English League One predictions and betting tips

The English third tier is one of the most popular divisions when it comes to betting. It is always hugely competitive, and there are many familiar names in the division, including several former Premier League clubs. The season gets underway in the middle of August and will conclude in May with the play-offs. These will determine which team will be promoted to the Championship alongside the top two.

Here at MightyTips, our analysts are dedicated to following the progress of this division and will provide you with everything from League 1 outright predictions to betting previews of key matches involving the promotion-chasing teams. Our League One predictions 2026/27 will cover every single matchday, focusing on current form, key injuries and head-to-head records.

Who will win the EFL League One 2026/27?

Leicester City have been stuck in a cycle since 2023, moving between divisions every season. However, the 2025/26 campaign was their lowest point. The Foxes were relegated to League One for the first time since 2009.

Exactly because of this, we predict Leicester to finish top of the league and earn promotion back to the Championship at the very first attempt. They have plenty of experience at the highest level, and they also appointed Russell Martin as their new manager this summer. The team is also going through big changes, with plenty of players coming in and leaving the club. It might take some time for Martin to get everything right, but Leicester should feel comfortable at this level of football.

Prediction: Leicester City will finish first.

Who will be promoted from League One?

Besides Leicester, who we expect to earn an automatic promotion, Stockport County cannot be ignored. Since winning promotion from League Two in 2024, they have finished third in League One in back-to-back seasons. Last year ended in disappointment with a 4-1 defeat to Bolton in the play-off final, but that should not overshadow how consistent this team has been.

Stockport have built their squad patiently over the last few years instead of chasing quick success. They also brought in fresh blood this summer by appointing Jimmy McNulty as the new head coach.

Our third pick is Luton Town. After suffering back-to-back relegations, the club finally looks to be moving in the right direction again. Jack Wilshere took charge partway through last season and quickly changed the team's style of play, while also leading the Hatters to the EFL Trophy.

Prediction: Leicester City, Stockport County and Luton Town will earn a promotion.

English League One relegation predictions

Cambridge United and Wimbledon are our first two picks to go down. Both clubs earned promotion last season, but making the step up to League One is never easy. Cambridge will once again rely on Neil Harris to get the best out of a limited squad. Wimbledon still look short of depth and quality after a difficult second half of last season.

Notts County could also struggle in their first season back in League One. They have built smartly over the last few years, but the jump in quality is significant. Losing their top two attacking players while bringing in mostly League Two and National League signings could make it much harder for them.

Our final pick is Burton Albion. The club continues to deal with off-field problems and financial constraints. The squad has also lost several important players this summer. Burton have enough experience in the dugout to stay competitive, but avoiding relegation will be a huge challenge.

Prediction: Cambridge United, Wimbledon, Notts County and Burton Albion to be relegated.

League One gets underway on the second weekend of August. There are 24 teams in the division, with sides facing one another twice throughout the course of the regular campaign.  Across the season, that’s a total of 552 games. 

Fixtures take place most weekends, although the league will take a break for the FA Cup first, second and third rounds in November, December and January, respectively. There are also several full midweek matchdays, with games tending to take place on a Tuesday evening. 

Teams will be competing for a place in the Championship the following season, with the top two in the EFL League One standings being automatically promoted to the second tier. Following the conclusion of the 46-game regular season, the teams that finish third, fourth, fifth and sixth will compete in the play-offs. The two semi-finals are held over two legs, with the winning sides meeting at Wembley Stadium at the end of May. The winner of the play-off final will join the two automatically promoted sides in the Championship. 

At the other end of the table, there are four relegation spots that all teams are hoping to avoid. The sides who finish in these positions will be relegated to League Two and will be replaced by the four promoted outfits. 

Bookmakers now offer loads of betting markets for upcoming League One matches, particularly those which are being televised worldwide. As a result, our League One betting tips aren’t restricted to just one or two options, with our experts carefully analysing the full collection before settling on their final predictions. 

Every so often, we will keep it simple by predicting the 1X2 markets, whereas on other occasions, we may need to dip into the handicap market or potentially create a bet builder to unearth some value. 

Here are some of the markets that you will find on this page: 

• Correct score
• Both teams to score
• 1x2
• Over 2.5 goals

If you wish to make an accurate and reliable English League 1 prediction, then you must consider some important factors before settling on your final decision. There are many quirks and idiosyncrasies which may only be spotted by dedicated League One followers, and we’ve picked out some of the main considerations that need to be factored into your bets: 

• Take extra care in August and January - Transfer windows are essential for successful squad building, and many League One teams will conduct late business in order to strengthen their side ahead of a potentially energy-sapping campaign. Always factor in new signings and look out for any teams who have seen their key players make unexpected exits. This can potentially disrupt the rhythm and result in unexpected defeats. League One sides are also allowed to strengthen throughout January, with incomings and outgoings often having a significant impact on results. 
• Injuries tend to hit much harder at this level - Many League One sides, particularly those towards the bottom of the table, tend to operate with smaller squads. As a consequence, the absence of one or two key players can significantly skew results, and this is something which cannot be taken lightly. 
• Geography is likely to have an impact - Some League One teams are tasked with travelling huge distances for their away games. Trips to Plymouth and Cardiff may be tricky on a Tuesday night, whereas very few of the Southern sides will fancy a Thursday night trip to a blustery Doncaster. Take a closer inspection of each team’s fixture list and consider how several long-distance away trips bunched together are likely to impact their performance and energy levels.
• Former managers should not be taken lightly - Some League One managers have been in charge of several sides at this level, and they love nothing more than getting one over on their former employers. Furthermore, if a head coach has just swapped one L1 club for another, they are likely to know all about how the opposition set up tactically. This should be factored into your bets.

Our team of League One tipsters has been carefully assembled to ensure that you get the best possible insight and analysis into the English third tier. With a combined 50+ years of industry experience, our experts will not leave anything to chance and are dedicated to bringing you the best bets using the latest statistics. 

They’ve enjoyed successful careers across a variety of industries and have spent time working as football scouts, data analysts, data scientists, statisticians, as well as working as traders for both high street and online bookmakers. 

These jobs have allowed them to understand the inner workings of a professional football club, enabling them to consider mitigating factors which may affect current form and potentially have an effect on the final score. 

They understand that hard work is required to be successful at betting on League One matches and will work hard to ensure that everything from injuries to unwanted transfer speculation has been calculated ahead of making their predictions.

Alongside our EFL League One predictions, we have experts who specialise in providing tips across a variety of competitions and tournaments taking place throughout the year. Why not take a look at the rest of MightyTips’ free football predictions:

• English Premier League Predictions 
• EFL Championship Predictions
• English League Two Predictions