The Championship season is a gruelling 46-game campaign. The top two clubs are automatically promoted to the Premier League, while clubs finishing third to sixth enter the play-offs — a knockout competition where the winner claims the final promotion place. The play-off final at Wembley Stadium is famously dubbed "the richest game in football", with promotion worth over £200 million in broadcast revenue.

The division is home to clubs with huge fanbases and rich histories, including Leeds United, Sunderland, Sheffield United and Middlesbrough, who have all spent time in the Premier League and attract large crowds despite competing at this level.

Relegation from the Championship sends clubs into League One, creating significant financial pressure. Parachute payments to recently relegated Premier League clubs give them an advantage, a source of ongoing debate within the division.