Promotion to the Premier League from the second tier of English football is considered one of the most lucrative steps any club can make anywhere around the globe.
The 24 Championship clubs were vying to be one of the three that earns a spot in the 2025/26 top flight season.
Burnley and Leeds United, two teams that were relegated the previous season, secured passage via the automatic promotion spots. Sunderland then defeated Sheffield United in the playoff final to end an eight-year exile from England's top division.
The Sporting News brings you a look at the promotion picture following the season's conclusion with the playoff final.
MORE: Latest Premier League news | How the Championship playoff final played out
Premier League teams promoted 2025
The two automatic promotion places were taken by Leeds United and Burnley. Sunderland were the third team to be promoted after winning the playoff final against Sheffield United.
Final regular season-standings
| Pos. | Club | GP | Pts | W-D-L | GD |
| 1. | Leeds United-x | 46 | 100 | 29-13-4 | +65 |
| 2. | Burnley-x | 46 | 100 | 28-16-2 | +53 |
| 3. | Sheffield United | 46 | 90 | 28-8-10 | +27 |
| 4. | Sunderland-y | 46 | 76 | 21-13-12 | +14 |
| 5. | Coventry City | 46 | 69 | 20-9-17 | +6 |
| 6. | Bristol City | 46 | 68 | 17-17-12 | +4 |
x - automatic promotion confirmed
y - playoff winners
Leeds United win Championship title
Leeds have been promoted back to the Premier League after just two seasons in the Championship.
They were relegated after a 19th-place finish in the 2022/23 Premier League season, having spent three seasons in the top flight.
They were on track for automatic promotion last season but fell apart late and finished third before falling in the playoff final to Southampton. This time around, a 100-point season left them clear atop the standings, level with Burnley but ahead on a far superior goal differential.
Joel Piroe scored the most goals for the club across the season, with 19 goals across all competitions. Former Fulham duo Daniel James and Manor Solomon both reached double figures as well, with USMNT veteran Brenden Aaronson ending the year on nine.
Burnley secure automatic promotion
Burnley may have fallen just short of the Championship title, but promotion is the real prize, and they managed to secure that with multiple weeks to go in the season.
They have yo-yo'd back and forth from the Premier League and Championship for four straight seasons now, beginning with relegation from the top flight in 2021/22. They won the Championship title the following year, before a 19th-placed finish last season saw them drop yet again.
They will get a third crack at top flight stability this coming season, with a squad makeup consisting of serious veteran talent. Their leading scorer from last season was 29-year-old midfielder Josh Brownhill who bagged 18 goals, followed by a trio of loanees in Zian Flemming, Jaidon Anthony, and Jeremy Sarmiento.
Sunderland win Championship playoff final
A long and arduous journey through the lower leagues has finally paid off as Sunderland are promoted back to the Premier League via the playoff.
A thrilling 2-1 victory over Sheffield United saw the Black Cats come from behind and win on a 95th-minute goal by Tom Watson.
It's been a long time coming for Sunderland, who were relegated from the top flight in 2016/17, and have been adrift ever since. They were dumped immediately to League One, suffering two straight relegations to the third tier of English football where they remained for four seasons, before promotion back to the Championship in 2021/22.
It took them three seasons from there to earn a move back up to the Premier League, thanks to a fourth-place finish and a playoff final victory.