Hull vs Middlesbrough LIVE
Hull City face Middlesbrough this afternoon in the Championship play-off final. This is a game that has been enveloped in controversy for the past 10 days, with Southampton expelled from the season finale for spying on Boro ahead of their play-off semi-final. The Saints beat Kim Hellberg’s side 2-1 on aggregate, thanks to Ross Steward and Shea Charles’ goals at St Mary’s Stadium in the second leg.
However, Tonda Eckert’s side faced an EFL probe that has since kicked them out of this afternoon’s fixture, and reinstated Middlesbrough for a Wembley showdown with Hull, who defeated Millwall 2-0 in a stunning performance at The Den in their semi-final second leg.
Sergej Jakirovic guided his side into the top six on the final day, despite a run of inconsistent form that saw them nearly miss out. A win over Norwich City was enough to see them extend their campaign. Keep up to date with all the latest from Wembley with our live blog below.
Hull vs Middlesbrough latest updates
- GOAL! McBurnie scores late on
- GOOD SAVE! Pandur denies Hansen
- OFF THE BAR! McBurnie hits woodwork
- CLOSE! Belloumi curls wide
That's all, folks
18:45 , Oli Gent
Thanks for joining us on Standard Sport.
Be sure to come back very soon for even more LIVE action.
Jakirovic post-match
18:40 , Oli Gent
"It's an amazing feeling. I still can't believe we did it because we suffered a lot all game.
"The regular season was over and this was like starting a completely new tournament, no matter how many points you had.
"It's about pressure. In the regular season, you have time to fix everything.
"This is a very demanding, very difficult league. I have been working in Turkey, in Croatia, Bosnia & Herzegovina and it's a little bit different.
"The intensity, with lots of games, is unbelievable."
Hellberg post-match
18:35 , Oli Gent
“It was the toughest two weeks I've been through. With emotions and back and forth and handling those things. From the game vs Southampton and the extra time and how that game ended. It's been draining emotionally. There's no excuse. Hull scored today. We were ready to play.”
Coyle post-match
18:34 , Oli Gent
"It's tough. There's just one man I want to celebrate this with. He's not with us. I look up at the sky and I had a look up there today. He's with me, I know he's with me, for sure.
"The next best thing is I have my family, my beautiful partner, my little boy, my brothers and my friend that have been there since day one.
"I don't think there's many people that thought I could captain a side to the Premier League and even saying that out loud sounds a little bit wild. I'm just an honest, humble kid.
"But there's certainly one man that would have believed in me and that's my old man - and that's all I told myself throughout the game.
"He would'ver been saying 'you can do it, son, f**k them'. I know I swore and I shouldn't, I apologise, but I had to get it in there because that's how my old man spoke.
"I just kept replaying those words in my mind and he got us over the line today. I know for a fact my old man did it."
McBurnie post-match
18:34 , Oli Gent
"For the first time ever, I think I'm speechless!
"It's been a long, hard season and that game today summed us up. We knew we weren't going to come in and have all of the ball - I don't think we've won a game this year when we've had more of the ball than the opposition!
"It was tough out there with the heat and Middlesbrough are a top, top team. We knew we were going to be right up against it, but we felt we'd have one chance and it was written for me to get it.
"I didn't think it would be so late on, but what a feeling.
"When I first got my move to Sheffield United, it was what they expected of me and I probably wasn't really ready to be that person.
"As I've grown and got older and more mature, I think I've grown into that role and I enjoy that. I was looking forward to this game so much I couldn't sleep last night!"
FT: Hull 1-0 Middlesbrough
17:35 , Oli Gent
That’s it!
Hull have done it. They are Premier League!
Hull 1-0 Middlesbrough
17:30 , Oli Gent
90+10 mins: It’s kitchen sink time for Boro now. This is last chance saloon.
Hull 1-0 Middlesbrough
17:29 , Oli Gent
90+7 mins: Lundstram and McNair are on for Hull, replacing Coyle and Slater. Sarmiento and Ibeh are on for Boro.
Goal! Hull 1-0 Middlesbrough
17:25 , Oli Gent
90+5 mins: It’s there, and Hull are level so late in the day! It’s Oli McBurnie who scrambles it home, as Murikawa bursts down the left and gets a cross in. Brynn flaps at it, and the Scot bundles it over the line.
Hull 0-0 Middlesbrough
17:24 , Oli Gent
90+2 mins: Hull are down to 10 after Charlie Hughes goes off for some attention. He was smashed in the face by Ajayi’s clearance.
