West Ham has to play an extra game before next season starts after being relegated from the Premier League.
West Ham will have to play an extra game before the 2026/27 Championship season kicks off, after being relegated from the Premier League. Although the Hammers won 3-0 against Leeds on the last day, Spurs’ 1-0 win over Everton means Nuno Espirito Santo’s team will be playing in the second tier for the first time since 2012.
It’s been a tough season for West Ham. They let go of manager Graham Potter after just five Premier League games. When Nuno took over, the team’s form improved, and they would have been five points clear of relegation if the season had started with him in charge—but sadly, it wasn’t enough to stay up.
Relegation will affect West Ham both on and off the field. According to The Athletic, the club may need to sell players worth up to £150 million to cover the expected financial gap in the Championship. London Mayor Sadiq Khan also said taxpayers could lose up to £2.5 million a year because of a deal made by former Mayor Boris Johnson, where the Greater London Authority covers stadium costs in a 99-year agreement.
Next season, the London Stadium will host at least four more games, including cup matches, since the Championship plays 46 matches compared to the Premier League’s 38. West Ham may even have to play a game the week before the Championship starts on August 14.
BBC Sport’s Dale Johnson explains that, because eight English teams will play in Europe next season, the Carabao Cup needs to be rearranged. This means West Ham and Burnley, who finished 18th and 19th, must start in round one, instead of getting a later entry as usual. The early rounds are regional, so West Ham won’t have to travel far if they’re drawn away. They could face teams from the southern section, like Wolves or Crawley Town from League Two.
While the team will focus on these games, a challenging off-season lies ahead as West Ham prepares for life back in the Championship.
After the 3-0 win over Leeds, Nuno told Sky Sports: “It’s a tough day for us, especially for our fans. We knew it would be difficult. We did all we could and hoped for the best, but it didn’t happen. Now, it’s time to feel the sadness. The boys gave their best. Today showed that things could have been different for us, but it didn’t work out. At least we finished with dignity at home with a good win, but that doesn’t take away the sadness. We did many good things and some bad ones, and we were punished for those. I just spoke to the boys—they’re sad about this, but they know we have to feel this sadness and then move forward.”