Hull City will face Middlesbrough in the Championship playoff final at Wembley Stadium on Saturday, May 23, 2026, with a Premier League berth at stake.
Captain Lewie Coyle, 30, will make his first appearance under the Wembley arch, leading the Tigers in the high-stakes match.
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The fixture comes after Southampton was expelled from the playoffs for spying on opponent training sessions.
Hull secured their final spot by defeating Millwall on May 11, while Middlesbrough advanced after Southampton's elimination.
Coyle's Emotional Motivation
Coyle is driven by a personal mission to honor his late father, Chris Coyle, a local greengrocer who died in June 2022.
"He'd be proud.
I want to share this with him, wherever he is, if he is looking down – I'm sure he is," Coyle said.
The defender described the final as the closest chance to finally say thank you to his father.
"You can probably see how uncomfortable I get thinking about it, but it's just my way of honouring him," he added.
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His family, including brothers Tommy and Rocco, will attend, though professional golfer Joe Coyle will miss the game due to a pre-planned trip.
Team Focus and Squad Updates
Manager Sergej Jakirovic confirmed that defender Cody Drameh and midfielder Amir Hadziahmetovic have returned to training, while Kyle Joseph remains sidelined with an ankle injury.
Coyle emphasized that the team has remained focused despite the controversy surrounding Southampton.
"We have no control over it, we just stay focused," he said.
The captain also highlighted the broader sporting success of Hull, noting that Hull Kingston Rovers will play at Wembley the following week for the Challenge Cup final.
Coyle called on fans to provide full vocal support, describing them as a potential decisive factor.
"We need them in full voices, as they have been all season, but we need them a little bit more," he said.
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Hull City is seeking its first top-flight return since promotions in 2008 and 2016.
