Hull City are back in the Premier League — and the route the Tigers took to get here was anything but predictable. A year after surviving in the Championship on goal difference, Hull finished sixth, fought their way through the playoffs and won promotion with a stoppage-time goal at Wembley. Now comes the reward. Manchester United visit the MKM Stadium on opening weekend. Trips to Chelsea, Liverpool, Arsenal and Manchester City await. Premier League football is returning to Hull for the first time since 2017.
Already traveling and having trouble accessing your usual coverage? Jump to: How to Unblock a Geo-Restricted Hull City Stream.
For supporters, 2026/27 should be a fascinating season to follow. This guide looks at how Hull earned promotion, the players who can make an impact, the matches we’re looking forward to, where to watch the Tigers internationally, UK blackouts and geo-restricted Hull City streams.
From Sixth Place to the Premier League
Go back to May 2025 and predicting Premier League football in Hull a little more than a year later would have been ambitious. The Tigers had just survived relegation from the Championship on goal difference. Then Hull appointed Sergej Jakirović. The Bosnian manager arrived with experience across Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Turkey and elsewhere in European football, but his first season in England didn’t immediately suggest something extraordinary was coming.
Hull won only two of their opening eight league matches. Then things started clicking. A victory over Sheffield United in October helped ignite the playoff push, and Hull closed 2025 with 10 wins from 16 matches. A four-match winning run followed early in 2026. Even then, promotion went down to the wire.
Sixth Place. One Last Chance.
Hull entered the final day needing to secure their playoff position. They defeated Norwich City 2–1 in front of a sold-out MKM Stadium, and results elsewhere went their way. Sixth place belonged to Hull. That meant they didn’t need to finish above everybody. They just needed to survive the playoffs. Hull faced Millwall in the semifinal and drew the opening leg 0–0. At The Den, goals from Mohamed Belloumi and Joe Gelhardt delivered a 2–0 victory and sent the Tigers to Wembley. One match remained.
The Goal That Sent Hull City Up
Hull City vs. Middlesbrough. Wembley. A place in the Premier League on the line. For more than 90 minutes, neither side could find the breakthrough. Then came Oli McBurnie. Yū Hirakawa created the opportunity, Middlesbrough goalkeeper Sol Brynn couldn’t hold the ball, and McBurnie was there to finish in the fifth minute of second-half stoppage time.Hull 1. Middlesbrough 0. Premier League.
It was McBurnie’s 18th goal of the campaign after scoring 17 during the regular Championship season, and none mattered more. Nine years after their previous Premier League season, the Tigers were finally back.
Why Hull City Could Be One of 2026/27’s Most Interesting Teams
Hull aren’t arriving as a dominant Championship champion. That’s what makes them interesting. The Tigers finished sixth and substantially outperformed some of the underlying numbers during their promotion campaign. The Premier League notes that Hull finished with a +4 actual goal difference despite an expected goal difference of -19.5, while an expected-points model placed them much lower than their actual Championship finish.
You can interpret that in two ways. The pessimistic version is that replicating those results against Premier League opposition will be difficult. The optimistic version? This is a team that became extremely good at finding ways to get results when it needed them. They survived a tense final day to reach the playoffs. They went to Millwall and won. Then they reached stoppage time at Wembley with the match still scoreless and found the goal that changed the club’s future. Hull will be an underdog plenty of times this season. They should be comfortable with that by now.
Hull City Players to Watch
Promotion came from a team rather than one individual, but there are several Tigers worth watching as Premier League football returns to the MKM Stadium.
Oli McBurnie
Start with the obvious one. McBurnie scored 17 Championship goals during the regular season before adding the playoff-final winner at Wembley. He also isn’t entering the Premier League without experience. The Scotland international previously played in the competition with Sheffield United. Hull will need goals to stay up, and McBurnie enters the season as one of the most important players in the squad.
Mohamed Belloumi
Belloumi already owns one of the important goals from Hull’s promotion run. His strike against Millwall helped the Tigers turn a scoreless semifinal into a Wembley trip. The Algerian winger gives Hull another attacking option around McBurnie and will now get his opportunity against Premier League defenders.
