With the Championship season coming to a finish, crowds throughout the country are anticipated to increase as fans seek a firsthand sight of the drama connected with the second tier at both ends of the table.
This period of the season may produce some of the most unique and heartbreaking moments that any football fan can have while riding the emotional rollercoaster that is following their team week in and week out.
Furthermore, ‘away day’ culture has always been an important part of football in England and throughout the United Kingdom, with fans planning which pubs to visit before the game, how they will get to and from the stadium, and whether they will take advantage of any of the facilities provided by the respective home club.
Several of the Championship’s 24 teams have worked tirelessly to improve matchday experiences at their various stadiums, taking into account both positive and negative feedback from home and visiting fans.
Not only that, but there is a wonderful balance between the history, finances, and modern facilities available to the division’s clubs, which helps make each stadium feel as authentic as possible.
Sheffield Wednesday now have the division’s largest stadium, Hillsborough, with a matchday capacity of 34,835.
However, with the Owls’ relegation to League One confirmed, some may see it as an opportunity for a groundtick, while others will acknowledge that, while being the Championship’s largest ground, it may not be the greatest by far.
With that in mind, Football League World investigated the world of Google Reviews and determined, based on the maximum average star rating of five, which seven Championship clubs are purportedly the worst to visit in 2025/26.
7 Preston North End – Deepdale
Preston North End’s ancient Deepdale stadium kicks off our list of the seven worst EFL Championship venues based on Google Reviews average ratings.
One caveat to this list is that the Lilywhites’ stadium had an average rating of 4.3/5 on the website, the same as six other venues.
The overwhelming majority of the 2,995 reviews given by North End and visiting supporters were still four or five stars, making this inclusion highly controversial.
However, such is the character of football supporters in England, that some of the positive feedback was based on the convenience of access to the concourse for purchasing a pre-match pie and pint, as well as the cost.
6 Hull City – MKM Stadium
Hull City’s MKM Stadium follows with an average score of 4.3/5 based on 3,600 reviews.
The stadium is currently 23 years old and was the catalyst for the Tigers’ climb to the Premier League in the 2000s, while current owner Acun Ilicali has made a concerted effort to reestablish ties with the local population following past boycotts of the Allam family.
Despite being included on this list, some of the most recent reviews have been highly positive, thanks in large part to the award-winning street cuisine available throughout the concourse.
Another caveat is that some of the assessments will be about rugby matches, as the 25,586-capacity facility hosts numerous internationals while also serving as the home stadium for Betfred Super League club Hull FC.
5 Coventry City – Coventry Building Society Arena
The Coventry Building Society Arena might be a Premier League stadium by August, with Coventry City on the crest of a wave under Frank Lampard.
Again, the stadium, which was finally purchased by the Sky Blues in August 2025, received an average rating of 4.3/5 for overall experience.
21 years after its inception, the CBS has received its fair share of praise in some of the most recent reviews, while others have been slightly unimpressed by a potential lack of atmosphere from home supporters, as well as how ‘out of the way’ the arena is in relation to Coventry city centre, despite having its own train station and a plethora of buses to transport fans before and after matches amid congestion.
4Birmingham City – St. Andrew’s @ Knighthead Park
The final stadium on this list with an average Google Reviews rating of 4.3/5 is Birmingham City’s historic ground, St. Andrew’s @ Knighthead Park.
More recent reviews of Blues’ ground are likely to be far more positive, as it had a £15 million refurbishment in the summer of 2024, after the lower tiers of the Kop and Tilton Road stands were previously closed for structural maintenance.
Under Tom Wagner’s management, sell-outs have become common at B9 as Birmingham strives for the Premier League, but there isn’t much longer for visiting fans to visit the stadium recognized for creating an old-school, intense atmosphere.
That’s because it was announced in November 2025 that the Blues would be moving to the brand new, 62,000-seater Powerhouse stadium in the next years, as part of the well-documented Sports Quarter development.
3Blackburn Rovers – Ewood Park
The first and only Championship ground with an average score of 4.2/5 is Blackburn Rovers’ Ewood Park.
Rovers have the eighth-largest stadium in the division, with an overall capacity of 31,367 at Ewood Park.
However, it is unsurprising that the East Lancashire club has made this list, with the great majority of evaluations focussing on the atmosphere, or apparent lack thereof, as Rovers fans continue to express displeasure with The Venky’s.
Again, this comes down to personal experience, with some visiting supporters rather complimentary towards Blackburn for the allocation they frequently grant away teams in the Darwen End, which can house up to 7,000 spectators, while others have been less than impressed with the food options on the away concourse, as well as the lack of noise from the home crowd in recent seasons.
2Queens Park Rangers – Loftus Road
Queens Park Rangers, who have played at Loftus Road since 1917, have the second-lowest Google Reviews rating for their home stadium.
Despite being substantially renovated over time to meet regulatory standards, Rangers’ home stadium is frequently criticised for the facilities on offer, particularly by away fans.
While some of the 4.1/5 average rating is skewed by supporters giving their reviews of a one-off match which QPR happened to have won, a constant theme amongst those visiting this part of London is the lack of leg room in the away end, as well as well-documented limited views through framework poles, particularly as a result of the hefty prices which can be charged.
1Oxford United – Kassam Stadium
It may come as no surprise that the Kassam Stadium, home of Oxford United, has the lowest average rating on Google Reviews, with a 4/5 score.
The U’s have been at the Kassam since 2001, when they moved from the Manor Ground, but they have frequently been criticised, owing to a quirk of a missing stand behind one of the goals.
Another concern is the location, which is four miles outside of Oxford city centre, leaving supporters with few options for pre-match entertainment except from an adjacent retail complex.
However, Oxford will not be calling the Kassam ‘home’ for much longer, as its ambitions to build a new 16,000-capacity stadium in Kidlington were given formal sanction in February 2026 when legal agreements were finally finalized.
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