Hull 0-0 Middlesbrough
17:21 , Oli Gent
90 mins: Eight added minutes.
Hull 0-0 Middlesbrough
17:19 , Oli Gent
88 mins: Regulation time is ticking down... we’re heading for extra time.
Hull 0-0 Middlesbrough
17:15 , Oli Gent
85 mins: Great defending! Murikawa darts goalwards as Fry makes an error, but he’s thwarted by the backtracking Morris.
Hull 0-0 Middlesbrough
17:13 , Oli Gent
83 mins: Close! Gelhardt is in a wrestling match with Targett at the far post as Coyle crosses. It goes over both their heads, but Gelhardt retrieves, spins and strikes, but it’s just wide!
Hull 0-0 Middlesbrough
17:11 , Oli Gent
81 mins: Good save! The best chance of the game as Hackney prods a lovely pass through for Hansen in behind, and he looks to to place it beyond Pandur who gets down well!
Hull 0-0 Middlesbrough
17:08 , Oli Gent
79 mins: Ticking down towards the last 10 minutes... can either side find a late winner?
Hull 0-0 Middlesbrough
17:07 , Oli Gent
76 mins: Two changes for the Tigers, with Hirakawa and Drameh on for Giles and Belloumi.
Hull 0-0 Middlesbrough
17:06 , Oli Gent
73 mins: McGree is hobbling off for Boro, replaced by Sontje Hansen.
Hull 0-0 Middlesbrough
17:00 , Oli Gent
69 mins: A huge moment. Hackney is coming on for his first appearance for Boro since the middle of March. He replaces Strelec.
Hull 0-0 Middlesbrough
16:58 , Oli Gent
67 mins: Giles has come off worse after a collision with Whittaker, and he goes down. But it looks like cramp.
Hull 0-0 Middlesbrough
16:53 , Oli Gent
64 mins: Joe Gelhardt is coming on for Liam Millar for the Tigers. The first roll of the dice from the two managers.
Hull 0-0 Middlesbrough
16:51 , Oli Gent
62 mins: Boro are rising up here, as Whittaker and Strelec both see efforts charged down in quick succession.
Hull 0-0 Middlesbrough
16:49 , Oli Gent
60 mins: An hour played. Hull are attacking the end that Dean Windass scored against Bristol City back in 2008. Can they find a repeat?
Hull 0-0 Middlesbrough
16:46 , Oli Gent
57 mins: Belloumi is the one who’s really taking the game to Boro, and he drives down the right, looking to cross for McBurnie. Fry is across to avert the danger, however.
Hull 0-0 Middlesbrough
16:44 , Oli Gent
54 mins: Still a snail’s pace being played in the heat at Wembley. No real urgency from either side. Who will answer today’s £200million question?
Hull 0-0 Middlesbrough
16:41 , Oli Gent
51 mins: A first foray forward from Hull as Giles gets his head up and crosses from deep, but he overcooks it. Brynn was a bit worried that might have dropped in...
Hull 0-0 Middlesbrough
16:38 , Oli Gent
48 mins: Second half, but same old Boro. They’re back in control of the ball, knocking on the door. Targett whips in the corner and Fry meets it, but nods over the top.
Kick off!
16:36 , Oli Gent
46 mins: Back underway.
HT: Hull 0-0 Middlesbrough
16:19 , Oli Gent
There’s the interval.
Nothing to split the two sides. Boro have had the ball, Hull have had the chances.
What will the second half have in store?
Hull 0-0 Middlesbrough
16:17 , Oli Gent
45+2 mins: Three added minutes.
Hull 0-0 Middlesbrough
16:16 , Oli Gent
45+1 min: Off the bar! Patient play from Hull as it’s worked out towards Millar. Giles swings one in and McBurnie scraps with Malanda to make contact, and the Scot crashes it off the crossbar!
Hull 0-0 Middlesbrough
16:14 , Oli Gent
44 mins: Close! That’s another close shave for Boro as Belloumi picks it up in the half-space and moves inside onto his left. He looks to curl one into the far corner, but it whizzes wide of the post!
Hull 0-0 Middlesbrough
16:12 , Oli Gent
41 mins: You can really feel that Boro are missing the presence and energy of Hackney bursting into the final third from midfield. Morris and McGree are good technicians, but the tempo is just too slow at the moment.
Hull 0-0 Middlesbrough
16:09 , Oli Gent
38 mins: Boro have had 73% possession in this play-off final. Still no shot on target, however.
