League One Teams Guide 2026/27

Functioning as the third level of the English football league system, League One contains 24 sides in accordance with EFL regulations.

The division contains a mix of outfits that were relegated from the Championship at the end of the 2025/26 season, sides promoted from League Two, while the other League One teams will have consolidated their status from the previous campaign.

This in-depth guide gives you the full lowdown on League One. From dissecting the League One teams for the 26/27 campaign through to stadiums and explaining how promotion and relegation work, we will plug any gaps in your knowledge.

League One Teams 2026/27

At the end of May, the full list of League One teams for the 2026/27 campaign was confirmed, and they are:

• AFC Wimbledon
• Barnsley
• Blackpool
• Bradford City
• Bromley
• Burton Albion
• Cambridge United
• Doncaster Rovers
• Huddersfield
• Leicester City
• Leyton Orient
• Luton Town
• Mansfield Town
• Milton Keynes Dons
• Notts County
• Oxford United
• Peterborough United
• Plymouth Argyle
• Reading
• Sheffield Wednesday
• Stevenage
• Stockport County
• Wigan Athletic
• Wycombe Wanderers

League One Teams A-H

AFC Wimbledon – Having previously shared a ground with Crystal Palace, AFC Wimbledon stayed in League One despite finishing a lowly 19th the previous campaign.

Barnsley – Staging games at Oakwell, Barnsley toiled last term, but a 15th-place finish preserved their League One status.

Blackpool – Blackpool play at Bloomfield Road in Lancashire and remained in League One following the 2025/26 season.

Bradford City – Bradford City play at Mbanq Valley Parade in West Yorkshire and remained in League One for 2026/27.

Bromley – The London-based outfit were unbeaten at home last term. They will be one of the newest League One clubs following promotion from League Two, appearing in the league for the first time in their history in 2026/27.

Burton Albion – The 6,900-capacity Pirelli Stadium will witness League One football for the eighth consecutive season.

Cambridge United – The Abbey Stadium has been Cambridge’s home since 1932. They were promoted to League One, boasting the EFL’s strongest defensive record, conceding 33 goals from 46 games.

Doncaster Rovers – A stone’s throw from their former home, Belle Vue, Doncaster Rovers finished 14th last season to ensure another campaign of League One football.

Huddersfield Town – Known as ‘The Terriers’, Huddersfield will be looking to build upon a top-10 finish in 2026/27.

League One Teams L-P

Leicester City – A points deduction saw Leicester slide from the Championship to League One. This was a serious fall from grace for a side that were crowned Premier League champions in 2016.

Leyton Orient – Referred to as the BetWright Stadium for commercial reasons, Leyton Orient kept their heads above water in League One after finishing 20th last season.

Luton Town – The Hatters play at Kenilworth Road, and they will be hoping to build on last season, when they missed out on the play-offs by a single point.

Mansfield Town – Plans are in place to extend one of the One Call Stadium stands. Mansfield Town finished 10th in the previous League One campaign.

Milton Keynes Dons – Entertaining crowds of more than 30,000, MK Dons went up to League One. It was manager Paul Warne’s fifth promotion after experiencing promotion with Rotherham United (three times) and Derby County (once).

Notts County – After an 11-year absence, Notts County will return as one of the League One teams for 26/27 after going up via the play-offs.

Oxford United – Hopes of a third year spent in the Championship were dashed after a torrid campaign saw The U’s hurtle into League One.

Peterborough United – The Posh, who redeveloped their ground, will take their place once again in League One after finishing 18th last term.

Plymouth Argyle – Home Park is one of the most characterful stadiums in League One. Plymouth were just two points adrift of the play-offs last term.

 

League One Teams R-W

Reading – Commercial reasons saw a change to the Madejski Stadium, which was previously named after the club’s former owner, John Madejski. Reading achieved a mid-table finish in League One last term.

Sheffield Wednesday – Hillsborough is synonymous with the disaster of April 1989. And financial wrongdoings saw the Owls drop into League One.

Stevenage – Fans who attend games at Broadhall Way will be seeking a change in fortune after Stevenage slipped up in the play-off semi-finals last season.

Stockport County – Stockport County will have to go again in League One after a 4-1 drubbing at the hands of Bolton in the play-off final last season.

Wigan Athletic – The Brick Community Stadium has held umpteen Premier League and Rugby League matches. Wigan remained in League One for 26/27 after finishing 16th last term.

Wycombe Wanderers – Adams Park boasts plenty of history for Wycombe who were 11th last term. They will play League One football once again.

 

Which Teams Joined League One for 2026/27?

In this section, we have distinguished between League One’s new arrivals and the sides that rejoined the division following promotion from League Two.

Teams Relegated from the Championship

• Leicester City – Following a breach of EFL financial rules, Leicester were docked six points, and they will be playing in the third tier of English football for the first time since 2008/09.
• Oxford United – After a sticky second half of the season, Oxford’s two-year spell in the Championship came to an end.
• Sheffield Wednesday – The club, which was previously put into administration due to financial difficulties, finished rock bottom in the Championship, ensuring their demotion to League One.

Teams Promoted from League Two

• Bromley – 11 years ago, they were competing in the National League South, but Bromley are one of the new League One teams, taking their bow for the first time in 26/27.
• MK Dons – A run of 14 matches without defeat last term saw MK Dons go up as one of the automatically promoted sides.
• Cambridge United – The Abbey was a fortress for Cambridge, who returned to League One after a solitary campaign in League Two.
• Notts County – After overcoming ownership and financial challenges, Notts County are back in League One for the first time in over a decade.

NB: The promotion and relegation structure of the EFL means there will be changes each season to the League One line-up.

 

How Does EFL League One Work?

In this segment of the guide, we will examine the format and framework of League One. 

 

Number of Teams and Matches

As per EFL regulations, League One has 24 clubs. Taking on a double round-robin format, each team plays every other club twice, once at home and once away.

Therefore, across a standard season, the other 23 teams will play 46 matches (23×2). The points system hasn’t deviated, with three points secured for a win, one allocated for a draw, and zero for a defeat.

 

Promotion to the Championship

To ascend to the Championship, the following needs to happen:

• The top two teams seal an automatic promotion berth.
• Teams that finish third to sixth enter the play-offs.
• Whoever comes through the play-offs unscathed will earn the third promotion spot.

 

Relegation to League Two

The teams who end the campaign in the bottom four of League One drop down to the fourth tier of English football. They will be replaced by four League Two teams, of which three go up automatically, while the other will come through via the play-offs.

 

Where Are League One Teams Based?

League One is quite diverse in terms of representation, with clubs scattered all over England. Inevitably, a significant geographical spread can mean clubs cover substantial distances travelling to games, which can add to the mental toll during a 46-game season.

London, for example, has a healthy contingent of teams, with AFC Wimbledon, Bromley, and Leyton Orient all hailing from the Capital. However, this is overshadowed by the plethora of Yorkshire-based clubs, which includes Bradford City, Barnsley, Huddersfield Town, Doncaster Rovers and Sheffield Wednesday.

 

Frequently Asked Questions About League One Teams

How many teams are in League One?

League One contains 24 teams, with sides spread all over England.

Which teams were relegated to League One in 2026?

The three teams relegated from the Championship last season were Leicester City, Oxford United, and Sheffield Wednesday.

Which teams were promoted to League One in 2026?

Bromley, MK Dons, Cambridge United, and Notts County came up from League Two.

How many League One teams are promoted?

There are three clubs that are promoted each season. Two will go up automatically, while the other will enter the Championship via the play-offs.

How many League One teams are relegated?

The bottom four are relegated to League Two.

 

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