Lewie Coyle
Coyle brings something different. He’s Hull’s captain, a local player and someone who has been with the club through very different periods. During the promotion season he described captaining his hometown club back to the Premier League as a dream. He also contributed four assists through his first 27 appearances of the campaign. Now he gets to lead Hull into the top flight.
Hidemasa Morita
Morita represents part of Hull’s attempt to strengthen after promotion. The Japanese international arrived this summer after winning league titles with Sporting in Portugal. He brings international experience and a winning background to a midfield preparing for a significant increase in opposition quality.
Jack Butland
Another experienced summer addition. Butland arrives with extensive Premier League experience and takes over in goal following Ivor Pandur’s departure. Hull have also added former Newcastle defender Matt Targett, giving Jakirović more players who already understand the level they’re stepping into. The promotion team got Hull here. The challenge now is building a squad capable of staying.
Hull City vs. Manchester United: What an Opening Day
Hull don’t get a quiet introduction. Their first Premier League match in nine years is:
Hull City vs. Manchester United
Saturday, August 22
12:30 p.m. UK time
MKM Stadium
It’s also been selected for live UK coverage on TNT Sports. That’s about as visible a Premier League return as Hull could ask for. The Tigers then travel to fellow promoted club Coventry City on August 29 before Aston Villa visit the MKM Stadium on September 5. Then comes Chelsea away. The opening weeks therefore provide a little of everything: one of the world’s biggest clubs, another promoted team, an established Premier League side and a trip to Stamford Bridge.
Five Hull City Matches We’re Looking Forward To
Hull City vs. Manchester United — August 22
Nine years away. Then Manchester United arrive for the first match back. No explanation necessary.
Coventry City vs. Hull City — August 29
The glamorous fixtures will attract more attention, but this could be one of Hull’s more important early matches. Coventry were promoted alongside Hull. Points against teams facing the same survival challenge can become incredibly valuable.
Chelsea vs. Hull City — September 12
Hull’s first trip to one of the traditional Premier League heavyweights comes quickly. It’s an early opportunity to see how the playoff winners cope away against substantially stronger opposition.
Hull City vs. Liverpool — October 10
Liverpool coming to the MKM Stadium is exactly the type of fixture supporters have waited years to see return.
Hull City vs. Manchester City — November 28
Another enormous home match before December even begins. By this stage, we should also have a much clearer idea of how Hull are adapting to Premier League football.
Watching Hull City in the United States
Hull’s promotion doesn’t just put them back on England’s biggest stage. It puts them back into one of the world’s largest international sports broadcast networks. In the United States, NBC Sports holds Premier League rights through 2028, with the agreement covering all 380 matches each season. U.S. Premier League coverage can appear across NBCUniversal platforms including:
- Peacock
- NBC
- USA Network
Check the individual Hull fixture before kickoff because the specific platform can vary. American viewers also have one advantage that can seem particularly strange to supporters in England: some Hull matches that aren’t televised live domestically in the UK can still be available through authorized international coverage.
A Hull Match Can Be Unavailable in Hull but Available Overseas
This sounds backwards until you understand the UK’s football blackout. Premier League matches played during the traditional Saturday 3 p.m. window aren’t normally televised live domestically. Importantly, this doesn’t happen because you live in Hull. There isn’t a special radius around the MKM Stadium where Hull supporters suddenly lose television access. The closed broadcast window applies broadly to Saturday afternoon football in the UK and is intended to protect attendance throughout the English football pyramid. International Premier League rights operate differently.
So a Saturday 3 p.m. Hull match could potentially be available through an authorized broadcaster in another country while not being shown live on domestic UK television. That’s a blackout issue. A geo-restriction is different—and becomes especially important when you travel. For the full explanation, see our Premier League blackout, geo-restriction and international viewing guide.
Following the Tigers Around the World
Where you watch determines who carries the Premier League. Some of the current international rights holders include:
| Location | Premier League Rights Holder |
|---|---|
| United States | NBC Sports |
| Canada | Fubo |
| Australia | Stan Sport |
| Japan | U-NEXT |
| South Korea | Coupang |
| Middle East & North Africa | beIN Sports |
| Sub-Saharan Africa | SuperSport |
| United Kingdom | Sky Sports / TNT Sports |
These are territorial broadcast agreements rather than one worldwide Premier League streaming service. That’s particularly important for supporters who travel.
