Football
Scottish Championship relegation 2025/26
The William Hill Championship season is well underway, and some teams are already looking over their shoulders at the threat of relegation.
While the prospect of promotion to the William Hill Premiership is an exciting one for Championship fans, relegation to the Scottish League One is a danger that can’t be overlooked.
Here we take a look at which sides could be fighting for survival come the end of the 2025/26 season.
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The format
Unlike its English equivalent, the Scottish Championship relegation battle is not solely decided by league position. Yes, the club that finishes bottom is automatically relegated, but the same doesn’t go for the team in ninth.
The ninth-placed club enters a play-off with the second, third and fourth-placed clubs from League One. The Championship side plays the fourth-placed team from League One in one semi-final, while second and third from League One face off in the other. The winners of those two play in the final to decide who will compete in the William Hill Championship next season. Both semi-finals and the final are all two-legged ties.
In danger of the drop
Last season’s relegation play-off winners were always likely to be strong candidates to struggle again, and that has proven to be the case for Airdrieonians. The North Lanarkshire club survived relegation after finishing ninth last season, beating Stenhousemuir and Cove Rangers to secure their safety.
They haven’t carried any winning momentum into the 2025/26 season though, sitting rock bottom of the Championship with just four points to their name after 11 matches. It looks a tough ask for them to avoid the bottom two from here.
Airdrieonians will have been hoping to have newly promoted Arbroath beneath them, but the Red Lichties haven’t shown any signs of sinking in the second tier. After 11 games they sit third in the table on 18 points. They’re likelier to have their sights set on promotion than relegation this season.
One of two sides who join Airdrieonians with a single-figure points tally at the 11-game mark is Ross County. With one win and five draws to their name, they’re currently in ninth spot. Relegated from the Premiership after six seasons in the top flight, the Staggies have shown no signs of bouncing straight back. The early sacking of Don Cowie hasn’t paid off yet, as his replacement Tony Docherty tries to steady the ship.
Just one point above Ross County are Queen’s Park. For a club steeped in history, being the oldest association football club in Scotland and the 10th-oldest in the world, Queen’s Park have been away from the big time for far too long. They haven’t played in the top flight of Scottish football since they were relegated in the 1947/48 season. Unfortunately, they haven’t looked like getting back there this season and their focus will now be on remaining in the Championship.
On 11 points and still by no means safe are Greenock Morton. They’ve maintained their place in the Championship since 2015 and have a knack for avoiding the drop. They’ve drifted away from the promotion race and will look to build a similar gap to the bottom of the table now.
