The Championship remains one of the most intensely fought competitions in international football, with clubs knowing that a large sum of money awaits them at the finish line.

Becoming a Premier League club is extremely lucrative, even for a single season, but there is an edge for clubs that have already tasted top flight triumph due to the nature of parachute payments.

Since the Championship was reconstituted from the EFL First Division in 2004, 14 different clubs have won the title in 22 seasons, with Coventry City the most recent addition to the list. But what names will be on the Championship trophy for the foreseeable future, namely the following 24 years?

AI has attempted to predict exactly that…

2026-27 — Southampton

If it hadn’t been for the Spygate scandal, Southampton could have been in the Premier League by now, and their ejection from the play-offs by an independent committee will sting for a long time.

There could be big changes at St Mary’s Stadium as a result of what has occurred under head coach Tonda Eckert, but AI believe that due to the Saints’ ‘academy depth and financial advantages’ through parachute payments, a championship fee could be implemented next year to put Spygate to rest for good.

2027-28— Middlesbrough

Middlesbrough were given a second opportunity at the play-offs due to Southampton’s mistakes, but they were unable to win the final against Hull City, condemning them to another season of Championship football.

Borough have been in the second tier since being relegated from the Premier League in 2017, and while AI does not believe Kim Hellberg will be able to lead them back there in 2026-27, the Teessiders are expected to win the title a year later thanks to their’steady long-term planning’ under owner Steve Gibson.

2028–29 — Leicester City

 

Leicester City’s back-to-back relegations to League One were one of the shocks of the 2025-26 EFL season, and it’s unclear how long it will take them to recover from their current slump.

According to AI, it won’t be that long, as the Foxes are expected to win the Championship again in three seasons, citing their ‘infrastructure’ as a reason – even if that very thing wasn’t exactly strong during a painful most recent campaign.

2029-30 — Norwich City

After a difficult start to 2025-26 under Liam Manning, which resulted in his dismissal at Carrow Road, Norwich City were one of the Championship’s most outstanding sides, falling just short of the play-offs by a few points.

Philippe Clement clearly knows the Canaries well, and with AI describing the Norfolk club as being able to ‘consistently rebuild strong Championship teams capable of winning the league’, they could be in prime position in a few years to win another second-tier title – and possibly even the Premier League before that.

2030-31 — Sunderland

You need to spend a lot of money now to even survive in your first Premier League season, but Sunderland went above and above, earning a spot in the UEFA Europa League for next season.

However, with AI predicting they will win the Championship championship in five years, they are also expected to be demoted in the coming years, which can happen after a rapid rise.

2031-32 — Sheffield United

Sheffield United’s 2025-26 season did not go as planned, with an embarrassingly sluggish start under Ruben Selles, who was ousted and replaced by the popular Chris Wilder – months after leaving Bramall Lane.

It remains to be seen how long it will take the Blades to return to the Premier League, but AI believes they will add to their achievements with a Championship trophy in six years.

2032-33 — Coventry City

Coventry City will enter the Premier League for the first time in 25 years under Frank Lampard, but they may need to make some changes to their team if they want to stay in the top division in a year.

It’s unclear whether Lampard will still be there in six or seven years, but AI predicts that the Sky Blues will add to their recent title win with another in 2033.

2033–34 — Ipswich Town

Ipswich Town has won two Championship promotions in the last three years, but neither has resulted in a league title; the Tractor Boys had to settle for runners-up in 2024 and 2026.

The Suffolk outfit will be financially well-off from their time in the top flight, and AI says that their ‘ambitious ownership’ – if Gamechanger 20 Ltd is still around eight years later – will help them win another piece of silverware in 2033-34, but they’ll go one better than runners-up.

2034-35: West Bromwich Albion

West Brom were the archetypical ‘yo-yo’ team between the Premier League and the second tier in the early 2000s, but that has dried up in recent years, and the Midlands outfit must avoid relegation in 2025-26.

It remains to be seen whether James Morrison, their head coach, can propel them into a promotion challenge, but AI predicts they will win the Championship nine years from now because to their ‘history of second-tier stability’.

2035–36 — Blackburn Rovers

Blackburn Rovers are one of only a few clubs that can claim to be Premier League winners, however they have not competed in the top tier since 2012.

The Venky era was not filled with success, and the Indian poultry giants may be gone in ten years, but if AI has its way, Blackburn will win their first second-tier title since 1939 in 2036, allowing them to ‘combine young development and financial security at the appropriate moment’.

2036–37 — Birmingham City

Birmingham City had their days in the Premier League, but they have lately plummeted into League One and are on a solid trajectory under Tom Wagner’s management.

Knighthead’s spending on the club’s playing squad and infrastructure will not stop anytime soon, and by 2036-37, when AI expects the Blues to win the Championship title, City should be more than a few years into playing at their new planned 62,000-seater Powerhouse Stadium – it may have already seen top flight football by then, but 2037 is when it could see a title.

Swansea City (2037-38)

Swansea City’s seven-year run in the Premier League was certainly entertaining for the casual observer, but it has been eight long years since the South Wales club was there.

And, while we don’t know how Vitor Matos will perform with the Swans next season, AI predicts that in 12 years, they will win their first EFL second-tier championship.

