Few promotions in the history of the Championship have been as stunning — or as fortunate — as Hull City's 2025-26 campaign. The Tigers climbed from the relegation zone on the final day of the previous season, operated through an entire summer under a transfer embargo that restricted them to loans and free agents, and still managed to finish sixth before winning the play-offs. It is the sort of story that feels made up.

How they got here

Working within those financial constraints, Hull found attacking reinforcements in Joe Gelhardt and Oli McBurnie. Existing players elevated their performances across the board, and head coach Sergej Jakirovic — new to the club and new to English football — shaped a side capable of punishing opponents in isolated moments with clinical efficiency.

Yet the underlying numbers tell a sobering story. Hull conceded the joint-fourth-most goals in the Championship and posted easily the second-worst defensive metrics in the division. Winning promotion despite those figures was remarkable; replicating that fortune in the Premier League is another matter entirely.

The man in the dugout

Jakirovic arrives in the top flight with a strong track record. He managed weighty expectations at Dinamo Zagreb and rescued Kayserispor from a perilous drop before landing in East Yorkshire. The Bosnian coach adapted his setup during the season to reduce risk — a sign, perhaps, that he can evolve quickly enough to compete at the highest level.

Key player: Oli McBurnie

Hull had monitored Las Palmas throughout 2024-25, waiting for the Spanish club's relegation to free McBurnie. When that happened, the 30-year-old Scottish striker became the heartbeat of the side. He scored 19 goals across all competitions last season, including the play-off final winner, and his ability to hold the ball up and bring teammates into play will be critical as Hull adjust to the physicality of Premier League football.

Defensive foundations

With goalkeeper Ivor Pandur now at Rangers, Hull must replace an irreplaceable figure — Pandur made more saves than any other goalkeeper in the Championship last season. The burden of maintaining defensive solidity falls even more heavily on John Egan and Regan Slater, who covered for the absences of Charlie Hughes and Matt Crooks at crucial points. Hull averaged the most tackles per game in the Championship at 17.8, with 14 players making more than two per 90 minutes — an aggressive identity they share, fittingly, with rugby side Hull FC at their ground.

The challenge ahead

Hull can now spend transfer fees, which removes one major handicap. But the gap between a play-off-winning Championship side and a Premier League survivor is wide. Owner Acun Ilicali is ambitious, yet his resources do not match the spending power of most clubs in the division. The squad, as currently constituted, looks thin for the level.

Supporters are optimistic but clear-eyed. A fan perspective from Hull City Live's Ricky Skelton points to McBurnie as the player who sets the standard — from the moment he arrived, he lifted those around him. Losing that spirit would be costly. Skelton predicts a 17th-place finish; FourFourTwo's assessment is less generous, placing Hull at 20th.

Still, everyone said Sunderland would go straight back down. Siege mentality, it turns out, can be a powerful equaliser — and Hull City have made a habit of defying expectations.