LONDON — Hull City will face Middlesbrough in the EFL Championship play-off final at Wembley Stadium on Saturday, with a place in the Premier League at stake.
The match, scheduled for a 15:30 BST kick-off, pits two teams against each other in an unusual final following the expulsion of Southampton over a spying scandal.
Hull City advanced after defeating Millwall in the semi-finals, while Middlesbrough originally lost their semi-final to Southampton on aggregate but were reinstated following the EFL's ruling. Southampton admitted to breaches of EFL regulations, including spying on Middlesbrough's training ahead of their semi-final, as well as incidents involving other clubs earlier in the season. The club was expelled from the play-offs and docked four points for the 2026-27 season.
The final carries significant financial implications, often referred to in football circles as the most valuable single match in English football due to the potential Premier League broadcast revenue.
Hull City, managed by Sergej Jakirovic, finished the regular season in a play-off position. Middlesbrough, under head coach Kim Hellberg, also secured a top-six finish.
Historically, the sides have met 31 times in competitive fixtures, with Middlesbrough securing 15 wins, Hull City 11, and five draws. Middlesbrough holds a slight edge in recent encounters.
Jakirovic expressed mixed feelings about the circumstances leading to the final. “We can say everything is unfair in the last two weeks. You don’t know what’s going on. We are collateral damage because we are waiting on [an] opponent and you don’t know what’s going on,” he said.
Hellberg focused on moving forward. "It's been a lot of emotions and I'm very happy to be here," he told reporters. "It's been very, very difficult ... but now we can start trying to focus on the game."
Both teams enter the match with recent inconsistent form. Hull won only two of their past nine league games, while Middlesbrough managed two victories in their previous 12.
Wembley Stadium, with a capacity of about 90,000, will host the fixture. Details of ticket distribution and final team line-ups were still being finalized as of Friday, according to EFL statements.
The winner will join Coventry City and Ipswich Town in promotion to the Premier League for the 2026-27 season. The loser will remain in the Championship.
