2026 Championship Play Off Final: Who Gets Promoted?
Each season, the Championship Play Off Final captures the attention of football fans across the country.
Held at Wembley Stadium, this match is known as the “richest game in football” because it decides which team will play in the Premier League next season, a move that brings significant financial rewards and greater exposure.
With teams finishing third to sixth in the regular Championship season, the play-offs offer another route to the top flight, different from the automatic promotion places. Reaching the final is no easy task and there is genuine excitement over which squad will clinch the last promotion spot.
When Is The Championship Play Off Final?
The Championship Play Off Final is schedule to take place on 23rd May, and will be contested between Middlesbrough and Hull City. The kick-off time for the Play Off Final has been confirmed for 3:30pm.
Southampton were due to play in the Play Off Final, however they were kicked out and replaced by Middlesbrough, after having being found to have spied on a Middlesbrough training session before their semi-final clash.
The match takes place at Wembley Stadium in London, the long-standing home of this fixture since 2007 and a stage that adds scale and occasion to the day.
Who Won The Championship Play Off Final 2025?
Sunderland won the 2025 Championship Play Off Final, beating Sheffield United 2-1 after a late stoppage time goal.
Sheffield United finished the season in 3rd place on 92 points, while Sunderland finished 4th on 76 points. The Blades defeated Bristol City 6-0 on aggregate, while Sunderland edged past Coventry City 3-2 on aggregate thanks to Dan Ballard’s last gasp header at the Stadium of Light.
Sheffield United took the lead in 25th minute through Tyrese Campbell, before having a second goal ruled out for offside. Eliezer Mayenda equalised for the Black Cats in the 76th minute, before Tommy Watson’s 95th winner sent Sunderland to the Premier League.
Who Is In The Championship Play Off Final?
The 2026 Championship Play Off Final will be contested between Middlesbrough and Hull City. Middlesbrough finished 5th in the league on 80 points, while Hull City secured play offs on the final day of the campaign to finish 6th on 73 points.
Boro and Hull will both be aiming to reach the Premier League for the first time since 2017.
How Did Each Team Reach The Final?
Middlesbrough were defeated by 4th place Southampton 2-1 on aggregate across two legs. The first leg saw the sides play out a 0-0 draw, in a game which Middlesbrough were unlucky not to score.
The second leg saw Middlesbrough take an early lead through Riley McGree, before Ross Stewart equalised on the stroke of half-time. Shea Charles’ extra-time winner at St Mary’s secured a 2-1 victory for the Saints.
Southampton were due to play in the Championship Play Off Final, however they were expelled by the EFL after admitting multiple breaches related to filming opposition training sessions. Middlesbrough were reinstated into the play offs, where they will face Hull City at Wembley.
Hull City faced 3rd placed Millwall, who had just missed out on automatic promotion on the final day. After a tense 0-0 at home, Hull travelled to the Den in hopes of progressing to the final.
The Tigers took the lead in the 64th minute through Mohamed Belloumi’s exquisite strike before Joe Gelhardt secured a 2-0 win after his finish in the 79th minute.
Who Are Favourites To Get Promoted?
The Championship Play-Off Final between Middlesbrough and Hull City is set up as a high-stakes, winner-takes-all clash for a place in the Premier League. When it comes to pre-match expectations, Middlesbrough are generally viewed as the slight favourites, but the nature of this fixture means that reputations and league form only tell part of the story.
Middlesbrough’s case as favourites is largely built on squad quality and consistency. Over the course of the Championship season, they have shown a greater ability to control matches, dominate possession, and create chances in a structured system. That kind of stability is often crucial in a pressure environment like Wembley, where composure can matter as much as tactics.
By contrast, Hull City arrive as the underdogs, but not without belief. Their route to the final has shown resilience, organisation, and the ability to compete with stronger sides. In a one-off match, those qualities can be just as important as overall squad depth.
Hull’s best chance lies in keeping the game close and exploiting transitions or set-piece opportunities. If they can frustrate Middlesbrough and take the game deep into the second half, the pressure could shift, especially with promotion on the line.
Overall, Middlesbrough are labelled the favourites due to their consistency and league form, but Hull City’s underdog status and knockout mentality mean this final is far from predictable. While Middlesbrough may be favourites, this clash could swing either way on the day.
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