NEWLY PROMOTED: Loud celebration as hull city get their letter of promotion as promised by football…see more

NEWLY PROMOTED: Loud celebration as hull city get their letter of promotion as promised by football…see more

 

Hull City supporters have every reason to celebrate after the Tigers officially secured their return to the Premier League for the 2026/27 season. The promotion represents one of the most remarkable turnarounds in the club’s recent history, coming only a year after Hull narrowly avoided relegation to League One.

 

The club’s promotion was sealed at Wembley on May 23, when Hull defeated Middlesbrough 1–0 in the Championship play-off final. Oli McBurnie became the hero of the occasion, scoring a dramatic stoppage-time winner to send the Tigers back into England’s top flight after nine years away.

 

The achievement immediately sparked emotional celebrations among players, staff and supporters. Thousands of Hull fans had travelled to Wembley hoping to witness a historic moment, and McBurnie’s late strike delivered exactly the kind of unforgettable ending they had dreamed about.

 

Hull entered the play-offs after a difficult but ultimately successful campaign. Few outsiders expected the club to go all the way after their struggles during the previous season. However, under manager Sergej Jakirovic, the Tigers developed into a determined and highly competitive side.

 

Their journey to Wembley included a 2–0 aggregate victory over Millwall in the semi-finals. Mohamed Belloumi and Joe Gelhardt were among the players who helped Hull reach the decisive stage of the promotion battle.

 

Against Middlesbrough, the final was extremely tense. Hull were forced to defend for long periods, with Middlesbrough enjoying plenty of possession and creating pressure. Yet the Tigers remained organised and patient, waiting for their opportunity.

 

That opportunity arrived deep into stoppage time.

 

After Yu Hirakawa’s cross caused confusion in the Middlesbrough defence, goalkeeper Sol Brynn was unable to hold the ball, allowing McBurnie to react quickly and finish from close range. The goal sent Hull supporters into wild celebrations and secured a 1–0 victory.

 

For McBurnie, the moment was particularly special. The striker had already been an important contributor throughout the campaign, and his late Wembley goal became the defining image of Hull’s promotion. He later described the feeling as difficult to put into words after such a long and demanding season.

 

The promotion also has enormous financial importance for the club. Before the final, Deloitte estimated that winning the promotion battle could provide the successful club with a revenue uplift of at least £205 million across three seasons, with the potential figure increasing significantly if the club survived its first Premier League campaign.

 

Hull’s return to the Premier League marks their first appearance in the division since the 2016/17 season. The club’s previous top-flight spell ended with relegation, making this latest promotion an opportunity to establish themselves once again among England’s elite.

 

The celebrations have continued beyond Wembley, with supporters looking ahead to a new Premier League adventure. The club has also strengthened its squad as it prepares for the demanding campaign ahead, bringing in new players and attempting to build a team capable of competing at the highest level.

 

That preparation received an enormous boost on the opening weekend of the new season. Hull made an extraordinary start to their Premier League return by defeating Manchester United 2–0 at the MKM Stadium, with goals from Semi Ajayi and Nobel Mendy. The result underlined the confidence and belief that has grown around the club since promotion.

 

The victory over Manchester United was another reminder that Hull are not returning to the Premier League simply to participate. Captain Lewie Coyle has insisted that the Tigers want to compete, while Jakirovic has remained determined to prove doubters wrong.

 

For the supporters, however, the story remains much bigger than one match. It is about a club that went from fearing relegation to celebrating promotion within a remarkably short period.

 

Hull City’s Premier League return is therefore a story of resilience, belief and dramatic football. From the pressure of the Championship play-offs to McBurnie’s unforgettable Wembley winner, the Tigers have completed a journey that will be remembered for years.

 

Now the challenge is even greater: staying in the Premier League and turning this promotion celebration into the beginning of a new chapter in Hull City’s history.