Leicester City will play in England’s third tier next season after a dramatic fall from Premier League champions to League One. The club confirmed relegation following a 2-2 draw with Hull City on Tuesday, April 22, 2026, which left them second-to-last in the Championship.
The Midlands club, which won the Premier League in the 2015-16 season at odds of 5,000-1, needed a victory to avoid relegation but could only manage a draw. Leicester had spent the 2023-24 season in the Championship after earning promotion, but their position was severely compromised by a six-point deduction for breaching English Football League financial rules.
Leicester chairman Aiyawatt Srivaddhanaprabha took responsibility for the club’s decline in a statement to fans. “There are no excuses,” he said. “We have experienced the highest highs and now the lowest lows, and the pain is shared by all of us. I am truly sorry for the disappointment we have caused.”
The relegation marks a stunning reversal for a club that celebrated an unprecedented Premier League title win just ten years ago. Leicester had spent the 2014-15 season battling to avoid relegation from the top flight before launching their remarkable title charge that saw them finish 10 points clear of Arsenal at the summit.
In their 142-year history, Leicester have only played one previous season in the third tier of English soccer. They won the League One title in 2008-09 and were promoted back to the Championship. The club also won the FA Cup in 2021 and played in England’s top flight last season before this season’s downturn.
The financial implications of dropping to League One are significant, with broadcast revenue decreasing substantially at lower levels. League One clubs’ average total revenue was reported as $12 million in the 2023-24 season, highlighting the economic challenge facing the club.
Leicester’s relegation comes after they lost their bid to overturn the six-point penalty earlier this month, leaving them mired in the relegation zone with no mathematical chance of avoiding the drop. The punishment stemmed from financial rule violations incurred when they earned promotion to the Championship in the 2023-24 season.
The club’s fall represents one of the most dramatic descents in English football history, moving from Premier League champions to the third division in just a decade. Their 2015-16 title win remains one of the greatest underdog stories in sports history, achieved against odds of 5,000-1.
Looking ahead, Leicester will now face the challenge of rebuilding although competing in League One for the first time since 2008-09. The club’s next official update will likely concern their managerial and playing staff situation as they prepare for life in England’s third tier.
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