’ goal contributions in this tie to acknowledge Sheffield United’s semi-final winning system. The defender scored a first half penalty in the first leg, added with an assist in the same game. The second leg was just as encouraging from the Cambridgeshire-born man, as he picked up another two assists and a sublime dummy for the third goal in the Steel City. When you have a calibre of player such as Callum O’Hare to bring on from the bench as well, you know you have a team rammed with quality. The midfielder was subbed on into the second half of both legs, scoring near about straight away both times to cement the leads.

(Harrison Burrows Playoff Semi-Final Stats: FotMob)

However, there is no brushing past Bristol City’s anticlimactic performances throughout this tie. After a gripping season in the Championship, securing playoff football on the last day and achieving their highest finish since 2008, the Robins’ brief tour of the playoffs was awfully disappointing. The controversial red card to Rob Dickie did not help City’s case no doubt, but defensively the Bristolians were toyed with by Sheffield United flare.

After a first half penalty set the tone in the first leg at Ashton Gate, Liam Manning’s outfit capitulated during the second 45. Two lacklustre goals conceded within rapid succession with less than 20 minutes to go piled up a huge mountain to climb for the Robins, without even reaching the midway point of the tie. Then, approaching a packed-out Bramall Lane with a three-goal deficit for the second leg, their chances of a comeback were incredibly slim – as it proved.

Most boring championship team of all time ❌

Worst play off team of all time ✅

We have moved up in the world.#BristolCity

— The Robins Zone (@TheRobinsZone) May 12, 2025

Sunderland 3-2 Coventry (Agg)

The Sunderland vs Coventry semi-final nourished the wonderful heritage of the playoffs. Five goals, extra time, and a winning goal from the dying seconds of the game – this affair brought two nail-biting legs.

The first leg kicked the tie off with a bang at the CBS Arena. A cagey, goalless first half was juxtaposed by one goal apiece within two minutes of each other in the second period. Sunderland then capitalised on many Coventry missed chances when Eliezer Mayenda tucked in an 88th minute finish to win the first leg 2-1 away from home. A slender lead heading into the home leg fixture is something that any playoff team would appreciate, and Sunderland had just that.

Milan van Ewijk will not want to watch this one back after gifting Eliezer Mayenda the winner! 💥pic.twitter.com/Jpd1rgQHl9

— Sky Sports (@SkySports) May 9, 2025

Despite being at their own fortress, Sunderland were troubled in the second leg. A goal-deprived Coventry altered their fortunes late on in the second half, when Ephron Mason-Clark neatly buried one into the bottom corner to level the tie on aggregate. As the 90 minutes were seen out, extra time was called for. Despite each team having an exta 30-minute window to score, it was eventually left until essentially the last play of the match. Defender Dan Ballard nodded a corner goal-ward, as the ball ricocheted in off the crossbar to send all Mackems into ecstasy.

Coventry were seriously unlucky throughout this semi-final. The Sky Blues just could not seem to find the net as much as they should have despite the dense pressure they applied to Sunderland. Across the two legs, Coventry combined a total of 3.33 xG and 34 shots. Furthermore, they dominated the ball in both matches, even reaching 74% possession in the first game in the West Midlands. Frank Lampard must have felt like a fish out of water seeing his side be outscored in that semi-final. However, ultimately that is football and if you let chances go begging the way Coventry did, punishment is inevitable.

(Sunderland vs Coventry Playoff Semi-Final Stats: FotMob)

The moment that will be stuck to every Sky Blue fan’s mind will be Haji Wright’s wayward header within seconds of the 90 minutes ending. It was a chance that epitomised Coventry’s struggles in front of goal across the two games. Tatsuhiro Sakamoto’s winding cross found the head of Wright on the edge of the six-yard box, but the 6’3 presence astonishingly scuffed the ball wide. On the touchline, manager Frank Lampard’s head was left gasping in his hands, as he realised that the 30 additional minutes he was about to emerge into could have all been avoided by that one header. A chance that could have set Wembley sights for Coventry City.

Wembley Awaits

Log it in your diaries - Saturday 24th May, Sheffield United vs Sunderland at Wembley Stadium on one of the biggest stages of world football. The winner is not only granted promotion to the Premier League but also receives a whopping £210 million – hence why the final is nicknamed the richest match in football.

Tough going for Sheffield United & Sunderland in the play-offs of late... who will ascend to the Premier League in ten days time? 😬👀 pic.twitter.com/tAeGV6lzVZ

— Sky Sports Football (@SkyFootball) May 14, 2025

Sheffield United may finally be able to end their span of 10 playoff losing campaigns, three of which coming in the final. Their last visit to Wembley was ironically one of these finals, as the Blades missed out on promotion to the Championship in the 2011/12 League One playoffs from spot kicks against Huddersfield.

As for Sunderland, they experienced two devastating defeats in one season at the home of English football back in 2019. The Black Cats lost both the League One playoff final in the last minute, as well as the EFL Trophy via penalties, all in the space of two months. However, their luck turned as they look back on a successful playoff final back in 2022 to secure promotion back to where they situate now, on top of an EFL Trophy win in 2021. A new and improved Wembley record to bolster hopes heading into May 24th.