Taking Hull City With You When You Travel
Suppose you normally follow Hull from the United States. You know your streaming service, you’ve watched several matches, and your setup works. Then you travel internationally. Suddenly your normal service says the match isn’t available. Nothing about Hull City has changed. You’ve simply crossed into another Premier League broadcast territory.
Streaming platforms can use information such as your IP address to determine your approximate location. If you’re outside the region where a service provides its Premier League coverage, the content available to you can change. That’s when a supporter may encounter a message such as: “This content isn’t available in your region.” If that happens, don’t immediately assume you need a VPN.
Figure out the problem first.
Hull City Stream Blocked? Check These Four Things
1. Is Hull Actually on That Service?
Premier League coverage can be distributed across multiple platforms. Check the match listing first.
2. Is It a Saturday 3 p.m. Match in the UK?
If you’re watching domestically in the UK, the closed broadcast window may be the reason the match isn’t being televised live.
3. Is This Actually a Premier League Match?
Hull also compete in domestic cup competitions.
FA Cup and EFL Cup matches can have different broadcast rights from Premier League fixtures.
4. Are You Traveling?
If your normal service worked at home but changed after you entered another country, you may be dealing with a geographic restriction.
If location is the problem, that’s where a VPN becomes relevant.
How to Unblock a Geo-Restricted Hull City Stream
A VPN allows you to route your internet connection through a server in another location. Normally, websites and streaming platforms can see the IP address associated with your current network. Connect to a VPN and your traffic is routed through the VPN server first. Online services then see the IP address associated with that server. That’s why VPNs can be useful for international travel, online privacy and dealing with geographically restricted content.
How to Use a VPN for Hull City
- Choose a VPN. we recommend ExpressVPN.
- Install its app on your streaming device.
- Select the appropriate server location.
- Connect before opening your streaming service.
- Open your Premier League service.
- Sign into your existing account.
- Find the Hull City match and check its availability.
A VPN changes how your internet connection is routed. You’ll still need the appropriate streaming service and access to the match.
Affiliate Disclosure: VPNForSports may earn a commission if you purchase through links on this page, at no additional cost to you.
Saturday in the Premier League, Tuesday in the Cup
Here’s another reason a Hull stream can seemingly disappear. The club may be the same. The competition isn’t.
Hull can play in:
- Premier League – League matches against the other 19 top-flight clubs.
- FA Cup – England’s historic knockout competition.
- EFL Cup – A separate knockout competition for clubs throughout England’s professional leagues.
Those competitions can have different broadcasting arrangements. So if you watched Hull in the Premier League on Saturday and can’t find their cup match a few days later, don’t immediately blame a blackout, your location or your VPN. Check the competition first.
Hull City International Viewing FAQ
NBC Sports holds U.S. Premier League rights through 2028. Its agreement covers all 380 matches, with coverage distributed across NBCUniversal platforms. Check the specific Hull fixture to find the correct platform.
Stan Sport holds current Australian Premier League rights.
beIN Sports holds Premier League rights across the Middle East and North Africa during the current broadcast cycle.
Yes. A VPN doesn’t provide Premier League coverage or replace the subscription required by the broadcaster.
From the Final Playoff Spot to the Premier League
Hull City’s 2026/27 season begins with a pretty remarkable sentence: The Tigers are a Premier League club again. Twelve months earlier, that would have sounded improbable. Hull had survived relegation on goal difference. They started the following Championship season slowly. Even when things improved, they ultimately finished sixth—the final playoff position.
Then they beat Millwall. Then they went to Wembley. Then, with the clock deep into stoppage time and the season hanging on one moment, Oli McBurnie scored. Now Manchester United are coming to the MKM Stadium. That’s why Hull should be fun to follow this season. And whether you’re watching from Yorkshire, the United States, Japan or somewhere else entirely, knowing which broadcaster has the match, whether a UK blackout applies and how geo-restrictions work when you travel can make following the Tigers much easier. If travel does leave your normal coverage geo-restricted, ExpressVPN is our VPN choice for Hull City supporters.