Hull 0-0 Middlesbrough
16:07 , Oli Gent
35 mins: Still no real urgency from Middlesbrough as they try to open Hull up, but this is exactly what Jakirovic’s side want.
Hull 0-0 Middlesbrough
16:02 , Oli Gent
30 mins: It’s all a bit slow from Boro. It’s all well and good having the ball, but if there’s no movement ahead, the possession is pointless.
Hull 0-0 Middlesbrough
15:55 , Oli Gent
27 mins: Close! The first attempt on goal as Coyle ghosts in at the back post and nods at goal, but Brynn tips it over!
Hull 0-0 Middlesbrough
15:53 , Oli Gent
23 mins: No real impetus from Hull thus far. Soaking up the Boro pressure and hoping to knock it long. When will they burst into life?
Hull 0-0 Middlesbrough
15:50 , Oli Gent
19 mins: It’s whipped in towards Fry as Ayling peels away round the back. It comes for McGree and then Browne who crosses for Strelec, but he nods over, trying to crane his neck flexibly.
Hull 0-0 Middlesbrough
15:49 , Oli Gent
18 mins: First corner of the game, and it’s one for Boro. Brittain works it well down the right and sees his cross blocked by Giles.
Hull 0-0 Middlesbrough
15:46 , Oli Gent
16 mins: Morris has a first crack at goal for either side as the space opens up for him from distance, but he drags it wide.
Hull 0-0 Middlesbrough
15:44 , Oli Gent
14 mins: Tommy Conway pictured on the bench but with his ankle raised and crutches resting against him, after his nasty injury in the play-off semi-final.
Hull 0-0 Middlesbrough
15:42 , Oli Gent
11 mins: Malanda is causing problems for Hull with that numerical overload in the engine room. It leaves Morris with greater freedom to press on and add numbers in the attacking phase for Boro.
Hull 0-0 Middlesbrough
15:41 , Oli Gent
8 mins: It’s more of a 5-4-1 out of possession for the Tigers. Looking to sit in and make Boro play through them. But there are a couple of press triggers...
Hull 0-0 Middlesbrough
15:36 , Oli Gent
6 mins: Hull can’t keep the ball in these early exchanges. There’s a lot of knocking it long towards McBurnie when they do get it, but Boro have the ball back immediately.
Hull 0-0 Middlesbrough
15:33 , Oli Gent
3 mins: Malanda is stepping into midfield to add an extra body to the midfield when Boro have possession. Hellberg’s men having the lionshare of the ball early.
Kick off!
15:31 , Oli Gent
1 min: We’re underway.
Five minute warning
15:25 , Oli Gent
Here come the players... we’re almost underway under the arch.
Ten minutes to kick off
15:20 , Oli Gent
Who will emerge victorious here?
Boro fans take over Trafalgar Square
15:15 , Oli Gent
Thousands of Middlesbrough fans turned Trafalgar Square into a sea of red ahead of Saturday’s Championship play-offs final against Hull City.
Huge crowds of supporters swarmed the central London attraction on Friday evening, setting off flares and chanting songs.
Stat attack
15:00 , Oli Gent
3rd v 23rd - Based on Opta's expected points model, in the Championship this season Middlesbrough finished 3rd (81.87), while Hull City finished 23rd (53.07), with the Tigers having the biggest overperformance between their points and expected points (+19.93). Gulf. #EFLPlayOffs pic.twitter.com/5yKFd3GE3K
— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) May 23, 2026
Arrivals!
14:54 , Oli Gent
📍 @Boro are in the building! #EFLPlayOffs | #EveryMinuteMatters pic.twitter.com/3fqKDpFzrL
— Sky Bet Championship (@SkyBetChamp) May 23, 2026
Key men
14:45 , Oli Gent
Who are the two sides’ big stars to watch out for this afternoon?
For the Tigers, it’s Mohamed Belloumi, who is the tricky creator for Jakirovic’s side. A diminuative No10, he will pick up the ball in tight areas and aim to jink between bodies in search of pockets of space before looking to feed Liam Millar and Oli McBurnie.
For Boro, Morgan Whittaker is the man that makes things happen. He has 14 goals and six assists this term for the club, while lone ranger up top David Strelec is the battering ram, clearing the way for Whittaker to weave his magic.
3-5-2 vs 3-5-2?
14:39 , Oli Gent
That’s what it’s looking like from both managers with those team selections.
