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The history of English Championship football
The EFL Championship was established in 2004 as the second tier of English football, replacing the First Division. It is the wealthiest non-top-flight football division in the world and the seventh-richest league in Europe.
The league consists of 24 teams that play each other twice (home and away). The top two teams are automatically promoted to the Premier League, while teams finishing 3rd to 6th compete in a playoff for the final promotion spot.
The Championship is known for its competitive nature and the playoff system, which creates dramatic end-of-season battles for promotion to the Premier League.