Like a roller coaster, Leicester City went from a team that shocked the world by winning the English Premier League 10 years ago to being relegated to England's League One.
"The Foxes" Leicester City have officially been relegated from the English Championship down to League One after a 2-2 draw with Hull City at the King Power Stadium in the 44th match of the Championship on the evening of 21 April. This left them in 23rd place, second from bottom, with 42 points from 44 games, 7 points behind the safety zone, with only 2 games left — making it impossible to catch up. This is their second consecutive relegation following last season's drop from the Premier League.
Looking back to when they were newly relegated, many believed they would return to the Premier League fairly quickly, as their early season form was excellent, holding 4th place after winning 3 of their first 4 matches and remaining near the top through October. But the turning point came after the international break; despite being 4th on 18 October, with only one loss in their first 10 games, their form steadily declined, worsening significantly after the New Year. In 2026, Leicester City won just 2 of 20 matches.
Another crucial turning point was an emergency managerial change when Martí Cifuentes was dismissed. It took nearly a month before Gary Rowett took over on 18 February, but he was unable to reverse the situation. Additionally, the team was docked 6 points in February due to financial penalties.
This point deduction was for breaching the EFL financial rules during the season they were promoted. An appeal in early April was rejected, plunging the team into the relegation zone with no alternatives. They then faced the harsh reality the club hoped to avoid. This is their first drop to the third tier of English football in 17 years, since the 2008-09 season. Fans, acting as the 12th player, booed the players even before the match started, and after the game, sang songs criticizing the club chairman. Protests also took place outside the stadium.
With this relegation to League One, the club's revenue is expected to fall to around £60 million, approximately 2.609 billion baht annually, a huge drop from the £187 million (about 8.131 billion baht) earned during their Premier League years. This is one of the most heartbreaking collapses in football history, occurring just 10 years after their shock Premier League title win in 2016. Here is the timeline tracing their journey from Premier League champions to playing in League One.
Timeline: Leicester City from Premier League Champions to Relegation to League One
2010: King Power acquires Leicester City
2014: Promoted to the Premier League
2015: Miraculously avoid relegation
2016: Shock Premier League champions
2017: Reach UEFA Champions League quarter-finals
2021: Win FA Cup and Community Shield
2023: Relegated to the Championship
2024: Promoted back to the Premier League
2025: Relegated to the Championship
2026: Relegated to League One
Photo credit: Leicester City