League 1 Play-Offs take shape as regular season ends: Clubs involved, new format explained

Over the next few weeks, five League 1 clubs will compete in the pay-offs in a bid to join champions Oldham in the Championship in 2025, but this year, they will have an extra step to take if they are to be successful.

Sunday saw the regular campaign in the third tier come to an end, with the final standings as follows:

As champions, Sean Long’s Roughyeds have earned automatic promotion, meaning they will make the jump to the second tier ahead of 2025.

But for those finishing 2nd – 6th, the season is far from over. For Keighley Cougars, Rochdale Hornets, Hunslet, Midlands Hurricanes and Workington Town, the battle begins.

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League 1 Play-Offs take shape

Those five clubs now enter the play-offs, which have a quite complex nature and normally span four weekends. This year though, that’s extended out to five weekends, as we’ll get on to.

The two games for the first weekend (September 14/15) of the series are now cemented, with Rochdale Hornets (3rd) to host Hunslet (4th) in the qualifying play-off and Midlands Hurricanes (5th) to welcome Workington Town (6th) in the elimination play-off.

Whoever loses the qualifying play-off will get another chance, but the loser of the elimination play-off is straight out.

From there on, it’s easier for us to explain as below…

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Dates for the diary

Week 2: September 21/22

Semi-final 1: 2nd (Keighley Cougars) v Winner of qualifying play-off  – The winner of this tie advances straight through to the promotion play-off final

Semi-final 2: Loser of qualifying play-off v Winner of elimination play-off

Week 3: September 29

Preliminary Final: Loser of Semi-final 1 v Winner of Semi-final 2

Week 4: October 6

League 1 Promotion Play-off Final*: Winner of Semi-final 1 v Winner of Preliminary Final

*To be played at the home of the finalist that finished highest in the league

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New format explained with extra hurdle to jump for promotion

Previously, the winner of the League 1 Promotion Play-off Final would earn promotion, just as Doncaster did last year with their triumph home against North Wales Crusaders.

But not this year. As announced back in March, the Championship will reduce in size to 13 clubs for 2025 while League 1 will increase to 10 teams.

As a result, only the League 1 champions (Oldham) would automatically be promoted, not the play-off winners.

While two Championship clubs will be relegated, whoever wins the League 1 play-offs will face the side that finish third-bottom (12th) in the second tier in a one-off game for a spot in the Championship in 2025.

At the time of writing, with four rounds remaining in the second tier, Whitehaven are the team occupying 12th spot.

And accordingly, if that was how the season ended, the winners of the League 1 play-offs would take on Haven in a one-off game for that last Championship spot.

That game, whoever is involved, will take place on Sunday, October 13 i.e. ‘Week 5’ of the League 1 play-offs.

It will take place at the home of the Championship team involved.

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