The big match: Hull City take on Middlesbrough at Wembley Stadium in the highly anticipated Championship play-off final. The massive fixture kicks off on Saturday afternoon at 3.30pm BST, with both teams competing for football’s ultimate financial prize.
Massive windfall: The winner of the showpiece match will secure promotion to the Premier League. This brings a monumental financial windfall thought to be worth between £180million and £220million. This immense revenue is driven by lucrative top-flight television rights, enhanced commercial opportunities, and guaranteed parachute payments.
The minimum prize: If the promoted side suffers immediate relegation after just one season, they are still guaranteed a baseline financial cushion. This includes between £110m to £130m in immediate TV revenue and merit payments. Combined with two years of future parachute payments, the absolute minimum prize value sits around £180m.
The maximum prize: The financial rewards jump significantly if the play-off winner successfully avoids relegation in their first top-flight campaign. Surviving the first year pushes the total estimated value to £220m. This increase is powered by an extra year of lucrative Premier League TV revenue and superior commercial sponsorships.
Historical growth: The monetary value of the play-off final has skyrocketed due to renegotiated Premier League broadcasting contracts over the years. When Hull City won their first play-off final in 2008, the prize pot stood at roughly £60m. This is a mere fraction of the historic sum on offer today.
Last year’s winners: Last year, Sunderland claimed the 2025 Championship play-off trophy by defeating Sheffield United 2-1 at Wembley Stadium, courtesy of a dramatic 95th-minute winner from Tommy Watson. By earning promotion to the top flight, Sunderland successfully unlocked a long-term cash flow baseline of roughly £220m.
The Spygate controversy: Boro only reached the final following a dramatic Spygate scandal that saw Southampton expelled from the play-offs for filming Boro’s private training sessions. Southampton’s appeals were rejected by a league arbitration panel, and they face a four-point deduction for the upcoming season.
How to watch: Fans can watch the match live in the UK on Sky Sports Football and Sky Sports Main Event. It can also be streamed online via the Sky Go app or NOW TV with an active sports subscription.