**Championship Play-Off Final Adopts Unique Kick-Off Time as Part of Life-Saving Campaign**
Wembley Stadium, one of world football’s most hallowed grounds, is set to host a high-stakes contest this Saturday as Sheffield United and Sunderland compete in the Championship play-off final. With the promise of Premier League football and the enormous benefits it brings on the line, all eyes will be on these two clubs as they battle for promotion under the iconic arch.
But in a departure from tradition, this year’s final won’t begin at the accustomed 3pm time. Instead, the match will officially commence at 3:01pm—a seemingly minor change that carries a major message. Organisers have shifted the kick-off by sixty seconds to draw attention to the ‘Every Minute Matters’ campaign, an initiative aimed at educating football supporters on the importance of learning CPR.
Similar adjustments have been made to other play-off finals this bank holiday weekend. The League One and Two climaxes are scheduled for 1:01pm on Sunday and Monday respectively. This synchronised alteration across the leagues underscores the campaign’s central message: in the event of a cardiac arrest, every single minute can make the difference between life and death.
The campaign holds particular poignancy in the football community this year. Tom Lockyer, a defender for Luton Town and Wales international, serves as an ambassador after suffering a dramatic cardiac event last season. Lockyer collapsed due to atrial fibrillation during the 2023 Championship play-off final. His personal experience has lent a powerful voice to the cause, highlighting the everyday reality faced by thousands of people across the UK.
“In the UK, more than 30,000 individuals experience a cardiac arrest outside hospital every year,” Lockyer noted, emphasising the shockingly low survival rates. “I’m very fortunate to have survived, but for many, the outcome isn’t nearly so positive. Less than one in ten survive, which is why this advocacy is crucial.”
According to Lockyer, the campaign’s visibility at such high-profile events makes it impossible for fans to ignore. “The amended kick-off times offer a unique chance to deliver a life-saving message,” he said. Over the past year, the entirety of the EFL community—from clubs and players to match-going supporters—have been supportive of this critical movement.
There’s little doubt that the Sky Bet Play-Off Finals present an unrivalled opportunity to spread awareness even further. The electric atmosphere generated by these do-or-die ties ensures a massive audience—both inside Wembley and watching from home—are exposed to the importance of immediate action during cardiac emergencies.
For the Championship final itself, the stakes could hardly be higher. Sheffield United, keen to bounce back after narrowly missing automatic promotion to Leeds United and Burnley, will be eager to seize this second chance. Sunderland, as ever, will be aiming to rekindle their long-standing Premier League dreams, fired on by a passionate following.
The football fixtures for the weekend are as follows: Sheffield United versus Sunderland, Saturday 24th May at 3:01pm; Charlton up against Leyton Orient in the League One final, Sunday 25th May at 1:01pm; and AFC Wimbledon facing Walsall in League Two’s showcase, Monday 26th May at 3:01pm.
While fans gear up for a weekend of drama and jubilation, the consensus among organisers remains clear—if moving kick-off by a single minute prompts even a handful of people to learn CPR, then this small change could have an enormous impact on saving lives for seasons to come.