8 EFL Championship clubs with the most irritating fanbases named and ranked by AI

AI names and ranks the eight most irritating fanbases in the Championship.

Across the EFL Championship, supporters from all teams will have grievances with other sides for a particular reason.

Whether it’s rivalry, a specific player or just a generally annoying fanbase, some sides get more criticism than others up and down the country.

And the 2026-27 Championship season is just as fiery, particularly with some established Premier League sides joining the second tier pack, while some outfits have gained promotion out of League One and rejoined the division after a lengthy period of time away.

With this in mind, FLW has asked AI to name and rank the top eight most irritating fanbases in the division for this season, with fans of certain clubs bound to be not best pleased to see their club on the list.

And here they are, starting from eight all the way down to number one.

8 ? ? Sheffield United

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At number eight, we start in the Steel City with Sheffield United, who are a club high on the AI’s list of irritating fanbases.

It has noted that the Blades have a particularly well-established history of feeling that their club has been hard done by, noting the Carlos Tevez debacle in 2007 that led to Sheffield United getting relegated from the Premier League in ahead of West Ham.

Combined with the expectations surrounding a club of Sheffield United's size despite their bleak financial picture, it creates a support that can be particularly vocal whenever they believe the club has been treated unfairly.

AI believes they are so irritating as they always believe that someone or somewhere is doing the club a disservice.

In at number seven, it's Portsmouth, with AI not too complimentary about the South-Coast based side.

While AI did praise Portsmouth for having such passionate supporters and Fratton Park being one of the greater atmospheres in English football, it has been criticised for constantly emphasising how good the support is, with that particular aspect often being viewed as more important than the actual football itself.

AI has said that Pompey fans should be concentrating on what their team is doing on the pitch, rather than being fixated on the support from the stands.

6 ? ? Cardiff City

In at number six is Welsh outfit Cardiff City, with AI reflecting on how the Bluebirds are often in an argument with someone or something.

It noted it’s lengthy list of fiery rivalries in the second tier this season, including Swansea City, Wrexham and Bristol City.

Meanwhile, AI also listed Cardiff's controversial ownership era under Vincent Tan, which provided confrontation about the club's identity, colours, badge and rebranding.

Overall, it’s deemed Cardiff’s fanbase as one of the most argumentative in the division - the main reason for why they are not well-liked among the other 23 teams.

5 ? ? Birmingham City

In at fifth, we’re heading to the West Midlands with Birmingham City, who have had their expectations significantly raised following the injection of investment from American entrepreneur Tom Wagner.

More media attention was brought on Blues when NFL icon Tom Brady also staked an investment in the club, with many supporters from other sides jealous about the famous faces being involved at St Andrew's.

Naturally, this has got Blues supporters believing that they should be back in the Premier League, which can make the fans irritating given they haven’t pieced together a promotion push back to the top-flight since 2012 - the season after their relegation when they made the play-offs under Chris Hughton.

There’s almost a case of the fans believing they’re too big for the Championship, meaning supporters from other clubs are fired up to try and get the better of Blues and laugh in their faces when results don’t go in their favour.

4 ? ? Wrexham

It’s a very similar situation with Wrexham, who have been transformed since Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney's takeover.

Three promotions, ‘The Welcome to Wrexham’ documentary and enormous international following have turned the club into one of the most recognisable names in the EFL, with that precisely what irritates supporters from other clubs.

Some newer Wrexham fans have very little experience of the traditional EFL and English football culture, yet the club's enormous online presence means they can be extremely vocal and rather annoying.

AI lists them as irritating as whenever people are discussing the Championship, the conversation can't help but end up going onto Ryan Reynolds, Rob McElhenney or the documentary.

3 ? ? Southampton

Claiming third spot is Southampton, who haven’t helped themselves following last season’s ‘Spygate’ scandal.

Ai believes that Southampton's 11 consecutive seasons in the Premier League from 2012 to 2023 undoubtedly changed expectations around the club and that now, there’s a strong feeling among supporters that Championship football is somewhere Southampton shouldn't really be.

That becomes irritating to rival fans when every promotion race is treated as though Southampton are simply waiting to return to their rightful place.

Meanwhile, as mentioned at the top, second tier rival fans are still looking out to make jibes at Saints fans for what happened with ‘Spygate’, which ended up seeing the Saints deducted four points at the beginning of the 2026-27 campaign.

2 ? ? Millwall

Finishing as the second most irritating fanbase in the division is Millwall, with AI believing it's for their fans embracing the fact they’re so hated.

Millwall's support has a particularly strong ‘us against the world’ mentality, and rather than trying to shake their reputation for being difficult opposition, sections of the support have welcomed it.

Not to mention The Den being such a tough place to go for any team in the Championship and their historical record for football-related disorder incidents, Millwall’s fanbase becomes exhausting, according to AI, who believe are a disliked club for good reasons.

1 ? ? West Ham

And coming in as the Championship’s most irritating fanbase, according to AI, is Millwall’s bitter rivals West Ham, who too have the feel that they are a big fish in a small pond this season.

West Ham spending much of the last decade in the Premier League makes the attitude understandable to an extent, but being relegated into the Championship has created an expectation that they should be beating everyone in this division, and that simply isn’t the case.

While also being able to keep the likes of Jarrod Bowen on the books, AI notes that there is entitlement from many West Ham supporters that they should be at the top of the table for the majority, if not all of the campaign.