2021 English Football League play-offs

Football competitions

Football league season

2021 English Football League play-offs

Wembley Stadium was the venue for each play-off final

Season| 2020–21

← 2020

2022 →

The English Football League play-offs for the 2020–21 season (referred to as the Sky Bet Play-Offs for sponsorship reasons) were held in May 2021, with all finals played at Wembley Stadium in London. The play-offs begin in each league with two semi-finals played over two legs. The teams who finished in 3rd, 4th, 5th, and 6th place in the Championship and League One and the 4th, 5th, 6th, and 7th-placed teams in League Two are set to compete. The winners of the semi-finals advance to the finals, with the winner of the final gaining promotion for the following season.[1][2]

The away goals rule does not apply in the playoff semi-finals per the standard rules.

## Background

[edit]

The English Football League play-offs have been held every year since 1987. They take place for each division following the conclusion of the regular season and are contested by the four clubs finishing below the automatic promotion places. The fixtures are determined by final league position – in the Championship and League One this is 3rd v 6th and 4th v 5th, while in League Two it is 4th v 7th and 5th v 6th.

## Championship

[edit]

Main article: 2020–21 EFL Championship

### Qualified teams

[edit]

Final league position – Championship

Pos  | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD |  Pts
3  | Brentford | 46 | 24 | 15 | 7 | 79 | 42 | +37 | 87
4  | Swansea City | 46 | 23 | 11 | 12 | 56 | 39 | +17 | 80
5  | Barnsley | 46 | 23 | 9 | 14 | 58 | 50 | +8 | 78
6  | Bournemouth | 46 | 22 | 11 | 13 | 73 | 46 | +27 | 77

### First leg

[edit]

17 May 2021

18:00 BST

Bournemouth| 1–0| Brentford

|
|

Danjuma 55' | Report |

Vitality Stadium, Boscombe

Attendance: 2,000

Referee: Tim Robinson

17 May 2021

20:15 BST

Barnsley| 0–1| Swansea City

|
|

| Report | A. Ayew 39'

Oakwell, Barnsley

Attendance: 4,000

Referee: Geoff Eltringham

### Second leg

[edit]

22 May 2021

12:30 BST

Brentford| 3–1| Bournemouth

|
|

* Toney 16' (pen.)
* Janelt 50'
* Forss 81'

| Report | Danjuma 5'

Brentford Community Stadium, London

Attendance: 4,000

Referee: Jarred Gillett

Brentford won 3–2 on aggregate.

22 May 2021

17:30 BST

Swansea City| 1–1| Barnsley

|
|

* Grimes 39'

| Report |

* Woodrow 71'

Liberty Stadium, Swansea

Attendance: 3,000

Referee: John Brooks

Swansea City won 2–1 on aggregate.

### Championship final

[edit]

Main article: 2021 EFL Championship play-off Final

29 May 2021 (2021-05-29)

15:00 BST

Brentford| 2–0| Swansea City

|
|

* Toney 10' (pen.)
* Marcondes 20'

| Report |

Wembley Stadium, London

Attendance: 11,689

Referee: Chris Kavanagh

## League One

[edit]

Main article: 2020–21 EFL League One

Final league position – League One

Pos  | Team  |  Pld  |  W  |  D  |  L  |  GF  |  GA  |  GD  |  Pts
3  | Blackpool | 46  | 23  | 11  | 12  | 60  | 37  | +27  | 80
4  | Sunderland | 46  | 20  | 17  | 9  | 70  | 42  | +28  | 77
5  | Lincoln City | 46  | 22  | 11  | 13  | 69  | 50  | +19  | 77
6  | Oxford United | 46  | 22  | 8  | 16  | 77  | 56  | +21  | 74

First leg

18 May 2021

18:00 BST

Oxford United| 0–3| Blackpool

|
|

| Report |

* Turton 23'
* Simms 26', 74'

Kassam Stadium, Oxford

Attendance: 3,224

Referee: Bobby Madley

19 May 2021

18:00 BST

Lincoln City| 2–0| Sunderland

|
|

* Hopper 51'
* Johnson 77'

| Report |

Sincil Bank, Lincoln

Attendance: 3,145

Referee: Craig Hicks

Second leg

21 May 2021

19:45 BST

Blackpool| 3–3| Oxford United

|
|

* Embleton 11'
* Dougall 13'
* Yates 54'

| Report |

* Taylor 7'
* Atkinson 52'
* Shodipo 74'

Bloomfield Road, Blackpool

Attendance: 4,000

Referee: Keith Stroud

Blackpool won 6–3 on aggregate.

