Dan George
BBC Sport at St Mary's

A win against Southampton today would secure Stoke City's status as a Championship side for next season, although a point might be enough if other results go their way.

Russell Martin's Saints are coming into this game off the back of two defeats, one at the hands of Cardiff City and a 5-0 thrashing by Leicester.

Southampton cannot drop any lower than fourth but look unlikely to catch any of the sides above them.

They travel to Leeds United on the final game of the season next weekend before their play-off campaign gets under way. Could those two meet again in the final?

Image source, Getty Images

Off the back of their stunning victory against Blackburn last weekend, Sheffield Wednesday actually have a chance of Championship survival.

It wasn't all that long ago that it seemed the Owls would be destined for an immediate return to League One, courtesy of a dreadful start to the season under Xisco Munoz.

But Danny Rohl has inspired what could be one of the all-time comebacks in their pursuit of second tier football next term and they face West Brom today knowing another victory could mean they take an even bigger leap towards safety.

The play-off-destined Baggies arrive at Hillsborough having lost their past two Championship matches, but have won three of their past four visits to Sheffield Wednesday.

Can the Owls continue their push to safety?

Image source, Rex Features

Norwich know that a win against Swansea today will all but wrap up a Championship play-off spot.

It's quite some feat for a side which earlier on this season looked like they were heading down the table and not up.

Indeed, since the start of 2024, only Leeds - with 45 - have won more points in the league than the Canaries' total of 38 and they welcome the Swans with an unbeaten record at home since the turn of the year.

However, Swansea make the trip to Norfolk having won their past three league games and with a clean sheet in each of those games.

Seventh-placed Hull will have a keen eye on Carrow Road ahead of their game against Ipswich this evening.

Image source, Getty Images

While Millwall have clawed themselves away from the bottom three with three wins on the trot in their last three games, Plymouth are very much still in the scrap for survival that could go down to the final day.

A 3-0 defeat by fellow strugglers Stoke last weekend left them precariously two points above Birmingham in 22nd. With Hull to play in their last game, Argyle need four points to ensure they avoid the drop.

The only issue for Plymouth is they’re facing a Millwall side that’s been roaring since Neil Harris took over.

Few managerial changes in the league have been as fruitful, with only Norwich and Cardiff picking up more points (21) than the Lions have (20) since his appointment on 24 February.

Image source, Rex Features

It's now or never for Huddersfield, who have to beat Birmingham today to avoid being relegated to League One this afternoon.

The Terriers are three points from safety and two points behind the Blues and having not won in their last three games - they were hit 4-0 by Swansea last time out - are clinging on by their whiskers.

That being said, Birmingham could also go down today if they lose to Huddersfield and results elsewhere go against them so the stakes could not be higher.

Birmingham manager Gary Rowett said his side had no time to "feel sorry" for themselves and will take some comfort from the fact they came out 4-1 winners when the two sides last met in October.

After two disappointing campaigns struggling at the bottom of the table, Cardiff are looking to end their campaign – and the first in charge for manager Erol Bulut – strongly with a spot in the league top 10.

Consistently has continually been an issue for the Bluebirds, so much so that if they win today they will have won 20 and lost 20 games this season – the first time a team has done so in the second tier since 2001-02.

They come into today with only three wins in their last seven games and face a Middlesbrough side also stuttering as the campaign draws to a close.

Boro are currently two places and one point above Cardiff in ninth but without a win in their last three (one loss, two draws) to end any hope they had of reaching the play-offs.

With Rotherham already relegated and Bristol City comfortably mid-table and nothing to play for in their final two games, this is a match between two sides firmly looking towards next season.

That being said, with this being Rotherham’s final game on the road of the campaign they still have one target to try and achieve – their first away win of the season.

If the Millers fail to leave Ashton Gate with a victory they have the unenviable title of being the first side across England’s top four leagues to go an entire season without an away win since 2016-17. Although, who are the current holders of said title? None other than… Rotherham who also picked up no away wins during their Championship season seven years ago.

Image source, Rex Features

Blackburn are in the midst of a relegation battle after their loss to Sheffield Wednesday last time around but they take on a Coventry side who could still be recovering from their FA Cup semi-final defeat against Manchester United last Sunday.

The Sky Blues were beaten by Hull in midweek, effectively ending their slim chances of a Championship play-off spot.

Can Rovers use their opponents' season coming to a premature end against them?

Well, despite losing 21 league games this season, they've got free-scoring Sammie Szmodics in their ranks.

Szmodics leads the Championship scoring charts with 25 goals this season. Can he fire his side to safety and add to his tally?

We now know of another team who will be playing in the Championship next season after this afternoon's early kick-offs in League One.

Derby County sealed promotion to the second tier having beaten already-relegated Carlisle United on the final day of the season.

Max Bird's fierce swerving shot from outside the box and James Collins got Paul Warne's Rams over the promotion line with a composed close-range finish.

It is Warne's fourth promotion from League One as a manager.

You can read the report from that game here.

Before we get going we definitely need to recap a remarkable Friday night of action.

Leicester were not playing but QPR produced their best performance of the season to shock Leeds, thumping the Whites 4-0 to send the Foxes back to the Premier League.

The surprise loss meant Leeds' automatic promotion hopes are massively dented and while they are still second (for now), Ipswich are only a point behind with a game in hand on them.

Leicester by contrast are on track to amass more than 100 points and can now claim the Championship title on Monday with victory at Preston if third-placed Ipswich fail to beat Hull City tonight.

For QPR, victory secured their survival in the second tier to move them seven points clear of the drop zone.

Blackburn v Coventry

Bristol City v Rotherham United

Cardiff City v Middlesbrough

Huddersfield Town v Birmingham

Millwall v Plymouth

Norwich v Swansea

Sheffield Wednesday v West Brom

Southampton v Stoke

Watford v Sunderland

Hull City v Ipswich (20:00 BST)

Image source, Rex Features

The start of the Championship season on 5 August feels nothing but a distant memory at this point as we approach the crescendo of the campaign and the penultimate weekend of regular season matches.

For almost all of the clubs we're on the 45th match out of 46. We had our first team relegated from the division in Rotherham a few weeks ago, and last night we saw the first club win promotion to the Premier League as Leicester secured their return to the top flight.

There's plenty more of that still to play for - we could see another team relegated to League One this afternoon - with 10 games to bring you.

I suggest you sit tight, settle in and enjoy the drama in all it's glory as it unfolds. There's no league quite like the Championship, is there?