How to watch Championship football

No matter what EFL Championship club you support, you can see all of their matches live either on TV or online every week.

by Craig Humpage
Football Writer, Sporticos
Published: Wednesday 17 March 2021

Norwich City's title win may seemingly be in the bag but there is a whole lot more to play for at the top and bottom of the table. Three clubs are battling it out for that all important second promotion spot, as many as five other clubs could finish in the 5th and 6th playoff positions, and a nasty relegation scrap is well underway and looks far from settled. Championship games have so much to offer and we are here to tell you how and where you can follow your club or any other match that interests you.

The Race to reach the Premier League

When Norwich City placed their trust in coach Daniel Farke after being relegated bottom of the Premier League last season, many eyebrows were raised. To the surprise of many sceptics he appears to be leading them directly back to the top flight as they stand clear at the top of the Championship after a dominant season so far. Watford are currently in second place and while they probably won't overhaul The Canaries to win the title, they will be focused on holding on to that valuable automatic promotion spot. They face a tough challenge from Welsh side Swansea City who were in the Prem not so long ago and Brentford whose top scorer Ivan Toney currently leads the pack in the division with 27 goals. At time of writing, only 5 points separate the three teams and the two challengers have a game in hand. This promotion race is far from over and the stakes are high.

Playoff fight as exciting as ever

The EFL Championship rightly has the reputation of being one of the most competitive leagues in the world and the hunt for the playoffs is always one of the highlights. With the four aforementioned clubs relatively safe in the knowledge of at least a playoff place, there are two spots up for grabs and five clubs who could realistically challenge for them. Reading are currently in fifth. Barnsley, who were talked about as relegation candidates in pre-season, are sitting pretty in sixth. Bournemouth, Middlesbrough and Cardiff are all within six points and have recent Premier League experience, with Middlesbrough in a good run of form under promotion specialist Neil Warnock. The neutral will be hoping that the plucky Tykes of Barnsley can return to the premier league for the first time since 1998.

The Battle to avoid the drop

From expected relegation strugglers Barnsley to genuine troubles for those at the bottom. Wycombe Wanderers' journey to the Championship was a fairy tale which enchanted the neutral fan, culminating in a dramatic playoff win at Wembley. For a side who were in League Two only three seasons ago, they had come such a long way. Unfortunately, the journey seems to be coming to an end with Wycombe Wanderers rock bottom of the Championship table and 11 points from safety. Anything is possible but they really need a miracle. Things don't look great for Yorkshire sides Rotherham United and Sheffield Wednesday either, they do have a fighting chance but are currently occupying the other two spots. Rotherham United look the more likely to escape right now. Midlands sides Birmingham City and Coventry City have a slight cushion but they will feel far from safe themselves with a fair few games to play and keen to get some points on the board quick in order to take a sigh of relief and secure Championship status for one more season.

So with all of that narrative, all of that drama, all of that intrigue, who wouldn't want to watch Championship games live? Here's how you can do so.

Watch Championship games live on TV with Sky Sports Red Button

When the weekend is packed with Championship football, Sky Sports are usually running two or three of those matches live on TV. In midweek, you can often flick through them all when you use their Red Button feature. A Wednesday night with six EFL Championship matches and you have access to every one. If you're a fan of a club in England's second tier, Sky Sports is your best chance of seeing your team play on live TV. If they are playing mid-week, you can more or less guarantee it. If it's a weekend game, there's a decent shout your team's game will be available too. They are definitely worth a look.

You can get Sky Sports in a variety of ways. They offer their own specific TV and broadband packages tailored to your needs. If you're also a fan of cinema, you can get a package including both. If you want only sport, they've got you. They have offers available for current Sky customers to upgrade or for new customers to join. Many people also like to go the Now route. With Now, new and existing customers can build their packages around whatever they need. If you know you're team is playing tonight, you can buy the 24 hour membership called Sports Day for under £10. If you want access to all 11 Sky Sports channels for a month, perhaps a Sports Month membership is better for you.

Click here to find out more about the packages Sky has to offer.

Click here to learn more about Now and their daily/monthly memberships.

Watch Championship matches via live stream online with iFollow

For the more hardcore fan, iFollow could be the best way to ensure you see all of your club's matches live. The EFL's dedicated live streaming platform allows fans to watch all of their team's fixtures from wherever they are in the world via live stream online. Fans of Championship clubs who live abroad will be particularly happy about this development. Different types of passes are available from iFollow including audio only, video or even a basic free option which includes highlights and news. Video match passes are sold at a flat rate of £10 per game by each club. The only matches which aren't available via live stream are those which are on Sky Sports, as part of an agreement between them and the EFL. You can watch on desktop, TV, mobile and other devices.

Click here to get more information from the EFL website. Use the drop down box to be redirected to your club's website and there you can see all the membership options and choose what best suits you.

Click here to see the broadcast schedule and find out which of your club's matches won't be available on iFollow because they are live on Sky Sports TV.