Wembley play-off final date confirmed

THE Championship campaign will end on August 4 after the English Football League confirmed the dates for the play-offs.

The regular season in the second tier is due to restart on Saturday, having been suspended since March 13 due to the coronavirus pandemic.

The EFL announced on Friday that the semi-final first legs will be played on July 26 and 27, with the return matches taking place on July 29 and

30.

Wembley will then play host to the final, which is widely regarded as the most lucrative match in the world with the winner gaining promotion to the Premier League.

The value of the 2019 final was placed at a minimum of £170million to the victors, who on that occasion were Aston Villa.

Cardiff City and Swansea City both have strong aspirations of finishing in the play-off places.

The Bluebirds are currently ninth in the table, just two points off the top six. As for Swansea, they are 11th, three points adrift of the play-off spots.

■ Footballers will require a minimum of three weeks’ complete rest between the 2019-20 and 2020-21 campaigns before starting pre-season training, the world players’ union has advised.

The suspension of leagues around the world due to the coronavirus pandemic has led to many competitions being forced to resume in the summer months.

The desire to play the full 2020-21 season as normal means that many competitions, such as the Premier League, will be looking to start up again in September.

TODAY’S FIXTURES

Premier League

AFC Bournemouth v Crystal Palace (7.45), Brighton v Arsenal, Watford v Leicester (12.30), West Ham v Wolverhampton (5.30) Sky Bet Championship

Blackburn v Bristol City, Fulham v Brentford (12.30), Huddersfield v Wigan, Hull v Charlton, Luton v Preston North End, Middlesbrough v Swansea (12.30), Millwall v Derby (1.00), QPR v Barnsley, Reading v Stoke, Sheff Wed v Nottm Forest, West Brom v Birmingham

TOMORROW

Premier League

Aston Villa v Chelsea (4.15), Everton v Liverpool (7.00), Newcastle v Sheff Utd (2.00).

Sky Bet Championship

Cardiff v Leeds (12.00)