The EFL promotion play-offs will all be decided at Wembley Stadium this weekend, but will kick off at unorthodox times, all starting one minute past the hour.
Sunderland and Sheffield United will meet first in the capital to fight for the final spot in the Premier League, with the match set to kick off at 3:01pm. Monday’s League Two play-off between AFC Wimbledon and Walsall is pencilled in for the same slot, with Charlton Athletic and Leyton Orient playing for the chance to step up to the Championship at 1:01pm on Sunday.
The same timings were also used in last season’s pla-yoff finals as the EFL look to raise awareness for their ‘Every Minute Matters’ campaign, which aims to encourage football supporters to learn CPR.
A statement released by the EFL reports that last season’s campaign saw over 270,000 football fans learn CPR via the British Heart Foundation’s online tool, RevivR. After the campaign’s successful launch, this season’s enrollment target has been increased to 360,000.
Luton captain, and Wales international, Tom Lockyer is an ambassador for the project after he collapsed with atrial fibrillation in the 2023 Championship play-off final between Luton and Coventry City, which the Hatters went on to win after a penalty shootout. He then suffered a cardiac arrest during a Premier League match against Burnley later that year.
He said: “I was just one of the more than 30,000 people who suffer an out-of-hospital cardiac arrest every year in the UK. I am lucky to be alive today, but the reality is that less than 1 in 10 people usually survive, which is why it’s vital that we continue to raise awareness.
“The symbolic kick-off times are the perfect way to make our lifesaving message impossible to ignore.”
When are the EFL playoff finals?
The Championship, League One, and League Two playoff finals will all take place at Wembley Stadium this weekend.
Championship: Sheffield United vs Sunderland, Saturday, May 24, 3:01pm BST
League One: Charlton vs Leyton Orient, Sunday, May 25, 1:01pm BST
League Two: AFC Wimbledon vs Walsall, Monday, May 26, 3:01pm BST
