Supercomputer Predicts Final 25/26 Championship Table Amid Wrexham’s Poor Start

There are some people, for good reason, that claim that England’s second tier – the Championship – is the most exciting league in world football. Renowned for its highly competitive nature and unpredictability, it’s action-packed from start to finish.

From the first round of fixtures in August to the play-offs in the following spring, the chaos that spills out is never-ending.

Last season, Leeds United reigned supreme to regain their status as a Premier League outfit – with Burnley coming in a close second. The pair of clubs both racked up 100 points and were separated by goal difference. Then, Sunderland beat Sheffield United to win the play-offs final at Wembley.

But what’s going to happen this time around? Now three games into the new campaign, what better way to continue the fun than to look at some predictions? Opta Analyst, via a supercomputer which has simulated every single fixture on 10,000 occasions, have produced a full table of England’s second tier.

Season-upon-season, the two sides that finish atop of the standings earn automatic promotion to the Premier League. Last season, it was Leeds, as alluded to earlier, and Burnley; this season, the supercomputer has predicted that Frank Lampard’s Coventry City will be joined by Marti Cifuente’s Leicester City.

Coventry, under former Everton and Chelsea boss Lampard, are expected to finally return to England’s top division, while Leicester, having lost Jamie Vardy this summer, are expected to rely on the goalscoring of Patson Daka and Jordan Ayew, which has been a struggle for the promotion-chasing Foxes thus far. The aforementioned two are predicted to score enough goals to earn them just under 76 points.

Rob Edwards’ Middlesbrough will predictably finish in the best play-off spot. Boro, perhaps controversially, sacked Michael Carrick and appointed Edwards in his place, and it’s predicted to pay off. So far, the former Premier League outfit are sat just behind the table toppers on 18 points, and they are expected to finish in third on 75 points.

Ipswich Town – who, at the time of writing, are still managed by Kieran McKenna – are set to finish in the playoffs places. The boss will not be short of job offers in the future but, regardless, the supercomputer believes they will finish on around 72 points, which would score them a fourth-placed finish after being relegated from England’s top flight last term.

Race for Play-Off Spots

West Bromwich Albion started 2025/26 brightly by going three games unbeaten at the start of the current campaign, but they’ve since slipped down England’s second tier. If the prediction of Opta’s supercomputer comes true, they will be happy with their end-of-season finish given they finished just inside the top ten last time out.

Preston North End are expected to finish just behind the Baggies come the end of the campaign – and, given their hodgepodge start to the proceedings in 2025/26, Bristol City will feel pleased to learn they will be fighting for a spot in the play-offs, as predicted by the supercomputer. As things stand, they’ve secured three wins – and boss Gerhard Struber will be hoping that more wins will come down the line.

Queens Park Rangers, who have recently appointed Julien Stephan as their head coach after a summer of incomings, are predicted by the supercomputer to finish eighth with around 66 points. Whether the Frenchman can work wonders remains to be seen, but they’ve been placed outside the play-off spots, though comfortably in the top ten.

Then, there’s Millwall. Although journalist-turned-groundhopper Oliver Holt ranked their stomping ground among the five worst in the country, the south London outfit were close to securing play-off status last season, and they are set to be worse off this season by finishing ninth, just ahead of Southampton.

Southampton, under Will Still’s stewardship, have somewhat struggled to adapt to second-tier football – and that’s expected to drag on throughout 2025/26. The side from the south coast kick-started the season with a win and the new manager will be hoping to get a string of victories under his belt in the coming weeks and months if they are to salvage anything from their worrying start to proceedings.

Mid-Table Security

It’s an area that no team wants to be in: come the business end of the campaign, there’s not much to play other than pride and Stoke City are kicking things off in this category with 65 points, which sees them just miss out on a spot in the top ten. At the time of writing, the Potters are pushing for a promotion spot, but the supercomputer foresees a drop in form and results.

Recently promoted Birmingham City, if the supercomputer’s predictions become correct, are set to have an impressive first campaign in the English second tier, finishing in 13th spot. Those associated with the Blues, who are looking to build a £3 billion stadium by 2029, will be pleased with such a finish.

Once a mainstay in England’s top flight, Hull City are expected to finish 14th. The Tigers have struggled in seasons gone by – as evidenced by their 21st-placed finish in 2024/25 – and that is set to continue throughout the current campaign. As of present, the Tigers have 12 points from nine outings.

Related

AI Names and Ranks 10 Best Teams in Premier League History

Manchester City feature more times than Manchester United in a list ranking the best Premier League teams of all time according to AI.

South coast outfit Portsmouth, who used to call the Premier League their home, are predicted to just about get into the top 15 on around 59 points. Thus far, they’ve secured three wins, three draws and three defeats in an up-and-down, and rather tumultuous, start to the campaign. Predictably, behind them will be Charlton Athletic.

London outfit Charlton defied the odds and earned a spot in the Championship for the first time in five years after a narrow 1-0 victory over Leyton Orient in the League One play-off final in late May 2025. They are expected to stay up and avoid relegation at their first time trying – comfortably in 16th with a points tally of around the 59 mark.

Relegation Dogfight

While those at the top of the table are hustling and bustling for Premier League football, those at the foot of the 24-strong standings are doing the same in order to prevent facing the prospect of demotion to League One – and the supercomputer predicts that Wrexham, ending on less than 60 points, will just about be safe.

Phil Parkinson’s Wrexham have flown up the English Football League with, what looks like, relative ease in years gone by. The Welsh side have enjoyed back-to-back-to-back promotions but, incredibly, the supercomputer has predicted them to just about survive relegation down after winning just two matches thus far in 2025/26.

Regardless of what happens, they will likely be the Championship’s headline-grabbers this term – and the supercomputer predicts them to finish in 18th. Behind them, as predicted, will be Norwich City and Sheffield United in 19th and 20th.

Last season, the Blades – under Chris Wilder’s hodgepodge tenureship – finished third in the table but lost 2-1 in the play-off final.This season, by virtue of their awful start to proceedings and a managerial change that saw Wilder back in the dugout, it’s been predicted that they’ll survive the relegation battle, but they will be walking on thin ice.

Related

10 Smallest Stadiums in Premier League History (Ranked)

Bournemouth are challenging for European places in the 2024/25 season, but the Vitality Stadium is one of the smallest the Premier League has seen.

Now, we’re on to the three lowest-finishing teams, who have been predicted to be relegated to England’s third tier come the end of the current campaign. Derby County, who are famously one of the worst teams in Premier League history, are set to finish 22nd after a tricky start to the season: one win, five draws and three losses from their opening nine encounters of the Championship season.

Oxford United then follow in the penultimate place in England’s second tier league competition with just 50 points to show from their 46-match campaign. With just one win under Gary Rowett this term, relegation is certainly on the cards. Sheffield Wednesday, led by the exciting Henrik Pedersen, have to settle for a place at the bottom of the table, with the supercomputer predicting them to earn fewer than 50 points.