Burnley and Leeds United have sealed quick returns to the Premier League, but longer promotion waits are more common than many relegated teams expect upon dipping into the second tier.
Take Sunderland, who have risen back to the top this season for the first time since being relegated in 2016-17, a journey that included relegation to League One.
MORE — FA Cup history: All winners, finals
Here’s a list of the clubs promoted to the Premier League since the naming of the division, plus all of the playoff finals since they began following the 1986-87 season.
Premier League promotion history by season
Bolded teams still in Premier League
1992:93: Newcastle United, West Ham United, Swindon Town
1993-94: Crystal Palace, Nottingham Forest, Leicester City
1994-95: Middlesbrough, Bolton Wanderers
1995-96: Sunderland, Derby County, Leicester City
1996-97: Bolton Wanderers, Barnsley, Crystal Palace
1997-98: Nottingham Forest, Middlesbrough, Charlton Athletic
1998-99: Sunderland, Bradford City, Watford
1999-2000: Charlton Athletic, Manchester City, Ipswich Town
2000-01: Fulham, Blackburn Rovers, Bolton Wanderers
2001-02; Manchester City, West Bromwich Albion, Birmingham City
2002-03: Portsmouth, Leicester City, Wolverhampton Wanderers
2003-04: Norwich City, West Bromwich Albion, Crystal Palace
2004-05: Sunderland, Wigan Athletic, West Ham United
2005-06: Reading, Sheffield United, Watford
2006-07: Sunderland, Birmingham City, Derby County
2007-08: West Bromwich Albion, Stoke City, Hull City
2008-09: Wolverhampton Wanderers, Birmingham City, Burnley
2009-10: Newcastle United, West Bromwich Albion, Blackpool
2010-11: Queens Park Rangers, Norwich City, Swansea City
2011-12: Reading, Southampton, West Ham United
2012-13: Cardiff City, Hull City, Crystal Palace
2013-14: Leicester City, Burnley, Queens Park Rangers
2014-15: Bournemouth, Watford, Norwich City
2015-16: Burnley, Middlesbrough, Hull City
2016-17: Newcastle United, Brighton and Hove Albion, Huddersfield Town
2017-18: Wolverhampton Wanderers, Cardiff City, Fulham
2018-19: Norwich City, Sheffield United, Aston Villa
2019-20: Leeds United, West Bromwich Albion, Fulham
2020-21: Norwich City, Watford, Brentford
2021-22: Fulham, Bournemouth, Nottingham Forest
2022-23: Sheffield United, Burnley, Luton Town
2023-24: Leicester City, Ipswich Town, Southampton
2024-25: Burnley, Leeds United, Sunderland
List of Championship playoff promotional finals
1987: Charlton Athletic 1-1, 2-1 Leeds United (replay)
1988: Middlesbrough 2-1 Chelsea (two legs)
1989: Crystal Palace 4-3 Blackburn Rovers (two legs)
1990: Swindon Town 1-0 Sunderland
1991: Notts County 3-1 Brighton and Hove Albion
1992: Blackburn Rovers 1-0 Leicester City
1993: Swindon Town 4-3 Leicester City
1994: Leicester City 2-1 Derby County
1995: Bolton Wanderers 4-3 Reading
1996: Leicester City 2-1 Crystal Palace
1997: Crystal Palace 1-0 Sheffield United
1998: Charlton Athletic 4-4 (7-6 pens) Sunderland
1999: Watford 2-0 Bolton Wanderers
2000: Ipswich Town 4-2 Barnsley
2001: Bolton Wanderers 3-0 Preston North End
2002: Birmingham City 1-1 (4-2 pens) Norwich City
2003: Wolverhampton Wanderers 3-0 Sheffield United
2004: Crystal Palace 1-0 West Ham United
2005: West Ham United 1-0 Preston North End
2006: Watford 3-0 Leeds United
2007: Derby County 1-0 West Bromwich Albion
2008: Hull City 1-0 Bristol City
2009: Burnley 1-0 Sheffield United
2010: Blackpool 3-2 Cardiff City
2011: Swansea City 4-2 Reading
2012: West Ham United 2-1 Blackpool
2013: Crystal Palace 1-0 (aet) Watford
2014: Queens Park Rangers 1-0 Derby County
2015: Norwich City 2-0 Middlesbrough
2016: Hull City 1-0 Sheffield Wednesday
2017: Huddersfield Town 0-0 (4-3 pens) Reading
2018: Fulham 1-0 Aston Villa
2019: Aston Villa 2-1 Derby County
2020: Fulham 2-1 (aet) Brentford
2021: Brentford 2-0 Swansea City
2022: Nottingham Forest 1-0 Huddersfield Town
2023: Luton Town 1-1 (6-5 pens) Coventry City
2024: Southampton 1-0 Leeds United
2025: Sunderland 2-1 Sheffield United
