Championship 2025/26 outright winner predictions: Will This Be the Year One Club Storms the Championship?

The countdown to the new EFL Championship campaign is nearly over, and anticipation is reaching its peak. While the Premier League often grabs the headlines, English football’s second tier is arguably just as captivating — if not more so — when it comes to sheer unpredictability and depth of competition. This year, the battleground is set for another intense promotion race, with several historically significant clubs vying to return to the top flight. Read on to find our best bet for Championship 2025/26 outright winner market.

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Championship outright winner betting tips

Who Will Rise Above the Chaos in the Championship This Season?
  • Birmingham won League One with an astounding 111 points last season — a record-breaking total.
  • Eight new players have already joined the Blues’ ranks this summer, reinforcing a squad already built for success.
  • Bookmakers price Birmingham at 8/1 or shorter across most outlets, putting them among the top four favourites despite being newly promoted.

Our Best Bet

Birmingham to Win the Championship
7/1 - odds when tipped
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Reasoning
Birmingham City possess momentum, depth and strategic clarity after a dominant League One campaign. With smart summer recruitment and no managerial instability, they look well-positioned to challenge for the top spot in the Championship. Backed by significant investment and a defined vision, they are our strongest pick for outright winners.

Birmingham City, Sheffield United, Southampton, Leicester and recently relegated Ipswich Town are among those tipped to be major contenders, with bookmakers’ odds reflecting both ambition and pressure. Yet behind the numbers, each side brings a different narrative — one shaped by summer activity, managerial direction, and organisational philosophy. Some, like Southampton and Leicester, are trying to recover after bottom-of-the-table finishes in the Premier League. Others, like Coventry City and Middlesbrough, have been building patiently toward sustained contention.

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What adds further spice to the 2025/26 campaign is the presence of ambitious newly promoted sides such as Wrexham and Birmingham, both of whom carry momentum and significant financial backing. Meanwhile, uncertainty around squads, managerial transitions, and transfer dealings ensures there are no certainties — only possibilities.

As always, three promotion places are up for grabs — two automatic, and one decided via a gruelling play-off format that ends in the high-stakes final at Wembley. With stakes this high, even the smallest of details could determine the trajectory of an entire season.


Best Bet – Birmingham to Win the Championship

At BettingTips4You, we don’t believe in overwhelming readers with a long list of selections. Our philosophy is clear: focus on one standout prediction per event. Not only does this keep things simple for those placing wagers, but it also helps us remain transparent and measurable in our performance across the season. For the upcoming Championship season, our most confident selection is Birmingham City to win the league outright.

Why Birmingham City Are Worth Backing

Birmingham enter the Championship as a freshly promoted side — but don’t let that tag mislead you. This is not a typical newly promoted team merely hoping to survive; this is a club built to challenge from the outset. Their dominance in League One was emphatic, culminating in a record-breaking 111-point campaign that spoke volumes about the quality and consistency in the squad.

Unlike many sides that falter after promotion, Birmingham haven’t stood still. Under the leadership of Chris Davies — backed by the ambitious Knighthead ownership group — they’ve made a string of calculated moves in the market. Signings such as Kyogo Furuhashi and Demarai Gray bring top-level experience and attacking flair, while the club have already added eight players before the season has even kicked off, giving them a head start in terms of squad cohesion and tactical preparation.

The depth and balance across the team are further amplified by their long-term strategy and infrastructure investment, including plans for a new stadium as part of Birmingham’s wider Sports Quarter initiative. The club isn’t just planning for a good season — they are laying the foundations for a Premier League future.

Moreover, unlike several competitors, Birmingham are not dealing with the instability that comes from managerial upheaval or a mass exodus of players. They have retained the majority of the squad that delivered in League One and added Championship-level quality to the mix. This puts them in a strong position to carry momentum through to a division known for its chaotic nature.

While others in the betting markets come with caveats — Southampton adjusting to a new manager, Ipswich adapting after losing their main striker, and Sheffield United under new leadership — Birmingham appear settled, motivated, and well-equipped. That combination is rare in this league and makes them a serious title threat.


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Gram Dodd
15-year veteran in the sports writing industry who has written betting previews for NFL, golf, football, racing, and tennis. Sports event of all time: the Miracle of Istanbul.