Hull City v Middlesbrough Wembley schedule twist emerges amid Southampton appeal | OneFootball

The play-off final's kick-off time has been plunged into chaos amid Spygate

The Championship play-off final is just over four days away, but the drama and excitement which normally comes ahead of the richest game in club football hasn't exactly been there this time around.

After the conclusion of the second tier's 46-game regular season on May 2nd, it was known that Millwall, Southampton, Middlesbrough and Hull City were to contest the customary two-legged semi-finals ahead of the showpiece event at Wembley Stadium, which had been scheduled well in advance for Saturday, May 23rd.

The Tigers, in particular, were not expected to reach the post-season lottery under the management of Sergej Jakirovic after being made relegation favourites last summer, but they were the first side to seal their passage to Wembley after a 2-0 aggregate success over the Lions.

Saints, meanwhile, had already been to North London once this season in the FA Cup semi-final against Manchester City, and, it seemed as though, on the pitch, they were set to embark on a third appearance at the national stadium in two years by defeating Boro 2-1 after extra-time in after what were two hostile clashes due to initial allegations of the well-documented Spygate saga coming to the fore ahead of the first at the Riverside Stadium on May 9th.

As such, the aforementioned date, which had been in the pipeline for weeks, was initially plunged into doubt despite an initial statement from the EFL, while Hull and Southampton have since sold thousands of tickets.

However, following the initial outcome of an independent disciplinary commission on Tuesday, another twist has emerged as Saints have appealed their explusion and Boro's restoration into the competition and, subsequently, the Wembley final.

Fresh twist in Championship play-off final kick-off time emerges as Hull City, Southampton and Middlesbrough await appeal decision

As well as being expelled from the play-offs, an EFL statement on Tuesday revealed that Saints will begin the 2026/27 season with a four-point deficit after admitting to multiple breaches of unauthorised filming up to 72 hours ahead of matches, with the two others aside from the first leg of the play-off semi-finals coming against Oxford United and Ipswich Town last December and in April respectively.

It has been widely reported, though, that the Hampshire club have lodged an appeal against those sanctions, although a brand new three-man commission will oversee the process which is set to be resolved by the close of play on Wednesday, although a kick-off time for Saturday's final could still change.

Despite thousands of tickets being sold by both Hull and Southampton, Middlesbrough's own statement on the matter revealed that tickets would be on sale to their supporters as soon as possible, and a new kick-off time has been confirmed if Southampton are unsuccessful in the appeal.

If Hull face off against Middlesbrough, the encounter will kick off at 3:30PM, one hour before the previously scheduled kick-off time of 4:30PM if they are to still potentially take on Saints.

Hull City could be somewhat satisfied with new kick-off times despite Middlesbrough, Southampton uncertainty

Even prior to the kick-off time for a clash with Southampton was released, those from East Yorkshire were served a travel warning in relation to train and coach travel arrangements for the bank holiday weekend.

Supporters were then seen venting their frustrations all across social media, with Jakirovic and Acun Ilicali stating, from their perspective, that the game had to be played this Saturday amid feelings of "collateral damage" to the mindset of the players and supporters.

A report from the Athletic revealed that the Bosnian's squad are set to make the journey south to London on Thursday afternoon after previously preparing to take on Southampton in the final, whilst it was also claimed that a change of date would see the Tigers seek legal advice of their own.

It is a situation which has left many in the dark, and none more so than those of a Hull persuasion, ahead of what is just the club's fifth-ever visit to Wembley.