Oli McBurnie’s late strike saw Hull defeat Middlesbrough 1-0 in the 2025-26 Championship Play-Off Final to claim promotion to Premier League.
McBurnie pounced on a 95th-minute fumble from Middlesbrough goalkeeper, Sol Brynn to sweep in Hull’s winner to end eight seasons in the Championship.
Post-match, McBurnie explained to Sky Sports that he knew that Hull had to execute one of their opportunities given how dominant Boro were in possession, just like they did twice to beat Millwall in their semi-final second-leg.
“That game summed us up, we knew we weren’t going to have all the ball. It was tough out there with the heat, Middlesbrough are a top team, we knew we’d be up against it but we felt we’d have one chance and I felt like it was written for me to get it, I didn’t think it would be so late on, but what a feeling.”
Hull now will play in the Premier League next season whilst Middlesbrough remain in the Championship,
Whilst spygate and Southampton’s subsequent expulsion in the wake of their semi-final aggregate victory over Middlesbrough dominated the headlines in the build-up to the final, Boro dominated much of the early possession as Riley McGree saw a third-minute cross saved in 30-degree heat.
Aidan Morris then dragged a 15th-minute shot wide of the far-bottom left corner after he intercepted a loose touch as Middlesbrough continued to create the better opportunities.
David Strelec frustratingly nodded Alan Browne’s 19th-minute cross over after a cleared corner was worked back into the box to the feet of the latter.
Hull’s best chance of the opening half hour came from a 24th-minute cross which Lewie Coyle nodded over, with the subsequent corner blasted over the bar by ex Boro left-back Ryan Giles.
Both teams experienced further frustrations as McGree’s 41st-minute shot was blocked by the heel of his own teammate – Morgan Whittaker, whilst Mohamed Belloumi curled wide of the left corner a minute later for Hull.
Hull nearly broke the deadlock deep in the 45th-minute from Giles’ cross towards the far-right post which was met by Oli McBurnie but his header deflected off Adilson Malanda onto the crossbar much to his frustration days after he was snubbed from Scotland’s World Cup squad.
The first half however finished goalless after Strelec rifled a shot wide of the right corner on a quick counter-attack, in which he picked up Whittaker’s flicked pass.
Whittaker then rifled wide less than two minutes into the second half before Dael Fry nodded over from the second of two subsequent corners.
With £180m and a Premier League spot at stake as the second half wore on, the match soon became end-to-end with resilient defending as Whittaker and Strelec saw quick-fire shots blocked by Hull’s defence just past the hour mark.
Belloumi meanwhile saw a curled shot saved by Brynn on a quick Hull counter-attack just moments later.
The intense heat eventually began to wield its toll but Sontje Hansen forced a 81st-minute save from Ivor Pandur, before Hull’s Joe Gelhardt fired wide two minutes later as both teams chased a late winner.
Hull however had experience of narrow 1-0 wins in Play-Off Finals at Wembley on two previous occasions and left it until the 95th minute as Hirakawa burst up the left flank and played a cross across goal, which Brynn could only fumble to the feet of McBurnie who smashed in the Tigers’ winner.
Sergej Jakirovic’s Tigers eventually saw out the win to secure their spot in the Premier League next season, whilst Middlesbrough can take heart from the fact that they were automatically promoted in 2016 – the season after their only previous Play-Off Final defeat under the current final format against Norwich in 2015.
Teams
Hull: Ivor Pandur, Semi Ajayi, John Egan, Charlie Hughes, Lewie Coyle (McNair 98′), Regan Slater (Lundstrum 98′), Matt Crooks, Ryan Giles (Hirakawa 76′), Mohamed Belloumi (Drameh 76′), Liam Millar (Gelhardt 63′), Oli McBurnie
Substitutes: Paddy McNair, Kieran Dowell, Cody Drameh, Joe Gelhardt, Amir Hadziahmetovic, Yu Hirakawa, Lewis Koumas, John Lundstrum, Dillon Phillips
Middlesbrough: Sol Brynn, Luke Ayling, Dael Fry, Adilson Malanda, Callum Brittain, Aidan Morris, Alan Browne (Sarmiento 97′), Matt Targett (Ibeh 97′), Morgan Whittaker, Riley McGree (Hansen 76′), David Strelec (Hackney 70′)
Substitutes: Leo Castledine, George Edmundson, Alex Gilbert, Hayden Hackney, Sontje Hansen, Cruz Ibeh, Jeremy Sarmiento, Sammy Silvera, Joe Wildsmith
Referee – Jarred Gillett
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