The top two teams of the 2023–24 EFL Championship, Leicester City and Ipswich Town, gained automatic promotion, while the clubs that placed from third to sixth took part in the 2024 English Football League play-offs.

Leeds United finished the regular 2023–24 season in third place in the EFL Championship, the second tier of the English football league system.

[7][8] The first legs of the semi-finals took place on 12 May, contested between Norwich City and Leeds United at Carrow Road, and between West Bromwich Albion and Southampton at The Hawthorns.

Leeds were later awarded a free-kick after a foul on Joe Rodon, which Ilia Gruev took; he deceived Norwich goalkeeper Angus Gunn into expecting a cross, but instead shot towards the near post to make it 1–0 in the seventh minute.

Southampton opened the scoring in the second half in the 49th minute as Will Smallbone struck the ball from an angle to put it past West Brom goalkeeper Alex Palmer and give his team a 1–0 advantage.

Cédric Kipré scored a header in injury time to give West Brom a consolation goal, but Southampton won 3–1 on aggregate to qualify for the play-off final.

In the 5th minute, Crysencio Summerville was fouled by Flynn Downes just outside the Southampton penalty area and he delivered a free-kick towards the back post where Joe Rodon won the initial header but Jack Stephens cleared it away from danger.

Taylor Harwood-Bellis fired a pass to Will Smallbone in the 9th minute who flicked the ball to David Brooks and he won a free-kick for Southampton after foul on him by Junior Firpo.

In the 13th minute, Rodon made a challenge on Joe Aribo just outside the Leeds penalty area and they won another free-kick which Smallbone took but Illan Meslier palmed it behind for a corner kick.

However, Leeds won the ball back and Georginio Rutter looked to pick out Glen Kamara but Summerville fouled Brooks and gave away a free-kick.

In the last minute of first-half regulation time Southampton won a free-kick, which Smallbone clipped over the wall towards Armstrong who took a shot but Meslier saved it and Rodon cleared the ball out of danger.

[39] Southampton kicked-off the second half with an early opportunity for the Saints in the 48th minute with Edozie cutting it back to Stephens but his shot was blocked.

A minute later, Harwood-Bellis was the latest player to be booked for a foul on Rutter with Summerville delivering the resulting free-kick which was put behind for a corner kick which Leeds played short before crossing it towards the back post where Aribo headed it away from danger.

In the 94th minute, Rutter's flick found Anthony on the left-hand side of the penalty area and he passed it to James whose shot was palmed away from danger by Alex McCarthy.

The Saints managed to hold-on to secure promotion to the Premier League at the first attempt and condemn Leeds to another season in the EFL Championship.