Leeds United and Burnley have secured automatic promotion to the Premier League after a dramatic Monday saw both clubs move out of reach of third-placed Sheffield United in the Championship table.
Scott Parker’s Burnley side beat Sheffield United 2-1 at Turf Moor, courtesy of a brace from Captain Josh Brownhill, after Leeds earlier hammered Stoke City 6-0 at Elland Road to go level with the Clarets on 94 points. The results mean Sheffield United can no longer catch either club, sealing their place in the Championship play-offs.
“I’m speechless. All that hard work this season,” said Brownhill. “We’ve been written off so many times, people calling us boring. We’ve bored our way to the Premier League.”
With two games remaining, the title race remains open between Leeds and Burnley. Leeds host Bristol City before travelling to Plymouth Argyle, while Burnley face QPR away and Millwall at home in their final two fixtures.
Burnley returned to the Premier League at the first attempt after their relegation last season, alongside Sheffield United. Leeds, meanwhile, dropped to the second tier in 2023 and narrowly missed out on promotion last year, losing to Southampton in the Championship play-off final at Wembley.
Parker, who previously guided Fulham and Bournemouth to promotion, praised his team’s discipline and determination: “This one feels more special. I’ve had some bumps in the road as a manager… I’m relieved and happy.”
The Clarets’ promotion was underpinned by an outstanding defensive record—just 15 goals conceded across 44 games—making them one of the most solid teams in the division.
Leeds’ charge back to the Premier League was led by striker Joel Piroe, who netted a hat-trick in the opening 20 minutes against Stoke and added a fourth before the break, as the Whites surged 5-0 ahead by half-time in front of a raucous home crowd.
“Very proud. A lot of positives. The celebrations are amazing. We’ve worked all year for this,” Leeds captain Ethan Ampadu said. “Not to put a dampener on it, we’ve still got another target we want to achieve.”
The promotion means both clubs—each backed by American investment—will now benefit from the financial windfall of top-flight football, with estimated revenues of around $180 million. Leeds are majority-owned by the San Francisco-based 49ers Enterprises, while Burnley have been under the control of ALK Capital since 2020, with ex-NFL star J.J. Watt among their investors.
Reacting to the news, Watt wrote on social media: “WE ARE PREMIER LEAGUE!!!!!!!! Come On Burnley!!!!!”
Sheffield United are guaranteed a play-off spot, with Sunderland and two other clubs also set to compete for the final Premier League berth.
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