Coventry City could be just 90 minutes away from a Premier League return for the 2023/24 season as they prepare to take on Luton Town in the 2023 EFL Championship playoff final.
The Sky Blues are riding a wave of positivity, after years of financial uncertainty and stadium changes, and they will be aiming to cap that by beating Luton in the final on May 27 at Wembley Stadium.
A Premier League promotion would be an incredible turnaround for the club, with new owner Doug King leading them out of the misery of the previous Sisu Capital era in little more than 12 months.
With Burnley and Sheffield United already clinching automatic promotion, Coventry will be looking to block Luton’s drive to reach the Premier League for the first time in the winner-takes-all showdown.
MORE: Teams promoted to Premier League 2023: Who earned promotion
Have Coventry City played in the Premier League?
Coventry were one of the 22 teams included in the inaugural Premier League season in 1992/93, spending nine successive seasons in the top division, before suffering relegation in 2001.
That was the end of Coventry’s time as a Premier League side, as they slipped down the league pyramid in the following years, including a season in the fourth tier (EFL League Two) in 2017/18.
Robbie Keane scored this brilliant flick for Coventry against Arsenal in 1999.
What a finish! ⚽️👏 #CCFC #PUSB pic.twitter.com/EaLtmyz4w9
— Football Remind (@FootballRemind) November 19, 2021
The club’s status in the 1990s was that of a solid mid-table team, but the financial implosion of relegation saw them unable to subsequently mount a serious challenge to return to the top flight.
Coventry City Premier League record
| Season | Points | League Finish | Top PL Scorer |
| 1992/93 | 52 | 15th | Micky Quinn (17) |
| 1993/94 | 56 | 11th | Peter Ndlovu (11) |
| 1994/95 | 50 | 16th | Dion Dublin (13) |
| 1995/96 | 38 | 16th | Dion Dublin (14) |
| 1996/97 | 41 | 17th | Dion Dublin (13) |
| 1997/98 | 52 | 11th | Dion Dublin (18) |
| 1998/99 | 42 | 15th | Noel Whelan (10) |
| 1999/2000 | 44 | 14th | Robbie Keane (12) |
| 2000/01 | 34 | 19th | Craig Bellamy, John Hartson, Mustapha Hadji (6) |
Coventry City’s Premier League promotion attempts
Ironically, Coventry finished one place above Luton in the final First Division season (before the 1992/93 creation of the Premier League) to secure their Premier League status at the expense of the Hatters.
After relegation in 2001, Coventry’s star faded fast, finishing 11th in the second tier in their first campaign outside of the Premier League, in 2002.
They failed to make an impact on the playoff spots in the following years, with an eighth place finish in 2006 the closest they came to breaking into the top six.
On their return to the EFL Championship in 2020, Coventry sealed two mid-table finishes, before ending up in fifth in 2023.
When is the 2023 EFL Championship playoff final?
The 2022/23 EFL Championship playoff final is set for Saturday, May 27, with a kickoff time of 4:45pm (UK time).
Here’s how that time translates in time zones across the world:
2022/23 EFL Championship playoff final date, time
| Date | Kickoff time | |
| USA | Sat, May. 27 | 11:45 a.m. ET |
| Canada | Sat, May. 27 | 11:45 a.m. ET |
| UK | Sat, May. 27 | 4:45 p.m. BST |
| India | Sat, May. 27 | 9:15 p.m. IST |
| Australia | Sun, May. 28 | 1:45 a.m. AEDT |
| Hong Kong | Sat, May. 27 | 11:45 p.m. HKT |
| Malaysia | Sat, May. 27 | 11:45 p.m. MYT |
| Singapore | Sat, May. 27 | 11:45 p.m. SGT |
| New Zealand | Sun, May. 28 | 3:45 a.m. NZST |
Who is playing in the 2023 EFL Championship playoff final?
Coventry secured a 1-0 aggregate-goal win over Middlesbrough to seal a final spot, as Luton fought back against Sunderland to win 3-2 on aggregate over two legs and book their place.
| Match | Date | Kickoff Time (GMT/ET) |
| Luton Town vs. Coventry City |
Sat, May 27, 2023 | 4:45 p.m. / 11:45 a.m. |
Published at Sat, 27 May 2023 14:53:00 +0000
