Today, Saturday, May 23, 2026, Hull City faced Middlesbrough in the Championship Play-Off Final at Wembley Stadium, and Hull City emerged victorious.
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Semi-final
Hull City reached the final after defeating Millwall 2-0 on aggregate.
Chaos before the final
Southampton were expelled from the play-offs due to the “Spygate” scandal, and Middlesbrough were brought into the final instead. During the process, Acun Ilıcalı stated, “Under normal circumstances, we should be promoted directly to the Premier League,” and even consulted lawyers.
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Final day
The match kicked off at 3:30 PM at Wembley, where Hull City secured their first Premier League ticket since 2017.
Huge reaction in England and Turkey
Acun Ilıcalı had previously promised, “If we get promoted to the Premier League, I’ll take the team to Las Vegas.” Following the match, Turkish media and social media exploded with reactions:
- Ertem Şener: “Hull City are in the Premier League play-off final! All fans meet at Wembley on May 23.”
- Fanatik announced the victory with the headline: “ONE LAST STEP TO THE PREMIER LEAGUE!”
- Demirören Haber Ajansı quoted Acun Ilıcalı after the match: “We haven’t won a trophy yet, but our performance showed that we deserve to be in the top division.”
- Vatan Öz said: “On behalf of the Turkish community in England, we thank you. Our support is endless. Congratulations.”
Acun Ilıcalı had also said before: “If we get promoted to the Premier League, I’ll go crazy. The destiny of the city changes — Premier League cities become economic centers.” Now, that day has arrived.
Back after 9 years
Hull City last played in the Premier League during the 2016/17 season. This marks the club’s third promotion to the Premier League via the play-offs.
Welcome back to the Premier League, Hull City A.F.C.! 🧡🖤
The Turkish flag officially waved at Wembley tonight.