English Football League considers change to Championship playoffs

The playoffs in the English Championship offer four teams a shot at promotion to the Premier League. However, soon, even more teams could be in contention for a spot in the top flight.

Details: According to The Athletic, the English Football League is considering a change to the playoff format. Under the new proposal, six teams would participate instead of four.

The team finishing fifth would play the eighth-placed side, while sixth would face seventh in a single match at the home ground of the higher-ranked team. The winners of these encounters would then advance to two-legged semifinals against the Championship's third and fourth-placed teams Championship.

The proposal was put forward by Preston North End CEO Peter Ridsdale and has gained support, as it could reduce the number of "dead rubber" matches at the end of the season, add two high-profile games to the calendar, and give more clubs a shot at promotion.

Reminder: The current playoff champions are Sunderland, and all matches in last season's playoff stage proved to be truly thrilling.