Hull v Birmingham: play-off push meets mid-table climb | OneFootball

Hull City host Birmingham City in the Championship on Saturday, 18 April 2026 in Hull, with the hosts defending a play-off spot and the visitors looking to build on a much-needed win.

Hull City are sixth on 68 points, while Birmingham City sit 15th with 56. The stakes are clear: the home side are protecting their top six position, and the visitors are chasing a late season lift.

Hull have mixed recent form, drawing with Coventry and Oxford before losing 2-1 at Sheffield United. Birmingham snapped a three-game losing run by beating Wrexham 2-0 after defeats to Blackburn and Ipswich. Momentum is fragile for both.

Selection could matter. John Lundstram is suspended for Hull, with Regan Slater, Cody Callum Pierre Drameh and David Babajide sidelined. For Birmingham, Kyogo Furuhashi is out, while defenders Lee Buchanan and Alexander William Cochrane are injured.

Tactically, Hull may lean on Oliver McBurnie's 14 league goals and Joe Gelhardt's 13, with Ryan Giles supplying eight assists. Birmingham tend to see more of the ball with 54% possession and deliver a high volume of open-play crosses, though at 17.18% accuracy, while Hull's cross accuracy sits at 21.63%. Runs in behind could trouble Birmingham, who have been flagged offside 72 times. Marvin Ducksch's 10 league goals and Jay Stansfield's six assists underline the visitors' threat.

A Hull win would take them to 71 points and could strengthen their grip on the play-offs. Victory for Birmingham would move them to 59 and may nudge them closer to the top half.