On 2 May 2016, Leicester City were crowned Premier League champions. An anomaly – as they were given a 5000-to-1 chance of winning the title at the start of the season. Yet, Claudio Ranieri’s men succeeded against the odds. It made the Foxes only the second team, after Blackburn Rovers, from outside the so-called Top Six to have won the topflight during the Premier League era.
At the 10-year anniversary of that remarkable feat, Leicester is in a completely different situation. With the Foxes playing in the League One in 2026/27 after suffering back-to-back relegations from the Premier League.
So, like their championship run, are Leicester’s back-to-back relegations also an anomaly? How often does it happen? And what has caused Leicester and other clubs to face such a doom scenario?
How often do back-to-back relegations happen?
Since the start of the Premier League era in 1992/93 up until the 2024/25 season, there have been five clubs who suffered back-to-back relegations from the topflight to the League One. Apart from Leicester City (2024/25 and 2025/26), Luton Town faced two consecutive drops a season earlier. Immediately after they secured promotion to the Premier League for the first time in 2022/23.
In 2017/18, Sunderland finished last in the Championship. A season after being relegated from the Premier League. Wolverhampton faced the same drop in 2011/12 and 2012/13 and will hope to avoid a similar scenario after being relegated from the topflight this season.
Back in 1993/94 and 1994/95, Swindon Town became the first Premier League side to suffer back-to-back relegations.
Clubs who have suffered back-to-back relegations from the Premier League to the League One since the start of the Premier League era in 1992/93
| Club | Premier League relegation | Championship relegation |
|---|---|---|
| Swindon Town | 1993/94 – 22nd | 1994/95 – 21st |
| Wolverhampton | 2011/12 – 20th | 2012/13 – 23rd |
| Sunderland | 2016/17 – 20th | 2017/18 – 24th |
| Luton Town | 2023/24 – 18th | 2024/25 – 22nd |
| Leicester City | 2024/25 – 18th | 2025/26 – 23rd |
Of the 100 clubs to have been relegated between 1992/93 and 2024/25, five percent have thus suffered two consecutive relegations. Far less than the 30 percent of relegated Premier League sides who immediately secured promotion back from the Championship. With 23 percent securing direct promotion, while seven percent secured it via the playoffs.
Other Big Five leagues
With Leicester City and Luton Town, back-to-back relegations have now happened twice in a five-season period (2020/21-2024/25). During that same period, there were also two Italian teams – Crotone and Salernitana – who suffered consecutive relegations from the topflight to the third division. In Germany, it has happened once during that period (from 10 relegated sides).
Arminia Bielefeld were directly relegated from the German topflight in 2021/22 before losing a relegation playoff in the 2. Bundesliga the following season. In France it did not happen. Nor in Spain. Although with three matchdays to spare, there was still one relegated side in the 2025/26 Segunda División who could suffer another relegation.
Back-to-back relegations further down the English pyramid
Further down the English pyramid, clubs have suffered back-to-back relegations as well. During the five-year period between 2020/21 and 2024/25, there have been no two consecutive relegations between the Championship and the League Two (out of 15 relegated sides). However, two clubs (out of a possible 20) dropped from the League One to the National League during that period. Forest Green Rovers finished last in the 2022/23 League One and the 2023/24 League Two.
While Carlisle United dropped two tiers by coming in last in the 2023/24 League One and second-to-last in the 2024/25 League Two. Carlisle already experienced a back-to-back drop from the second to the fourth tier during the 1985/86 and 1986/87 seasons.
Carlisle United have been relegated ❌
They return to the National League after their 20-year stay in the EFL is over. pic.twitter.com/I1CRu6EI8b
— Match of the Day (@BBCMOTD) April 26, 2025
From the 10 sides relegated from the League Two during the five-year period, two clubs suffered a second consecutive relegation from the National League the following season. Scunthorpe United in 2021/22 and 2022/23 and Morecambe in 2024/25 and 2025/26.
Clubs who have suffered back-to-back relegations further down the English pyramid for clubs first relegated between 2020/21 and 2024/25
| Club | First relegation: league – year | Second relegation: league – year |
|---|---|---|
| Forest Green Rovers | League One – 2022/23 | League Two – 2023/24 |
| Carlisle United | League One – 2023/24 | League Two – 2024/25 |
| Scunthorpe United | League Two – 2021/22 | National League – 2022/23 |
| Morecambe | League Two – 2024/25 | National League – 2025/26 |
Three consecutive relegations
Back-to-back relegations are of course a doom scenario for clubs. However, some clubs and its fans have suffered even worse on-field gloom after facing three consecutive relegations. Bristol City, for example. Between 1979/80 and 1981/82, the club dropped from the Football League First Division (first tier at the time) to the Football League Third Division (third tier).
