Championship relegation predictions: Which promoted teams will stay up in 2026-27?

With the 2026-27 Championship season fast approaching, all 24 sides will begin the new campaign with different hopes and ambitions as they look to make their mark over the next nine months.

Three new teams have earned promotion to England's second tier after successful League One campaigns last season, but life in the Championship is unlikely to be straightforward for any of them.

Lincoln City claimed the League One title, Cardiff City finished runners-up, while Bolton Wanderers secured promotion through the playoffs, with all three now facing a significant step up in quality.

While promotion has brought plenty of obvious excitement, the newly-promoted trio could quickly find themselves looking over their shoulders as they attempt to adjust to the demands of the Championship.

With that in mind, Sports Mole takes a closer look at the three promoted sides and assesses which teams have the best chance of avoiding a relegation battle this season.

Which promoted Championship teams will stay up?

Lincoln City

Unusually, the League One champions will begin their first Championship campaign without the man who guided them back to the second tier, with Michael Skubala leaving over the summer to become Bristol City's new manager.

Skubala oversaw a memorable campaign as Lincoln secured promotion to the Championship for the first time in 65 years, doing so after breaking the 100-point barrier.

Their return to England's second tier was packed with memorable moments, including a remarkable 29-game unbeaten run, but the Imps will now be led by joint head coaches Chris Cohen and Tom Shaw.

The pair have been promoted from their previous coaching roles at Sincil Bank, providing some continuity despite Skubala's departure and giving Lincoln hope that last season's winning formula can be maintained.

The summer has also brought significant changes to the squad, with Irish international Jack Moylan joining last season's title rivals Cardiff City, while Mason Melia has arrived on loan from Tottenham Hotspur and defender Andrei Coubis became the club's record signing.

Lincoln face a major step up in quality, with Championship opponents boasting bigger budgets, deeper squads and considerably more experience at this level, leading some to tip the Imps for an immediate return to League One.

However, their outstanding defensive record provides a reason for optimism, with Lincoln conceding fewer goals than any other League One side last season as they finished 12 points clear of second-placed Cardiff.

Coubis' arrival has further strengthened an already impressive backline, and Lincoln are likely to rely heavily on their defensive organisation if they are to survive their first Championship campaign in 65 years.

The summer arrival of Coubis shows that they have strengthened their backline even more and if they are to stay up and maintain their Championship status, will know they will be heavily relying on their backline.

Cohen and Shaw's appointment has raised some eyebrows, but the duo will have an early opportunity to silence the doubters when Lincoln begin their Championship campaign against promotion hopefuls Middlesbrough on Saturday afternoon.

The Imps have already shown they can compete against second-tier opposition this season, beating Derby County 2-1 in the EFL Cup last weekend, providing an early boost ahead of their Championship return.

Verdict:

Lincoln City have plenty to be encouraged by after their outstanding 100-point League One campaign, but the loss of Michael Skubala and the step up in quality will make survival a significant challenge.

If their defensive organisation translates into a new league though, the Imps have enough about them to give themselves a genuine chance of staying up.

Cardiff City

Unlike Lincoln City, Cardiff City have much more recent Championship experience, having been relegated at the end of the 2024-25 season before securing an immediate return under Irish manager Brian Barry-Murphy.

Barry-Murphy arrived in South Wales following coaching spells with Manchester City's youth sides and Leicester City.

Although there was a sizeable gap between the two sides, the Bluebirds could enter the 2026-27 season better prepared than their recent title challengers.

They have already secured the signing of Jack Moylan, who has since scored a hat-trick on his international debut, with the attacking midfielder widely regarded as a player capable of starting for a number of Championship sides following his highly successful campaign last season.

Moylan has already made his mark in front of his new home fans after scoring the winner on his debut against Swindon Town in an EFL Cup clash that ended 3-2 to the Bluebirds.

As well as the Irish international, Cardiff have retained the services of Calum Chambers, who stayed in the Welsh capital following their relegation.

The Cardiff captain has considerable experience with Premier League sides Arsenal, Fulham and Aston Villa, which could prove vital as Barry-Murphy's men look to maintain their Championship status.

Securing Nathan Trott on a permanent basis following his successful loan spell last season could also be key, providing some familiarity at the back, while brothers Rubin and Joel Colwill return to the second tier as more experienced players than when they left it in 2025.

However, Cardiff did rely heavily on their home form to secure promotion last season and will know they need to improve their performances on the road after winning just one of their final four away matches.

Tough away trips to the likes of West Ham United, Wolverhampton Wanderers and Southampton will present challenges that they have not experienced as a group, and if they expect to be fighting near the bottom of the table, points on the road could prove crucial.

With that said, the fact that the Bluebirds have invested well during the summer while retaining Barry-Murphy in the dugout leads us to believe that they are the best-placed side of the three newly-promoted teams to survive.

