Several teams have suffered the rare and unfortunate fate of back-to-back relegations from the Premier League to lower divisions. Notable examples include Wolverhampton Wanderers (2011–2013), Sunderland (2016–2018), and Portsmouth (2009–2011). These teams dropped from the top flight straight through the Championship and into League One, often due to financial issues, poor management, or squad instability.
Premier League Teams That Faced Back-to-Back Relegations
Swindon Town
Swindon Town endured a disastrous campaign in the 1993-94 Premier League season, finishing at the bottom of the table. Out of 42 matches, they managed just five wins, resulting in relegation to the EFL Championship for the 1994-95 season.
Swindon Town’s troubles didn’t end with their Premier League relegation. In the following 1994-95 season in the second tier (then known as the First Division), they continued to struggle, managing only a handful of wins and ultimately finishing 21st in the league. This poor performance resulted in yet another drop, this time to the English Football Second Division (the third tier). With this back-to-back demotion, Swindon Town earned the unfortunate distinction of being the first club to suffer consecutive relegations after featuring in the Premier League, marking a steep and rapid decline following their brief top-flight stint
Wolverhampton Wanderers
Wolves had a season to forget in 2011-12, ending the Premier League campaign in last place with only five victories from 38 matches. The poor run of form saw them drop to the EFL Championship.
Wolverhampton Wanderers’ troubles didn’t end with their Premier League relegation in 2011-12. The following season in the EFL Championship (2012-13), their poor form continued as they struggled to find consistency.
Despite efforts to bounce back, Wolves finished in 22nd place, resulting in a second consecutive relegation this time to League One. It marked a significant fall from grace for the historic club, who had been in the top flight just a year earlier. With this disappointing outcome, Wolves became only the second team to suffer back-to-back relegations after playing in the Premier League, highlighting a period of deep decline.
Sunderland
Sunderland’s Premier League journey ended in the 2016-17 season after a dismal campaign that saw them secure just six wins in 38 games, finishing last.
Things went from bad to worse in the 2017-18 Championship season. Sunderland once again finished at the bottom, winning only seven matches. Relegations as a result, they became the third team to suffer successive relegations from the Premier League.
Luton Town
Luton Town’s struggles didn’t end with their relegation from the Premier League in the 2023-24 season. Entering the 2024-25 EFL Championship season, there was cautious optimism that the club could stabilize and avoid a second consecutive drop. At various points during the campaign, the Hatters showed glimpses of resilience and hovered around the safety zone. However, inconsistency plagued their performances, and as the season wore on, pressure mounted.
Heading into the final round of fixtures, Luton Town still had a chance to secure survival. Their fate, however, rested heavily on the outcome of their last match against West Bromwich Albion. It was a must-win game, and fans hoped for one final push. Unfortunately, Luton fell short when it mattered most. A disappointing performance saw them lose the match, and with other results going against them, they slipped to 22nd in the table.
That defeat sealed their relegation to League One, marking a second straight demotion following their Premier League exit. With this, Luton Town became only the fourth team in history to suffer back-to-back relegations after playing in the Premier League, joining the likes of Swindon Town, Wolverhampton Wanderers, and Sunderland in an unwanted chapter of English football history