Wolverhampton repeated this triple relegation scenario between 1983/84 and 1985/86. While Luton Town suffered three consecutive relegations – dropping from the Championship to the League Two – between 2006/07 and 2008/09.
Clubs who have suffered three consecutive relegations in the English pyramid
| Club | Relegation from … to … tier | Seasons |
|---|---|---|
| Bristol City | First to third | 1979/80 – 1981/82 |
| Wolverhampton | First to third | 1983/84 – 1985/86 |
| Luton Town | Second to fourth | 2006/07 – 2008/09 |
2025/26 Premier League sides
Of the 2025/26 Premier League clubs, five – or 25 percent – have suffered back-to-back relegations across their history. Apart from Sunderland and Wolverhampton (twice, including three consecutive relegations), Brighton, Crystal Palace and Fulham have faced this scenario.
Brighton was relegated from the Division Two in 1961/62 and Division Three in 1962/63. While Crystal Palace (1972/73 and 1973/74) and Fulham (1967/68 and 1968/69) were relegated from the Division One and Two.
Back-to-back relegations immediately after promotion
Back-to-back relegations are thus not extremely rare. With some clubs having experienced it more than once. Given the differences in levels between leagues, the expectation would be that clubs would fight for promotion or at the very least comfortably play themselves safe in a lower tier. So, what reasons have contributed to clubs like Leicester City and Luton Town suffering back-to-back relegations.
@tay9h One of the saddest stories #lutontown #sunderlandafc #championship #premierleague ♬ original sound – Tay 9
Noticeable is that some of these clubs just won promotion to the higher level before dropping two tiers. Leicester, Luton and Swindon Town, for example, all had been promoted to the Premier League the season prior to their relegations.
A similar scenario unfolded for Yeovil Town. They won promotion to the Championship, only for them to drop to the League Two in the following two seasons (2013/14 and 2014/15).
This could mean these clubs overperformed by winning promotion in the first place. After their first relegation they may have had a subpar season. Which can happen, but this time it resulted in yet another relegation.
Relegation chances
For Leicester City and Luton Town, a contributing factor could have been that the Championship is one of the most competitive leagues in the world.3 This competitiveness is also reflected in the relegation chances and the difficulty of predicting the league. At the start of the 2025/26 season, for example, Sheffield United were given the lowest chance of finishing in the bottom three (0.5 percent). Ahead of Leicester City (3.9 percent). While Oxford United and Watford were given the highest chance of being relegated with 21.7 percent. Oxford United was indeed relegated, but so was Leicester.
In the Premier League the gap of relegation chances was far larger.4 Arsenal and Liverpool were given a zero percent chance of relegation, while Sunderland was given the highest chance with 66.4 percent.
Financial reasons
Apart from competitiveness, on-field performances are also impacted by governance and finances. With financial mismanagement having brought down more than one club.
As Premier League clubs generate far more revenue than Championship clubs, relegation requires clubs to adjust their spending. Even with relegated sides receiving parachute payments to cover (and incentivise clubs) for more spending in the topflight. Premier League clubs generated on average £316 million in 2023/24.5 Significantly more than the £40 million Championship sides generated on average.
Leicester City, for example, generated £177 million during their Premier League season in 2022/23. After being relegated to the Championship, they earned £105 million. Far above the Championship’s average, yet still 41 percent below their previous season’s revenue.
Although they reduced their wage costs by 48 percent from £206 million (2022/23) to £107 million (2023/24), they still outspent their revenue on wages alone. They also earned and spent far more than the relegated sides. Who on average generated £21.7 million in revenue while spending £24 million on wages. Leicester’s overspending contributed to their promotion back to the 2024/25 Premier League.
However, it also became a factor in their current downfall. During the 2023/24 season, the club breached Profit and Sustainability Rules (PSR). Which resulted in the deduction of six points during the 2025/26 season. Had their appeal not been dismissed, Leicester would have avoided relegation (they would have finished above West Brom, who themselves were deducted two points for breaching PSR).
Financial mismanagement was thus at the core of Leicester’s back-to-back relegations. With the club budgeting for higher finishes and thus more revenue. After missing out on European football and paying for management changes the club had to adjust. Which also influenced their on-field strength and performances.
Re-climbing the English pyramid
Whatever the reasons, financial or sporting, it is possible to come back from back-to-back relegations. After Wolves dropped to the League One in 2013, it took them one season to get back into the Championship. Four seasons later they secured promotion to the Premier League.
Sunderland spent four seasons in the League One after their back-to-back relegations. The Black Cats subsequently spent three seasons in the Championship before winning the promotion playoffs.
Relegations, back-to-back relegations or even three consecutive relegations. It happens and it can have major consequences. Yet, it is exactly the possibility of relegation and promotion that brings a lot of excitement to the competitions.