Welcome to The Tap-Inn. Where you can tap in to the world of soccer with me, your Irish Tap-Inn bartender, Joe. 🍻

Pull up a stool. Here's what's on tap this Friday:

Let's tap in.

As I explained last week, the bottom three teams in the Premier League every season get kicked out. They’re dropped down to the second tier — the Championship — and replaced by the top three teams from below.

That's promotion and relegation, and it runs all the way down through the English soccer pyramid like a ladder… and it’s what makes the final weeks of every season absolutely electric at the top and the bottom of every division.

“Winners go up a division, losers go down. Got it.”

Now here's where it gets spicy.

In the Championship — England's second division — two teams go up automatically. First and second place, done deal, straight to the Premier League. But there's a third ticket available, and it's decided by a playoff.

The four teams finishing 3rd through 6th play two-legged semi-finals. The two semi-final winners then meet at Wembley Stadium in front of 90,000 fans. One game. Winner goes to the Premier League.

“And that’s where the money’s at?”

Bingo. That game — known simply as the Championship playoff final — is regularly called the most valuable single game in world soccer. It’s worth upwards of £100 million ($136 million) in prize money, TV deals, and commercial uplift for the winner.

This season's has had it all. Coventry City have already sealed automatic promotion as champions. The second automatic spot is still being fought over by three teams. And then there's the playoff race — where Wrexham are hanging on for dear life.

Level on points with Hull City going into the final day, but ahead because of their goal difference advantage of just one, the Red Dragons will host Middlesbrough while Hull face Norwich — both kicking off at the same time.

Simply put, if Wrexham (6th place) get the same result or better as Hull (7th place), they’re into the playoffs. A worse result and it’s better luck next year.

The playoff final? Saturday May 23rd 2026. Mark the calendars.

Four games left in the season. Arsenal top on 73 points, Manchester City three behind with a game in hand. Here's the ones that matter this weekend:

The Champions League semi-final first legs kicked off this week with one game completely unforgettable and the other very forgettable indeed.

Both second legs land next week — Arsenal host Atlético on May 5, Bayern host PSG on May 6. The final is on May 30th. Stay tuned.

Wrexham are two steps away from it. But first, they have to survive Saturday.

Level on points with Hull City going into the final day, with a goal difference advantage of just one, the Red Dragons host Middlesbrough while Hull face Norwich — both kicking off at the same time.

Win and they're in the playoffs. Anything else and it might be over.

In their 158-year history, Wrexham have never played in the top tier of English soccer. Three more wins and that could all change.

When Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney bought Wrexham AFC in 2020, what tier of English soccer was the club playing in?

Answer at the bottom 👇

Meet Andy Milne. 62 years old and as of recently, the owner of one fewer property than he used to be.

Milne has decided to sell his second home — a £350,000 property in Northwich, England — to fund his trip to the 2026 World Cup. He plans to fly to the US on June 3rd and stay for seven weeks, with tickets for every England game through to the final (should they get there). This will be his tenth World Cup. Yes, ten.

"It is going on the market because I'm selling it to go to the World Cup. We have had a second home for 27 years so it felt like the right time to cash in."

You know what, Andy? You might be onto something.

With World Cup final tickets on FIFA's official resale platform have been listed at over $2 million each and tickets to group stage games averaging over $1,600 on the secondary market, selling your house might be the only way of actually affording this tournament.

Phrase: A game in hand

Origin: In a long soccer season, not every team plays their games on the same dates — cup runs, postponements, and rescheduled fixtures mean some teams end up having played fewer games than others.

Definition: When one team has one less game than a rival above them in the table. Sounds like a big advantage but often causes more anxiety than comfort.

Usage: "Arsenal are three points clear at the top, but City have a game in hand. It's not over yet."

May 1, 1926. Austrian club Hakoah played a team of American All-Stars at the Polo Grounds in Manhattan and drew a crowd of 46,000. A US soccer attendance record that stood until Pelé signed for the New York Cosmos over 50 years later.

Hakoah were an all-Jewish club from Vienna, founded in 1909 — the name means "strength" in Hebrew. They were legitimate quality too, winning the Austrian league title the year before, in 1925. On tour in the US, they pulled crowds wherever they went, with three successive games drawing 25,000, then 30,000, then 36,000 before the Polo Grounds record.

However, the American Soccer League All-Stars won 3-0 that day and the tour ended up costing the club over $30,000. But the players loved New York so much that many stayed, eventually forming New York Hakoah — who won the US Open Cup in 1929.

Came to New York, spent all their money, and never went home. As an Irishman in NYC, I've never related to anything more.

The full story of their incredible tour here.

If you’re having a bad week, it can’t be as bad as this guy.

One missed penalty? It happens.

Two misses? You’ll never live it down.

But three??? In six minutes???

Next round’s on me, Carlos. I think you could do with it.

Three promotions later, they're one playoff run away from the Premier League.