2038–39 — Stoke City

Stoke City were demoted alongside Swansea in 2018 after a long spell in the Premier League, during which their tenacity and brawn caused more than a few upsets.

Similarly, the Potters have yet to return, having spent the previous eight years in mid-table mediocrity. The Coates family has always provided them with financial support, and AI believes their “experience and resources” will enable them return to the Premier League as champions in the future.

2039-40— Derby County

Derby County will be hoping to return to the promised land before 2040, having made significant recent progress under John Eustace, who is planning a promotion bid or two in the coming season.

However, AI predicts that the Rams will have to wait 14 years to repeat as champions, given Pride Park has not hosted top-flight football since the catastrophic 2007/08 season.

2040-41 — Hull City

Unquestionably the surprise package of the 2025/26 season, Hull City upset the Championship by securing promotion via the play-offs despite being slated for relegation before a ball was kicked.

The Tigers have returned to the Premier League for the first time since 2017, and after bouncing between English football’s top two tiers in the 2010s, divisional instability could return before 2041, when “ownership ambition” under Acun Ilicali, if the Turkish mogul remains at the MKM Stadium by then, is expected to see Hull win their first Championship title.

2041–42 — Queens Park Rangers

QPR have not won a second-tier title since their historic Adel Taarabt-inspired triumph under Neil Warnock in 2011, and AI reckons it will take another 16 years to repeat that accomplishment.

AI believes the mid-table Championship club will “finally balance youth and experience effectively” by the 2041/42 season, but Loftus Road fans will be hoping for much sooner, since Julien Stephan now has a dynamic and talented group at his disposal.

2042–43 — Watford

Watford, meanwhile, has been promoted to the Premier League four times, albeit none of those victories have been as winners.

A chaotic and unrivalled hiring-and-firing managerial policy may have prevented the Hornets from seriously challenging for promotion after dropping back into the second tier four years ago, but AI predicts that the club’s “aggressive squad rebuilding” will eventually bear fruit and pave the way for a return to the big time – even if they’ll have to be patient to win a league title.

2043-44— Bristol City

Bristol City, unlike many of their listed contemporaries, have never played in the Premier League, and with financial constraints famously tight at Ashton Gate, it’s uncertain when that will change.

It could happen before 2044, but AI expects that the Robins’ “patient long-term project” will result in their first championship title.

2044–45 — Millwall

Millwall, like Bristol City, is still waiting for a historic promotion.

The Lions, on the other hand, have made huge strides in recent years, and after losing to Hull City in the play-off semi-finals, Alex Neil will be hoping to lead the Bermondsey club to the promised land soon.

Millwall’s “intense home atmosphere” is what AI predicts will bring the league title to The Den in 2045, but what occurs before then is anyone’s guess.

2045-46: Cardiff City

Cardiff City are no strangers to promotion, having won the Championship title in 2013, although in a dreadful red home kit as part of Vincent Tan’s controversial prior redesign.

These days, the Bluebirds will be looking to merely re-stabilize at second-tier level after being promoted out of the League. Before anything else, one at the first attempt under Brian Barry-Murphy – but the long-term picture in the Welsh capital is very fascinating, with AI predicting that they will lift a second Championship title 20 years from now due to the club’s “scale and fan support”.

2046–47 — Portsmouth

Portsmouth’s title-winning exploits in the 2002/03 season resulted in a memorable seven-year Premier League stay, an FA Cup victory, and, eventually, administration, and they’re only now picking up the pieces on the pitch after being crowned League One champions in 2024.

Pompey are keeping their heads above water, but they are a long way from fighting for promotion and AI, with “growing infrastructure and loyal support” predicting a wait until 2047 before their hands return to second-tier silverware.

2047–48 — Wrexham

Wrexham’s remarkable rise both on and off the pitch under Ryan Reynolds and Rob Mac has been one of the EFL’s most compelling stories in recent years.

The Red Dragons were promoted three times in a row before narrowly losing out on a top-six berth, but the electric pace of their progress, combined with significant financial backing, makes a final step to the Premier League seem almost probable long before 2048.

Whether they can stay there, however, is another question entirely, and it may be after a few promotions and relegations that AI’s forecast of a title-winning 2047/48 campaign after overwhelming divisional rivals with “commercial growth and ambitious ownership” becomes a reality.

2048-49: Preston North End

Preston North End, another team that has yet to be promoted to the Premier League, has been a mid-table staple without the quality or investment to progress further – though this could change if Amr Zedan completes a takeover at Deepdale.

AI forecasts that the Lilywhites’ “long-term stability” will finally convert into a title-winning season roughly 25 years from now, but it will take far more than just making up the numbers.

2049-50—Charlton Athletic

Finally, Charlton Athletic will have to wait 50 years to add to their only second-tier title-winning season at the turn of the 2000, which came after seven years at the highest level and a couple of remarkable top-half finishes.

Charlton’s recent past at the Valley has been tumultuous, but the club is now hoping to solidify their credentials again in the Championship after being promoted last year, and AI believes a “long rebuild” may be finished with a first-place result in 2050.

Once again, what happened before that time is unknown.