EFL CEO Trevor Birch to leave after 2026–27 season
Trevor Birch will step down as chief executive of the EFL at the end of the 2026–27 season, triggering a leadership transition at a time of regulatory change and growing commercial pressure across the 72-club pyramid.
EFL chief executive Trevor Birch has told the league’s board he will leave his role at the end of the 2026–27 season, giving the organisation a 12-month runway to plan a handover.The announcement matters commercially because the EFL’s central strategy touches media value, financial regulation, competitive format and the operating conditions that shape club sustainability across the Championship, League One and League Two.Birch, 68, has been in the position since 2021 and previously held senior roles at clubs including Tottenham Hotspur, Chelsea and Leeds United.EFL chairman Rick Parry said: “Trevor has led the EFL with clarity and commitment during an important period for the League. The Board is thankful for his contribution and fully supports the approach being taken to ensure an orderly handover and continued stability in the 12 months ahead.”Birch’s tenure has been defined by policy and stakeholder management as much as day-to-day league operations, with the EFL balancing club interests, fan expectations and the evolving regulatory landscape in English football.One of the most visible recent changes under his leadership has been the Championship play-offs expanding from four to six teams, a format adjustment due to take effect next season and designed to add competitive jeopardy and additional high-value fixtures.Birch has also been a vocal participant in wider domestic debates about scheduling and commercial trade-offs, including criticism of the decision to remove FA Cup replays, a move that was argued to reduce revenue opportunities for lower-league clubs.The timing of his planned exit gives the EFL the chance to manage recruitment, stakeholder engagement and governance continuity across a full season, rather than forcing a mid-cycle change that can disrupt major negotiations.It also lands as clubs face pressure to modernise commercial operations, manage cost growth and defend sporting integrity, with the EFL central body increasingly required to act as both competition organiser and stability mechanism for its members.The EFL did not announce a successor, and Birch is expected to remain in post throughout next season while the board puts arrangements in place for the league’s next phase of leadership.