2025-26 Sky Bet Championship Play-Off Final Preview

Hull City meet Middlesbrough in the 2025-26 Sky Bet Championship Play-Off Final with a Premier League spot on the line. 

Victory would see Hull or Middlesbrough return to the Premier League after an eight-season absence from the top flight, having both suffered relegation in the 2016-17 season.

 

Team News

Kyle Joseph is ruled out for Hull after he suffered an ankle injury during their 2-0 semi-final second leg win at Millwall.

Cody Drameh (quad), Eliot Matzo (ACL), Toby Collyer (hamstring), Amir Hadziahmetovic and Nathan Tinsdale (both knee) remain absent.

Middlesbrough will be without forward, Tommy Conway after he suffered an ankle injury during the second leg defeat of their play-off semi-final at Southampton – who subsequently were expelled with Boro reinstated in their place after an appeal was lost.

Hayden Hackney (calf) and Kaly Sene (unspecified) are doubts but Alfie Jones (ankle) and Darragh Lenihan (Achilles) remain ruled out.

 

When is Kick-Off?

Hull face Middlesbrough at Wembley Stadium, London, on Saturday 23 May at 3:30pm BST, live on Sky Sports Main Event and Football channels in the UK.

 

Stat Attack

• This is Hull’s first EFL Play-Off meeting against Middlesbrough.
• Middlesbrough have won three of their last four meetings against Hull (W3, L1), albeit during the regular season.
• Hull have won both of their two previous Championship Play-Off Final appearances (W2), which were both won by 1-0 results against Bristol City and Sheffield Wednesday in 2008 & 16 respectively.
• Boro have lost their only previous Championship Play-Off Final appearance under the current single leg at neutral venue format (L1), having suffered a 2-0 defeat against Norwich in the 2015 edition.
• Hull haven’t kept three consecutive clean sheets within the Championship since January-February 2023.
• No Middlesbrough player this season has produced more shots on target than Morgan Whittaker (32).

 

Prediction

You have to feel for Hull from a psychological perspective because they had understandably prepared to face Southampton but under the circumstances, they would of been wise to plan for both the Saints or Boro so there is little excuse to throw their toys out of the pram if had thought more sensibly.

Sergej Jakirovic nevertheless deserves massive praise because he has turned the Tigers around after their lucky escape on the final day of last season, and now they stand on the cusp of promotion after a clinical and resilient second-leg win at Millwall.

Middlesbrough meanwhile have the psychological advantage of only having prepared solely to face Hull but the spygate saga surely would of had a mental impact, whilst they looked absolutely worn out in extra time at Southampton so it remains to see how they’ve recovered.

If there is one positive for Kim Hellberg who has handled the fiasco with maturity then it is that Hackney is back in the squad, because his presence has been felt in midfield and if I was Jakirovic I would anticipate Hackney being tactically brought on as an impact substitute rather than start.

Either way this final has an undeserved dark cloud over it and I honestly can see this coming down to whoever is in the best psychological position on the day, which has to be Middlesbrough if they have recovered well enough but Hull should have the edge if this goes to extra time.

Wembley though hasn’t been polite to Boro in the past with no victory for the Teessiders in five previous visits in all competitions, which could fire them up more on top of the injustice of the spygate farce to get the job done in normal time.

Prediction: Hull 0-1 Middlesbrough