Home of football statistics and historyThe 2025/26 season produced plenty of intriguing storylines in England, with each of the four divisions keeping fans thoroughly entertained.
Without further ado, read on as we review the Premier League, Championship, League One and League Two campaigns.
Premier League
Arsenal and Manchester City engaged in a ding-dong title battle in the Premier League, while the chasing pack watched on from a respectful distance.
The Gunners eventually clinched top spot, ending a 22-year wait to win the title. City finished second and are now looking for a new manager.
Pep Guardiola’s decision to step down ends his glittering era with the club and leaves his predecessor with massive shoes to fill.
Elsewhere, Manchester United enjoyed a resurgence after sacking Ruben Amorim and appointing former midfielder Michael Carrick as interim manager.
The Red Devils comfortably qualified for the Champions League and Carrick was rewarded by being handed the managerial role on a permanent basis.
Aston Villa had a fine season, claiming fourth place in the standings and winning the Europa League. By contrast, fifth-placed Liverpool were underwhelming.
Bournemouth, Sunderland and Brighton & Hove Albion filled the final European qualification spots, which left some big clubs with egg on their faces.
They include Chelsea and Tottenham Hotspur. The latter narrowly avoided relegation, with West Ham United, Burnley and Wolverhampton Wanderers finishing in the bottom three.
Championship
Coventry City were worthy winners of the Championship, ending the season 11 points clear of runners-up Ipswich Town.
Winning promotion handed Sky Blues manager Frank Lampard a modicum of redemption after disappointing spells in charge of Everton and Chelsea.
Southampton provided the major talking point in the second tier by being booted out of the play-offs after being found guilty of spying on other teams.
Semi-final victims Middlesbrough failed to capitalise after being reinstated, losing 1-0 to Hull City in a low-quality final at Wembley Stadium.
Wrexham narrowly missed out on the post-season shoot-out after drawing 2-2 with Middlesbrough in their final fixture.
Sheffield Wednesday, Leicester City and Oxford United finished in the bottom three and will be playing in League One next season.
Blackburn Rovers can count themselves fortunate to still be in the Championship after yet another dismal campaign under owners Venky’s.
But for points deductions handed to other teams, the 1994/95 Premier League winners would have finished in the relegation zone.
League One
Lincoln City had a phenomenal season in League One, collecting 103 points to return to the second tier after a 65-year absence.
The Imps were in non-League just nine years ago, but earned promotion to League Two in 2017 and to League One in 2019.
Cardiff City comfortably took the second automatic promotion spot to ensure there will be three Welsh clubs playing in the Championship next season.
Bolton Wanderers are back in the Championship after a memorable 4-1 victory over Stockport County in the play-off final.
Backed by nearly 30,000 fans on a sweltering afternoon at Wembley, Bolton secured promotion to end a seven-year absence from the second tier.
They had to do it the hard way, missing out on the automatic promotion places on the final day of the regular season before bouncing back in the play-offs.
The result was further Wembley heartache for Stockport, who were defeated by Luton Town in the EFL Trophy final last month.
Northampton Town, Rotherham United, Port Vale and Exeter City filled the bottom four places and have been relegated to League Two.
League Two
Bromley were promoted to League One for the first time in their history with two games of the season to spare.
The Ravens took 132 years to climb into the English Football League (EFL), but they have reached the third tier in just their second season.
The small community club, which is located in London, has achieved the feat on the back of hard work and collective spirit.
Milton Keynes Dons have returned to the third tier for the first time since 2023 after securing their fourth promotion in the EFL.
Paul Warne enhanced his record as a promotion specialist, achieving the feat for fifth time in his managerial career (Rotherham United x3 & Derby County).
Cambridge United secured the third automatic promotion spot, finishing one point ahead of Salford City in the final standings.
Salford subsequently fell short in the play-offs, with Notts County claiming an emphatic 3-0 victory in the decisive game at Wembley.
The result ended Notts County’s 11-year absence from League One, and moved one of the EFL’s founder members back up the pyramid.
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