. ▁The ▁winner ▁of ▁the ▁play - offs ▁ear ns ▁the ▁league ▁championship ▁and ▁automatic ▁promotion ▁to ▁the ▁next ▁season ' s ▁Top ▁ 1 4 ; ▁the ▁runner - up ▁enters ▁a ▁play - off ▁with ▁the ▁second - from - bottom ▁Top ▁ 1 4 ▁team , ▁with ▁the ▁winner ▁of ▁that ▁play - off ▁taking ▁up ▁the ▁final ▁place ▁in ▁Top ▁ 1 4 . ▁ ▁This ▁replaced ▁the ▁previous ▁system ▁in ▁which ▁the ▁top ▁team ▁at ▁the ▁end ▁of ▁the ▁regular ▁season ▁was ▁declared ▁champion , ▁also ▁ear ning ▁a ▁Top ▁ 1 4 ▁place , ▁while ▁the ▁second - ▁through ▁fifth - place ▁teams ▁competed ▁in ▁promotion ▁play - offs . ▁The ▁play - off ▁semi - final s ▁were ▁played ▁at ▁the ▁home ▁ground ▁of ▁the ▁higher - rank ed ▁team . ▁The ▁final ▁was ▁then ▁played ▁on ▁neutral ▁ground , ▁and ▁the ▁winner ▁earned ▁the ▁second ▁ticket ▁to ▁the ▁next ▁Top ▁ 1 4 . ▁ ▁Prom otion ▁ ▁Pro ▁D 2 ▁to ▁Top ▁ 1 4 ▁ ▁As ▁noted ▁above , ▁both ▁promotion ▁places ▁will ▁be ▁determined ▁by ▁play - offs ▁from ▁ 2 0 1 7 – 1 8 ▁forward , ▁with ▁the ▁winner ▁of ▁the ▁Pro ▁D 2 ▁play - offs ▁ear ning ▁promotion ▁and ▁the ▁runner - up ▁playing ▁the ▁second - from - bottom ▁Top ▁ 1 4 ▁team ▁for ▁the ▁next ▁season ' s ▁final ▁Top ▁ 1 4 ▁place . ▁ ▁F éd éra le ▁ 1 ▁to ▁Pro