THE Championship play-off final will take place TODAY with two of the second tier’s biggest sides battling for a spot in the Premier League.
Sheffield Utd and Sunderland will go head-to-head in the blockbuster Wembley showpiece this afternoon.
Shutterstock EditorialSheffield United are eyeing an immediate Premier League return[/caption]
Shutterstock EditorialDan Ballard’s last-minute header sent Sunderland through to the Championship play-off final[/caption]
The Blades booked their place in the play-off final with a comfortable win over Bristol City in the semis.
Boyhood Sheffield United fan Chris Wilder is looking to lead his side to an immediate return to the top flight.
Sunderland’s route to the final wasn’t quite as plain sailing with Dan Ballard’s dramatic 122nd-minute header securing a narrow 3-2 aggregate win over Frank Lampard’s Coventry.
The Black Cats have had four seasons in League One during their 8-year Premier League exile, but today could be the day they end their much-anticipated wait for a top flight return.
What is the Championship play-off final prize money?
Sheffield Utd and Sunderland aren’t just battling it out for the right to play at Old Trafford, Anfield and the Emirates next season, but for the huge financial reward that comes with promotion to the Premier League.
The winners of the Championship play-off final will receive a minimum of £200million – that’s £60m more than Southampton got last term.
And the money doesn’t stop there, as whoever claims Premier League status will secure a share of the new domestic television deal, which is worth £6.7bn across four seasons.
The Wembley winner will also receive centralised commercial fees, facility fees and merit payments.
Should the play-off victor be relegated back down to the Championship, they would be entitled to parachute payments.
Sheffield Utd and Sunderland will also take home a share of the gate receipts from the Wembley play-off final, which is an estimated £2m.
Past Championship play-off final prize money
It’s safe to say the value of winning the Championship play-offs has significantly increased over the years.
In 2005, West Ham received £31m for beating Preston in the final – that’s a mammoth £189m less than this year’s prize.
Here is a look at how the value of the Championship play-off final has changed in the last two decades:
2025 – £200m
2024 – £140m
2023 – £170m
2022 – £170m
2021 – £178m
2020 – £135m
2019 – £170m
2018 – £160m
2017 – £170m
2016 – £170m
2015 – £120m
2014 – £80m
2013 – £120m
2012 – £90m
2011 – £90m
2010 – £90m
2009 – £60m
2008 – £60m
2007 – £60m
2006 – £40m
2005 – £31m
What TV channel are the EFL play-off finals and is there a live stream?
All three play-off finals will be broadcast on Sky Sports.
The matches will be shown on Sky Sports Main Event and Sky Sports Football.
They can also be live streamed to customers on the Sky Go app and NOW TV.
SunSport will have LIVE coverage of all three play-off finals as they happen.
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