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Championship Stadiums: How Packed Are They in the 2026/27 Season?

The Championship remains one of England's toughest football leagues, packed with clubs eager to climb into the Premier League. Every club in this division experiences varied levels of fan support, which is clear when looking at how full their stadiums are during matches.

Bottom Tier: Clubs with Lower Stadium Fill Rates

Blackburn Rovers sit at the bottom for stadium attendance based on capacity, with just 44.7% of Ewood Park filled. This low turnout partly reflects protests against the current owners, Venky's. Above Blackburn, Cardiff City fill 66.5% of their large stadium, ranking 23rd in the league.

Other teams in this lower range include Preston North End, whose Deepdale sees nearly 73% capacity, and Charlton Athletic at The Valley with 71.7%. Wrexham, despite having the second-smallest stadium with 13,341 seats, fill nearly 79% regularly. Just below them is Stoke City with 74.1% at the Bet365 Stadium.

  • 17th: Sheffield United - Bramall Lane - 81.4%
  • 18th: Bristol City - Ashton Gate - 79.4%
  • 19th: Wrexham - Racecourse Ground - 78.9%
  • 20th: Stoke City - Bet365 Stadium - 74.1%
  • 21st: Preston North End - Deepdale - 72.4%
  • 22nd: Charlton Athletic - The Valley - 71.7%
  • 23rd: Cardiff City - Cardiff City Stadium - 66.5%
  • 24th: Blackburn Rovers - Ewood Park - 44.7%

Mid-Table Clubs with Moderate to High Attendance

Derby County's Pride Park Stadium ranks 16th, with attendance dropping due to a poor start to the season. Watford’s Vicarage Road hosts an average crowd of 18,366, filling 85.1% of its seats, though their struggles might impact numbers soon.

Bolton Wanderers (Toughsheet Community Stadium) and Swansea City (Swansea.com Stadium) both draw fans reliably, filling 85.4% and 86.2% of their stadiums respectively. Middlesbrough and Burnley also see strong support, with Middlesbrough’s Riverside Stadium 88.7% full.

Southampton and Birmingham City crack the top 10, each aiming to return to the Premier League.

  • 9th: Southampton - St Mary's Stadium - 90.7%
  • 10th: Birmingham City - St Andrew's @ Knighthead Park - 89.8%
  • 11th: Burnley - Turf Moor - 89.5%
  • 12th: Middlesbrough - Riverside Stadium - 88.7%
  • 13th: Swansea City - Swansea.com Stadium - 86.2%
  • 14th: Bolton Wanderers - Toughsheet Community Stadium - 85.4%
  • 15th: Watford - Vicarage Road - 85.1%
  • 16th: Derby County - Pride Park - 83.8%

Top Clubs Leading Stadium Attendance

West Bromwich Albion (The Hawthorns) fills 91.5% of its seats, while Queens Park Rangers at MATRADE Loftus Road reach 91.7%. Wolverhampton Wanderers boast an impressive 94.9% capacity at Molineux Stadium.

Millwall fill almost all of their 20,146-seat The Den, with only about 1,000 seats empty per match. Surprisingly, Norwich City maintains 95.2% capacity at Carrow Road despite a tough season so far.

Portsmouth’s Fratton Park comes third, showing strong fan loyalty despite recent struggles. West Ham United ranks second, with the London Stadium nearly sold out at 97.8%, an impressive feat given its 62,500-seat size.

Topping the list is Lincoln City at the ProAmpac Stadium, boasting a 97.9% fill rate. Their ground is the smallest in the league with just 10,780 seats, but the fans clearly show up in force.

  • 1st: Lincoln City - ProAmpac Stadium - 97.9%
  • 2nd: West Ham United - London Stadium - 97.8%
  • 3rd: Portsmouth - Fratton Park - 97.0%
  • 4th: Norwich City - Carrow Road - 95.2%
  • 5th: Millwall - The Den - 94.9%
  • 6th: Wolverhampton Wanderers - Molineux Stadium - 94.5%
  • 7th: Queens Park Rangers - MATRADE Loftus Road - 91.7%
  • 8th: West Bromwich Albion - The Hawthorns - 91.5%

These figures come from Transfermarkt, reflecting stadium occupancy as of October 29, 2026. They reveal the passion and dedication of fans across the Championship, regardless of club size or recent success.

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