For Hull, reasonable with their lack of out and out wide men, while for Boro, they have the natural wingers in their ranks, but Hellberg has plumped for the narrower shape.
The key absentee here is Tommy Conway, who has hit 13 goals this term, with an ankle injury, perhaps forcing the Boro boss’ hand.
Instead, he’s gone for Alan Browne from the off for a bit more bite in the middle of the park, while Riley McGree, who scored against Southampton at St Mary’s, will have the licence to get up and down in support of Whittaker and Strelec.
Middlesbrough lineup
14:30 , Oli Gent
Middlesbrough XI: Brynn; Brittain, Ayling, Malanda, Fry, Targett; McGree, Browne, Morris; Whittaker, Strelec
Subs: Wildsmith, Hackney, Gilbert, Silvera, Castledine, Edmundson, Hansen, Ibeh, Sarmiento
Hull lineup
14:25 , Oli Gent
Hull XI: Pandur; Coyle, Egan, Ajayi, Hughes, Giles; Slater, Crooks, Belloumi; Millar, McBurnie
Subs: Phillips, Drameh, Lundstram, Dowell, Hadziahmetovic, Koumas, McNair, Gelhardt, Hirakawa
More drama!
14:20 , Oli Gent
Hull could take legal action should they lose this afternoon, the club owner has said.
The Tigers have had limited time to prepare to face Boro today, initially thinking that they would be taking on Southampton before the Saints were expelled for ‘Spygate’.
Southampton's 'Spygate' statement
14:15 , Oli Gent
The Saints were not happy to learn that they had been pulled out of the play-offs after their semi-final victory.
They released a statement shortly after the EFL had passed their initial verdict...
Southampton learn appeal verdict
14:07 , Oli Gent
Southampton appealed against the EFL’s decision to expel them from the play-offs and deduct them points next season.
How did that turn out?
Hull team bus targeted
13:55 , Oli Gent
Hull’s team bus has had a window broken and has been damaged ahead of today’s game.
The incident occurred before any players were on board, and as such, no-one has been hurt.
It is believed that objects were thrown at the bus before it was due to pick the Hull squad up to take them to the stadium.
How did we get here?
13:52 , Oli Gent
With great difficulty.
Boro weren’t even supposed to be here this afternoon, but after a whole EFL investigation into ‘Spygate’ Southampton will remain in the second tier for another year, with a points deduction next term.
The Saints are set to be investigated separately by the FA in the close season, and that could spell danger for some of the culprits, who could face bans.
Match odds
13:45 , Oli Gent
Hull to win: 16/5
Middlesbrough to win: 20/23
Odds via Betfair (subject to change).
Head to head
13:37 , Oli Gent
Hull wins: 23
Middlesbrough wins: 35
Draws: 20
Standard Sport prediction
13:30 , Oli Gent
It has been an emotional week for Boro, while Hull have been left in limbo as to who they might face at Wembley.
Hence, neither side are coming into this huge fixture with any kind of ideal preparation.
Boro will be keen to show the world that they deserve their place in this year’s final despite their defeat by Southampton, while Jakirovic’s men will be hungry to produce a repeat of their performance the last time they visited the capital.
Middlesbrough to win, 2-1.
Middlesbrough team news
13:22 , Oli Gent
As for Boro, key star Hayden Hackney will have some involvement after missing 10 games with a groin injury in a huge boost to their chances.
They are missing striker Tommy Conway, who suffered an ankle injury against Southampton that will see him sit out the World Cup with Scotland.
Alfie Jones is also sidelined, with doubts having surrounded the likes of Alex Bangura and Kaly Sene.
Hull team news
13:15 , Oli Gent
Hull will be without Eliot Matazo and Kyle Joseph at Wembley, though Amir Hadziahmetovic, David Akintola and Cody Drameh are all available.
Midfield loanee Toby Collyer has returned to parent club Manchester United following an injury and will play no part.
How to watch
13:08 , Oli Gent
TV channel: In the UK, the game will be televised live on Sky Sports Main Event and Sky Sports Football, with coverage starting at 2.30pm BST.
Live stream: Sky Sports subscribers can also watch the final live online via the Sky Go app.
Hello and welcome!
13:00 , Oli Gent
... to Standard Sport’s LIVE coverage of Hull vs Middlesbrough in the Championship play-off final.
Two teams that were not fancied to reach the season finale under the arch, and after days of controversy, the richest game in English football is back once more, with a place in the Premier League at stake.
Stay tuned for all the updates, with kick off at 3.30pm BST.