22 May 2021

15:00 BST

Sunderland| 2–1| Lincoln City

|
|

* Stewart 13'
* Wyke 33'

| Report |

* Hopper 56'

Stadium of Light, Sunderland

Attendance: 9,971

Referee: Michael Salisbury

Lincoln City won 3–2 on aggregate.

### Final

[edit]

Main article: 2021 EFL League One play-off Final

30 May 2021

15:00 BST

Blackpool| 2–1| Lincoln City

|
|

Dougall 34', 54' | Report | Turton 1' (o.g.)

Wembley Stadium, London

Attendance: 9,751

Referee: Tony Harrington

## League Two

[edit]

Main article: 2020–21 EFL League Two

Final league position – League Two

Pos  | Team  |  Pld  |  W  |  D  |  L  |  GF  |  GA  |  GD  |  Pts
4  | Morecambe | 46  | 23  | 9  | 14  | 69  | 58  | +11  | 78
5  | Newport County | 46  | 20  | 13  | 13  | 57  | 42  | +15  | 73
6  | Forest Green Rovers | 46  | 20  | 13  | 13  | 59  | 51  | +8  | 73
7  | Tranmere Rovers | 46  | 20  | 13  | 13  | 55  | 50  | +5  | 73

First leg

18 May 2021

20:15 BST

Newport County| 2–0| Forest Green Rovers

|
|

* Dolan 31'
* Collins 56'

| Report |

Rodney Parade, Newport

Attendance: 900

Referee: Charles Breakspear

20 May 2021

18:00 BST

Tranmere Rovers| 1–2| Morecambe

|
|

* Clarke 19'

| Report |

* Knight-Percival 15'
* McAlinden 45+1'

Prenton Park, Birkenhead

Attendance: 3,400

Referee: Darren Drysdale

Second leg

23 May 2021

12:30 BST

Morecambe| 1–1| Tranmere Rovers

|
|

Wildig 9' | Report | Vaughan 53'

Mazuma Stadium, Morecambe

Attendance: 1,558

Referee: Thomas Bramall

Morecambe won 3–2 on aggregate.

23 May 2021

18:30 BST

Forest Green Rovers| 4–3 (a.e.t.)| Newport County

|
|

* Adams 7'
* Collins 8'
* Cadden 53'
* Matt 87'

| Report |

* Ellison 70'
* Labadie 77'
* Maynard 119'

The New Lawn, Nailsworth

Attendance: 1,300

Referee: Martin Coy

Newport County won 5–4 on aggregate.

### Final

[edit]

Main article: 2021 EFL League Two play-off Final

31 May 2021

15:00 BST

Morecambe| 1-0 (a.e.t.)| Newport County

|
|

Mendes Gomes 107' (pen.) | Report |

Wembley Stadium, London

Attendance: 9,083

Referee: Bobby Madley

## References

[edit]

1. ^ "EFL Official Website - Rules & Regulations". www.efl.com. Retrieved 5 May 2021.
2. ^ "EFL confirm play-off dates with games set for when fans are allowed back". talkSPORT. 12 April 2021. Retrieved 5 May 2021.

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English Football League play-offs

Competitions|

* EFL Championship play-offs
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Play-offs|

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League One|

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League Two|

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2020–21 in English men's football

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National teams|

* Senior (2020–21 UEFA Nations League group stage), (UEFA Euro 2020 finals), (2022 FIFA World Cup qualifying round)
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League
competitions|

| Level 1|

* Premier League

|

Levels 2–4|

* English Football League (Championship, League One, League Two, play-offs)

Levels 5–6|

* National League (National, North, South)

Levels 7–8|

* Isthmian League (Premier, North, South Central, South East)
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Levels 9–10|

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Cup
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| FA cups|

* FA Cup (Qualifying rounds, Final)
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|

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competitions|

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|

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Club seasons

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Championship|

* Barnsley
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League Two|

* Barrow
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National League|

* Wrexham

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