Championship relegation odds for 2026/27 make Lincoln City the 8/11 favourites to drop straight back into League One.
The Sky Bet Championship relegation battle is already taking shape, with all three new arrivals prominent in the market.
Lincoln City, Cardiff City and Bolton Wanderers came up from League One at the end of 2025/26. Lincoln stormed to the third-tier title and Cardiff bounced back at the first attempt as runners-up. Bolton then claimed the final place through the play-offs.
They replace Sheffield Wednesday, Leicester City and Oxford United, who all dropped into League One.
Wednesday’s season was as grim as they come. Points deductions left them rooted to the bottom of the table. In fact, they finished the campaign on zero points despite winning twice. Leicester’s own six-point deduction proved costly too. The Foxes finished five points adrift of West Bromwich Albion in 21st, suffering a second relegation in as many seasons. Oxford ended four points behind the Baggies after a battling but ultimately doomed campaign.
2026/27 Championship relegation odds
Lincoln (8/11) head the market, ahead of Bolton at 11/10, with Charlton and Cardiff both 5/4. You have to be 18+ to gamble. UK only. All odds within this article are accurate at the time of writing. GambleAware.
How the Championship relegation market works
The relegation market covers which three clubs finish in the bottom three of the 24-team Championship and drop into League One. Bookmakers price it using squad quality, budget, managerial stability and underlying performance data. Then they adjust throughout the season as results come in.
A few factors make this market distinctive. The 46-game season punishes thin squads, so clubs with limited depth often fade after Christmas. Points deductions have also become a genuine risk factor in recent seasons, as both Sheffield Wednesday and Leicester found to their cost in 2025/26. And promoted clubs, while always prominent in the market, survive more often than their prices suggest. For example, Wrexham finished seventh last season after promotion in 2024/25.
Championship relegation odds FAQ
Lincoln City are the 8/11 favourites, ahead of Bolton at 11/10. Charlton and Cardiff are both 5/4.
Sheffield Wednesday, Leicester City and Oxford United all went down in 2025/26, with Wednesday finishing on zero points after deductions.
Three. The bottom three of the 24-team table drop into League One and are replaced by three promoted clubs.
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