The League One play-offs supply an opportunity to those that simply missed out on computerized promotion, with 4 groups battling it out to see who can safe promotion to the Championship. With the winner getting the chance to achieve extra publicity and revel in larger monetary good points, in addition to being only one step away from the brilliant lights of the Premier League, it is a prize properly value preventing for.
The 2023/24 League One marketing campaign is now on the enterprise finish, with a complete host of groups nonetheless in with an opportunity of reaching the play-offs, whereas the struggle for second place additionally stays.
Nonetheless, with gamedays flying by, Soccer FanCast has taken a glance forward on the particulars regarding the upcoming 2024 EFL League One play-offs, which is now simply over three months away.
How the League One play-offs work
Similar to all of the EFL play-offs, the League One play-offs include two semi-finals: the group that finishes in third play the group ending in sixth; the group ending in fourth performs the group who completed fifth.
One group advances from every semi-final tie, which is settled over two legs house and away, with the group main on mixture after 180 minutes of soccer (or extra) advancing to the ultimate. The group who completed decrease can be at house for the primary leg, while the group who completed increased can be at house for the deciding return leg.
Within the occasion of a tie after 180 minutes of soccer, the match can be settled through extra-time and penalties if the rating remains to be stage following a further half-hour.
Wembley Stadium is the stage for the League One play-off closing, with the winner lifting the trophy and securing promotion to the Championship. As traditional, extra-time and penalties are required if each groups are tied on the finish of regular time, with the dropping group spending one other season in League One.
Present League One standings
Groups positioned from third to sixth make it into the League One play-offs, with the highest two going up routinely.
On the time of writing, League One champions Portsmouth and Derby County occupy the highest two locations, with Bolton Wanderers solely simply trailing behind, needing the Rams to lose and the Trotters to choose up all three factors and enhance by no less than 4 on objective distinction.
By way of the play-off locations, Barnsley in fifth and Blackpool in eighth are solely separated by two factors, that means that Barnsley, Lincoln, Oxford and Blackpool can all change locations on the ultimate day.
League One desk (as of twenty second April 2024) |
|||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Pos |
Group |
P |
W |
D |
L |
GD |
PTS |
1st |
Portsmouth |
45 |
27 |
13 |
5 |
+35 |
94 |
2nd |
Derby |
45 |
27 |
8 |
10 |
+39 |
89 |
third |
Bolton |
45 |
25 |
11 |
9 |
+35 |
86 |
4th |
Peterborough |
45 |
25 |
8 |
12 |
+28 |
83 |
fifth |
Barnsley |
45 |
21 |
12 |
12 |
+18 |
75 |
sixth |
Lincoln |
45 |
20 |
14 |
11 |
+27 |
74 |
seventh |
Oxford |
45 |
21 |
11 |
13 |
+22 |
74 |
eighth |
Blackpool |
45 |
21 |
10 |
14 |
+18 |
73 |
League One closing day permutations
The one groups who can safe a play-off place on the ultimate day are Barnsley, Lincoln Metropolis, Oxford United and Blackpool.
Barnsley can safe their place within the play-offs with a win. A draw is also sufficient, however they’d want Oxford United and Blackpool to fail to win, or a loss for considered one of Lincoln/Oxford and Blackpool and a draw for considered one of Oxford/Lincoln. A loss would open the door for a draw for Oxford or Lincoln to be sufficient, in addition to three factors for Blackpool.
Lincoln Metropolis have a greater objective distinction over Oxford, however Blackpool are lingering. The Imps can get away with a draw if Barnsley lose and considered one of Oxford or Blackpool fail to win or if the 2 groups under them lose. A loss would spell massive hassle, as this implies Oxford might require only a level and Blackpool three. After all, a win would ebook Lincoln’s place regardless.
Oxford merely need to win or hope that outcomes go their means. A win can be good, as this implies if Lincoln or Barnsley drop factors, then a spot within the play-offs can be theirs. It may very well be even simpler if Barnsley and Lincoln misplaced as Oxford would then solely require a degree or a Lincoln battering to undergo. Nonetheless, a degree for Oxford might imply hassle if Blackpool win, as they’d leapfrog them.
Blackpool merely need to win. A loss for Barnsley and attracts for Lincoln and Oxford would see the Tangerines end as excessive as fifth, whereas attracts for Lincoln and Oxford would even be sufficient for Blackpool if they will win their sport. Additionally, if Barnsley draw and considered one of Lincoln/Oxford draw then Blackpool can undergo with a win.
