Most Promotions & Relegations in the Premier League
What goes up, must come down. We take a look at the Premier League clubs who have earned the most promotions and clubs to have suffered the most relegations from the Premier League.
Promotions in the Premier League Era
Every season, 3 clubs earn promotion to the Premier League from the Championship. Two qualify automatically, while one comes through the play-offs. Since the league began in 1992, several clubs have built a strong record of returning to the top flight.
5 clubs share the record for the most promotions (5): Norwich City, West Bromwich Albion, Leicester City, Burnley and Sunderland. Sunderland reached that mark after a 2-1 comeback win over Sheffield United in the 2024-25 play-off final at Wembley. Burnley also reached 5 promotions after sealing automatic promotion in 2024-25.
Leicester City’s rise stands out. They won the Championship titles in 2013-14 and 2023-24, added play-off promotions in 1993-94 and 1995-96, and finished second in 2002-03. They later won the Premier League title in 2015-16.
Norwich City secured promotions via title wins in 2003-04, 2018-19 and 2020-21, while also finishing runners-up in 2010-11 and winning the 2015 play-off final. West Brom’s 5 promotions include just one title win (2007-08), with 4 runner-up finishes. They have never been promoted through the play-offs.
Crystal Palace (4 promotions) hold the record for most play-off wins (3) since 1991-92. Fulham, Middlesbrough and Watford also have 4 promotions each.
Coventry City will return to the Premier League after winning the 2025-26 Championship title.
It marks their first promotion since their relegation in 2000-01 under Gordon Strachan.
Leeds United sealed their second promotion in the Premier League era on 21 April 2025, adding to their 2019-20 title-winning campaign under Marcelo Bielsa.
All-Time Promotions to the English Top Flight
English football history goes beyond the Premier League era.
In the all time list, Leicester City lead with 13 promotions and 8 second-tier titles. Birmingham City follow with 12 promotions, while Manchester City have 11 promotions, despite winning the second tier 7 times.
West Brom have 10 promotions, while clubs like Burnley, Sunderland and Norwich City have 9 each.
Clubs That Have Avoided Premier League Relegation
Since 1992, only 7 clubs have never been relegated from the Premier League.
These clubs are Manchester United, Arsenal, Tottenham Hotspur, Liverpool, Everton and Chelsea. Brighton joined the list after their promotion in 2017-18 and have stayed up since.
Manchester City and Arsenal are battling it out for this season’s title that could go down to the wire. You can make your Premier League predictions here.
Most Relegations in Premier League History
Relegation is part of the league’s competitive nature. Some clubs have struggled to stay in the top flight.
Norwich City hold the record with 6 relegations, making them the definition of a “yo-yo club.” Their latest drop came in 2021-22, finishing bottom after promotion in 2020-21. On their last 3 promotions, they went down immediately the next season.
West Bromwich Albion and Leicester City follow with 5 relegations each. West Brom’s last relegation came in 2020-21, while Leicester dropped again in 2024-25, adding to previous relegations in 1994-95, 2001-02, 2003-04 and 2022-23.
4 relegations each have been recorded by Burnley, Middlesbrough, Sheffield United, Sunderland and Watford.
Southampton’s drop in 2024-25 stands out. They were relegated with 7 games remaining, the earliest relegation in Premier League history.
Leicester City and Blackburn Rovers remain the only clubs to have both won the Premier League and suffered relegation in different seasons.
All-Time Relegations from the Top Flight
Wolverhampton Wanderers (Wolves) are the first team to get relegated in the ongoing 2025-26 Premier League, with 5 games left.
They spent all 282 days of the season in the relegation zone, becoming the first side to remain there for an entire campaign since their own 1964-65 season (250/250 days).
Looking beyond the Premier League, Leicester City also hold the unwanted record of 13 relegations from the English top division. Birmingham City follow with 12, while West Brom have 11.
Manchester City have been relegated 10 times in their history despite their modern success.