Ipswich Town vs Queens Park Rangers; Sky Bet Championship
Ipswich Town vs Queens Park Rangers. Sky Bet Championship.
Portman RoadAttendance29,636.
Ipswich Town 3
- G Hirst (3rd minute)
- J Philogene-Bidace (9th minute)
- K McAteer (85th minute)
Queens Park Rangers 0
Ipswich Town 3-0 QPR: Tractor Boys promoted back to Premier League from Championship at first time of asking
Report and free match highlights from the Sky Bet Championship match between Ipswich Town and Queens Park Rangers at Portman Road; Kieran McKenna's Tractor Boys promoted back to the Premier League at the first time of asking
Saturday 2 May 2026 17:13, UK
Ipswich have been promoted to the Premier League after a 3-0 win over QPR.
A draw would have been enough if Millwall failed to beat Oxford and Middlesbrough did not beat Wrexham by more than five goals. They would also have been up regardless if Millwall and Middlesbrough failed to win.
However, goals from George Hirst, Jaden Philogene and Kasey McAteer did the job at Portman Road.
- How 'pragmatic' Ipswich bounced straight back to the Premier League
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- Championship fixtures | Championship table | Championship highlights
The Tractor Boys return to the top flight after just one season in the Championship following relegation in 2025/26, joining champions Coventry.
The home side got off to a blistering start, backed by a vociferous crowd, with the QPR goal being peppered with a series of shots.
Leif Davis had a great chance to open the scoring for Ipswich in the second minute when he was put clean through by Jack Taylor, but QPR goalkeeper Joe Walsh came out to deflect his shot for a corner.
Town did take the lead a minute later through Hirst.
It came following a smart passing move involving Azor Matusiwa, Taylor, Philogene and Davis, who crossed for the striker to stab home inside the six-yard area.
They extended their lead in the ninth minute when Philogene pounced.
The build-up came from Wes Burns, Marcelino Nunez and Hirst, who played the final pass to the winger who dummied Rangers full-back Amadou Mbengue before slipping the ball into the net.
The Londoners got out of their own half for the first time in the 12th minute but Nicolas Madsen's tame effort from range was easily gathered by Town goalkeeper Christian Walton.
Ilias Chair danced around a series of challenges only to be fouled right on the edge of the penalty area but he fired the free-kick over the crossbar, while at the other end Walsh pulled off a superb save from a volley by Philogene.
Walton pulled off another stop to deny Japan international Koki Saito before Mbengue fouled Jack Clarke 25 yards from goal and Davis' free-kick found Dara O'Shea who headed narrowly past the left-hand post.
Walton denied the visitors again when he dived to deflect a shot from Paul Smyth, but Town got a killer third goal in the 85th minute through McAteer to turn the stadium into a riot of noise.
Substitutes Ivan Azon and Anis Mehmeti challenged for the ball on the edge of the penalty area and it fell to Taylor whose shot cannoned off Walsh, only for McAteer to fire home the rebound and get the promotion party started.
McKenna: I'm so grateful... we are going to enjoy this one
Ipswich boss Kieran McKenna speaking with Sky Sports:
"It means a lot. It's probably been the hardest one to be honest. I'm so grateful.
"I know how hard we've had to work to turn it around. The club had such a big climb and then steep fall with such a big turnover of players. Club legends have left this club and we've had to try and rebuild this team.
"Everyone stuck at it and we deserve to be where we are today.
"To have the third promotion in four years at home on a sunny May day is perfect.
"We've steadily improved over the course of the year.
"We don't start thinking about the Premier League today. We are going to enjoy this one."