Verdict:

Cardiff look the best equipped of the three newly-promoted sides to handle the tough step up in division's, with recent Championship experience, a squad containing top-level pedigree and Barry-Murphy remaining in charge.

Their ability to improve their away form could prove decisive, but the Bluebirds have enough quality and familiarity to make them our strongest pick for survival.

Bolton Wanderers

After a seven-year wait that included a spell in League Two, Bolton Wanderers are back in the Championship.

It has been a long road for the Trotters to regain their second-tier status, finally achieving promotion with an emphatic 4-1 playoff victory over Stockport County at Wembley.

The playoff triumph was expected to be followed by a summer of exciting new additions that would strengthen their squad, raise optimism around the club and give them a genuine chance of avoiding a relegation battle on their return to the second tier.

However, there is now a strong argument to suggest that they are starting the new season weaker than they finished the last.

Maston Burstow, Ibrahim Cissoko, Marcus Forss, Jonny Kenny and Corey Blackett-Taylor have all left the Toughsheet Community Stadium and are yet to be replaced, while Amario Cozier-Duberry has returned to Brighton & Hove Albion following his loan spell.

Their need for attacking reinforcements has been highlighted during pre-season and in their opening EFL Cup clash, with Steven Schumacher's side scoring more than once in just one of their friendlies before suffering a shock defeat to Sheffield Wednesday, who conceded nearly 100 league goals last season.

While there were plenty of positive signs during their promotion campaign, the need for greater attacking firepower was already clear.

The Trotters set a new club record for the most draws in a season, highlighting the number of chances they failed to convert, while their disappointing cup exit last weekend saw them manage just one shot on target throughout the whole game.

Since the defeat to Sheffield Wednesday, Bolton have signed Wrexham striker Ryan Hardie on a season-long loan.

The forward has recorded multiple seasons of double-figure goals, but played just 12 games across the Championship and League One last season, and his arrival still leaves the Greater Manchester club in a precarious position ahead of their first campaign back in England's second tier.

Verdict:

Overall, Bolton look the least prepared of the three promoted sides for the step up to the Championship.

Unless they can add further attacking quality before the transfer window closes, the Trotters could find themselves in a difficult relegation battle and back in League One before they know it.

Who will be relegated if all three survive?

While all three newly-promoted sides may find themselves fighting for survival among themselves, they are unlikely to be alone.

The 2025-26 season was an unusual one, given that Sheffield Wednesday's relegation to League One appeared to be confirmed before a ball had even been kicked.

Points deductions and a lack of players left them with little chance of staying up, meaning the other relegation-threatened sides were effectively fighting to avoid two spots rather than three.

Ultimately, Leicester City endured a second relegation in as many seasons, finishing 23rd, while Oxford United ended the campaign in 22nd, one point above the Foxes, with both sides now looking to do what Lincoln City, Cardiff City and Bolton Wanderers managed last season by immediately returning to the Championship.

In the end, there was a four-point gap between 22nd and 21st, with West Bromwich Albion finding some late-season form under James Morrison to preserve their Championship status after losing just one of their final 11 league matches.

However, had they not put together some much-needed wins late in the campaign, they could have fallen into the relegation zone, and they will know that unless they improve their record on the road, they could be involved in another battle for survival.

West Brom's struggles were largely down to their poor away form, with just 19 points from 23 matches on the road ranking as the third-worst record in the division despite having the 12th-best home record.

Blackburn Rovers and Charlton Athletic are the other sides who could find themselves in trouble after finishing 20th and 19th respectively.

Tony Mowbray has returned to Ewood Park after four years away, but with just two new arrivals through the door this summer, Rovers will need further reinforcements if they are to stay clear of danger.

Unlike West Brom, it was Blackburn's home form that proved costly last season, with Rovers winning just four of their 23 matches at Ewood Park, the second-lowest total in the division.

Charlton will also be wary of becoming another promoted side to suffer an immediate return to League One, with 14 of the 33 teams promoted from League One over the last 10 seasons being relegated within their first two Championship campaigns.

While earning promotion is one challenge, establishing themselves in the second tier is another, and Nathan Jones's side have some obvious weaknesses to address.

The Addicks collected 53 points last season and ended the campaign with just one win from their final five matches, with their lack of goals a major concern.

Charlton scored just 44 goals, making them one of four teams to average fewer than a goal per game and leaving them with the third-lowest total in the division.

They will hope the arrivals of Karlan Grant and Millenic Alli can provide the extra attacking threat needed to improve that record.

Verdict:

Overall, West Brom, Blackburn and Charlton look the most vulnerable of the established Championship sides, with all three carrying clear weaknesses from last season.

If the promoted sides can avoid the drop, we feel as if these are the teams most likely to be dragged into a relegation battle.