2024 League One play-off dates
The 2024 League One play-offs can be held on Saturday 18th Might 2024 after the common season involves a detailed. The common season is because of end on twenty seventh April, with the play-offs ordinarily going down within the subsequent week, with the return legs being held just a few days later.
The semi-final dates have now formally been introduced by the EFL, however are topic to affirmation.
Date |
Groups |
Fixture |
Time |
---|---|---|---|
Friday, Might third |
N/A |
sixth v third 1st leg |
8pm |
Tuesday, Might seventh |
N/A |
sixth v third 2nd leg |
8pm |
Saturday, Might 4th |
N/A |
fifth v 4th 1st leg |
7:45pm |
Wednesday, Might eighth |
N/A |
fifth v 4th 2nd leg |
8pm |
It has already been introduced that the 2023/24 League One play-off closing will happen on 18th Might. The kick-off time within the 2022/23 League One play-off closing between Barnsley and Sheffield Wednesday was 3pm, however nothing has been confirmed but for this 12 months.
League play-off closing 2024 |
|
---|---|
Date |
Saturday 18th Might |
Time |
TBC |
Venue |
Wembley Stadium |
Capability |
90,000 |
The place to look at the 2024 League One play-offs on UK TV and live-stream
Followers will have the ability to watch the League One playoffs reside on Sky Sports activities, in addition to Sky Go when you’re on the lookout for a web-based streaming platform.
When you’re from over the pond within the US, League One play-off video games can be found to look at and stream reside on ESPN+ and the ESPN community.
How and the place to purchase League One play-off semi-final tickets
After all, no data relating to tickets is out but as we can’t formally know which groups are participating till in the direction of the top of April, however any bulletins can be made by the golf equipment themselves, whether or not that is through their social media channels or membership web site.
The best way that semi-final tickets are supplied might differ from membership to membership, however it’s sometimes structured based mostly on membership and factors you’ll have acquired from attendance throughout the common season.
After all, you might take a little bit of a big gamble and look to purchase tickets on resale websites, however there is not any assure that these are official and the value can be considerably greater than the final sale worth from golf equipment.
How and the place to purchase League One play-off closing tickets
Sadly, as with every closing that pulls main consideration, numerous company tickets can be handed out, which is clearly irritating for followers as individuals are more likely to miss out on attending the ultimate as a result of shortfall in seats each golf equipment get.
Final 12 months, Barnsley got 37,325 tickets for the West Finish of Wembley Stadium, while Sheffield Wednesday have been allotted 36,634 tickets for the East Finish. Nonetheless, there have been earlier cases, which most lately concerned Sunderland, the place golf equipment may be given a barely increased allocation as a result of excessive ticket demand.
Ticketmaster has been utilized by golf equipment in latest occasions to handle excessive demand for tickets and guarantee a easy course of, so that could be the case for this season’s closing.
Ought to your aspect make it to the ultimate, there could also be a tiered system when it comes to tickets, with the precedence going to the season ticket holders and it filtering down tier by tier till the allocation is stuffed.
How a lot the League One play-off closing is value
After all, it is probably not as glamorous because the potential £265m you’ll be able to earn from securing promotion to the Premier League, however for a membership advancing from League One to the Championship, a possible prize of £6-7m remains to be somewhat candy.
Apparently, golf equipment within the third tier obtain round £1.4m, partly from a primary award and a solidarity fee. As a Championship membership, there are lots extra riches available, with the identical awards as a second-tier membership totalling round £6-7m. That’s due, partly, to the elevated ranges of TV income per reside sport in addition to the cash handed down from the Premier League to the EFL golf equipment.
Final 12 months’s League One play-off closing
Following the conclusion of the 2022/23 League One common season, Peterborough United, Sheffield Wednesday, Barnsley and Bolton Wanderers all battled it out for a spot within the Championship.
The Posh flew out the blocks and secured a 4-0 win over Sheffield Wednesday within the first leg, while Bolton and Barnsley performed out a 1-1 draw.
Issues actually heated up within the second leg at Hillsborough, because the Owls did the inconceivable to overturn a four-goal deficit to win on penalties with the rating standing at 5-1 within the match after further time.
Within the different semi-final, Barnsley made house benefit rely as they booked their place within the closing with a 1-0 win.
The ultimate at Wembley was a somewhat nervy encounter for each units of followers as the 2 sides could not be separated after 90 minutes. It took 123 minutes of soccer for there to be a winner topped, as Josh Windass popped up with an injury-time objective to ship Sheffield Wednesday followers right into a frenzy as promotion to the Championship was secured.