Preston vs Wolves: The Championship Stats That Decide The Winner
EFL Championship League Table Explained: A Beginner’s Guide
Welcome to the Championship! This is England’s second-tier football league, where 24 teams battle it out each season. The top teams get promoted to the Premier League, while the bottom teams get relegated to League One.
What Is This Table Showing?
Think of this like a scoreboard for the entire season so far. Each row is a team, and the columns tell you how they’re doing. Since the season just started, most teams have only played 1 or 2 games.
The Top of the Table: Who’s Winning?
Millwall – The Early Leaders
| Stat | Value |
|---|---|
| Position | 1st |
| Games Played | 2 |
| Wins | 2 |
| Draws | 0 |
| Losses | 0 |
| Goals Scored | 5 |
| Goals Conceded | 0 |
| Goal Difference | +5 |
| Points | 6 |
ELI5: Millwall has played two games, won both, scored five goals, and hasn’t let in a single goal. They’re off to a perfect start!
The 3-Point Club (7 Teams Tied)
These teams have played 1 game each, won it, and have 3 points:
| Rank | Team | Goals For | Goals Against | Goal Diff |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2 | Queens Park Rangers | 3 | 1 | +2 |
| 3 | Swansea City | 2 | 1 | +1 |
| 4 | West Bromwich Albion | 2 | 1 | +1 |
| 5 | Bolton Wanderers | 2 | 1 | +1 |
| 6 | Charlton Athletic | 2 | 1 | +1 |
| 7 | Middlesbrough | 2 | 1 | +1 |
| 8 | Watford | 2 | 1 | +1 |
Why are they ranked this way? When teams have the same points, goal difference (goals scored minus goals conceded) decides the order. QPR scored 3 and conceded 1 (+2), so they’re 2nd. The others all have +1.
The Middle: Teams With 1 Point (Draws)
These teams played 1 game each and drew (tied):
| Rank | Team | Goals For | Goals Against |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10 | Birmingham City | 2 | 2 |
| 11 | Blackburn Rovers | 2 | 2 |
| 12 | West Ham United | 2 | 2 |
| 13 | Burnley | 2 | 2 |
| 14 | Wolverhampton Wanderers | 2 | 2 |
| 15 | Wrexham | 1 | 1 |
| 16 | Cardiff City | 1 | 1 |
| 17 | Sheffield United | 0 | 0 |
ELI5: A draw means both teams scored the same number of goals. Each team gets 1 point (winner gets 3, loser gets 0).
The Bottom: Teams Yet to Win
Portsmouth (9th) – Mixed Results
- Played 2 | Won 1 | Lost 1 | Points: 3
- Scored 4, Conceded 4 (Goal Difference: 0)
- Form: Loss, then Win
Bristol City (18th)
- Played 2 | Drew 1 | Lost 1 | Points: 1
- Scored 2, Conceded 4 (Goal Difference: -2)
The Winless (0 Points)
| Rank | Team | Played | Lost | Goals For | Goals Against | Diff |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 19 | Derby County | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | -1 |
| 20 | Preston North End | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | -1 |
| 21 | Stoke City | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | -1 |
| 22 | Lincoln City | 2 | 2 | 2 | 5 | -3 |
| 23 | Norwich City | 2 | 2 | 1 | 5 | -4 |
| 24 | Southampton | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | -1 |
IMPORTANT: Southampton has -4 points! This usually means they received a points deduction (a penalty for breaking financial rules). They lost their only game 1-2, which would normally give them 0 points, but the deduction puts them at -4.
How to Read the "Form" Column
The last column shows last 6 games (oldest first). Since it’s early season, you see:
- Dashes (—) = Games not played yet (from last season or future)
- W = Win
- D = Draw
- L = Loss
Example – Millwall: — — — — W W → No previous games recorded, then two wins this season.
Example – Portsmouth: — — — — L W → Lost their first game, won their second.
Key Terms Explained (ELI5 Style)
| Term | Simple Meaning |
|---|---|
| Played (Pld) | How many games the team has played so far |
| Won (W) | Games they won (3 points each) |
| Drawn (D) | Games that ended in a tie (1 point each) |
| Lost (L) | Games they lost (0 points) |
| Goals For (GF) | Total goals the team scored |
| Goals Against (GA) | Total goals the team let in |
| Goal Difference (GD) | Goals For minus Goals Against |
| Points (Pts) | Total points (Win=3, Draw=1, Loss=0) |
How the Championship Works
- 46 games total per team (play everyone twice – home and away)
- Top 2 → Automatic promotion to Premier League
- 3rd–6th → Playoffs (winner also gets promoted)
- Bottom 3 → Relegated to League One
Current Standings Summary
| Position Range | Teams | Situation |
|---|---|---|
| 1st | Millwall | Perfect start (6 pts) |
| 2nd–8th | 7 teams | 3 pts each (won 1 game) |
| 9th | Portsmouth | 1 win, 1 loss (3 pts) |
| 10th–17th | 8 teams | 1 pt each (drew 1 game) |
| 18th | Bristol City | 1 draw, 1 loss (1 pt) |
| 19th–23rd | 5 teams | 0 pts (lost all games) |
| 24th | Southampton | -4 pts (points deduction) |
What Happens Next?
- More games → The table will change every week!
- Goal difference matters → Teams with same points are separated by GD
- Early days → Don’t panic if your team is low; 44+ games remain!
- Southampton’s deduction → They need to win games just to reach 0 points
FAQ
Why does Southampton have negative points?
A: The league punished them (usually for financial rule-breaking) by taking away points before the season started. They’re essentially starting in a hole.
What does "Goal Difference" mean and why does it matter?
A: It’s Goals Scored minus Goals Conceded. If two teams have the same points, the one with better goal difference ranks higher. It rewards attacking play and strong defense.
How many points do you get for a win/draw/loss?
A: Win = 3 points, Draw = 1 point, Loss = 0 points.
Why have some teams played 2 games and others only 1?
A: Fixture scheduling! Some teams played midweek, others at weekends. By the end of the season, everyone plays 46 games.
What are the "Playoffs"?
A: Teams finishing 3rd–6th play a mini-tournament (semifinals + final). The winner gets the 3rd promotion spot to the Premier League. It’s very exciting and high-stakes!
Summary
- Millwall leads with a perfect 6 points from 2 games
- 7 teams are tied on 3 points, separated by goal difference
- 8 teams have 1 point from draws
- Southampton starts at -4 due to a points deduction
- It’s VERY early — the table will look completely different in a month!
Check back weekly — every game changes the story. That’s the beauty of football!