Leicester City will drop to England’s third tier next season, just ten years after their historic Premier League title win in 2016.
The club confirmed the relegation following a 2-2 draw with Hull City on Tuesday, April 21, 2026, which left them second from bottom in the Championship.
Relegation comes after Leicester was docked six points in February for breaching the English Football League’s financial rules related to their promotion in the 2023-24 season.
The club lost its appeal against the points deduction earlier this month, cementing their place in the relegation zone.
Leicester famously won the Premier League in 2015-16 at odds of 5,000 to 1 under manager Claudio Ranieri, finishing ten points clear of Arsenal.
They too won the FA Cup in 2021, defeating Chelsea in the final.
Before the 2016 title triumph, Leicester had spent the 2014-15 season battling relegation from the top flight, saved only by an unlikely late-season winning run.
The club has played just one previous season in England’s third tier in its 142-year history, winning the League One title in 2008-09 before returning to the Championship.
Their most recent top-flight stint ended in the 2022-23 season, when they were relegated from the Premier League.
Leicester returned to the Premier League the following season but were relegated again after the 2024-25 campaign.
The drop to League One marks the first time Leicester will play in the third division since 2009.
Broadcast revenue is expected to decrease significantly as a consequence of the relegation, given the reduced television rights income at lower levels of the English football pyramid.
Coventry City has secured promotion to the Premier League for next season, while Millwall, Ipswich Town and Southampton remain in contention for the second automatic promotion spot from the Championship.
Leicester’s next official fixture will be the opening match of the 2026-27 League One season, though the exact date and opponent have not yet been confirmed by the English Football League.
Stay tuned to Archysport for updates on Leicester City’s journey in League One and reaction from fans, players and club officials.
