BIG MATCH: Hull City take on Middlesbrough at Wembley Stadium in the much-anticipated Championship play-off final. The huge match kicks off at 3:30pm BST on Saturday, with both teams competing for football’s ultimate prize.
Huge profits: The winner of the featured match earns promotion to the Premier League. This results in a large financial inventory believed to be worth between £180m and £220m. This huge income is driven by expensive top-tier TV rights, enhanced commercial opportunities, and parachute deposits.
Minimum prize money: Promoted teams are guaranteed a basic financial cushion even if they are immediately relegated after just one season. This includes immediate TV revenue and benefit payments of between £110m and £130m. Combined with two future years of parachute payments, the absolute minimum award amount is approximately £180m.
Top prize: If the play-off winners manage to avoid relegation in their first top-flight campaign, the financial reward will jump significantly. If it survives the first year, the estimated total value will reach £220m. This increase is supported by a further year of Premier League TV revenue and superior commercial sponsorship.
Historic growth: The financial value of the play-off final has skyrocketed due to the renegotiation of the Premier League’s long-standing broadcast contract. When Hull City won their first play-off final in 2008, the prize pot was around £60 million. This is just a fraction of the historic amounts currently on offer.
Last year’s winners: Last year, Sunderland won the 2025 Championship play-off trophy after beating Sheffield United 2-1 at Wembley Stadium thanks to Tommy Watson’s dramatic 95th-minute winner. By winning promotion to the top flight, Sunderland have managed to achieve a long-term cash flow baseline of around £220m.
Spygate controversy: Boro’s passage to the final came after the dramatic Spygate scandal that saw Southampton banned from the play-offs for filming Boro’s private training sessions. Southampton’s appeal was rejected by the league’s arbitration panel and they will be deducted four points next season.
How to watch: Fans can watch the match live on Sky Sports Football and Sky Sports Main Event in the UK. You can also stream online via the Sky Go app or NOW TV with your Active Sports subscription.
