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Hull City AFC news

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The gist

Hull City returned to the Premier League after nine years, facing Manchester United on Aug 22, 2026. The newly promoted side seeks to prove doubters wrong against a top club.

Background

Hull City were promoted to the Premier League for the 2026-27 season after a nine-year absence, having finished sixth in the Championship and winning the playoffs. They face a tough opening match against Manchester United, who finished third last season and have strengthened their squad. Hull's manager Sergej Jakirovic is the first Bosnian manager in the Premier League, and the club has signed 11 new players this summer, with hopes of adding more experience before the transfer window closes.

How it unfolded

  1. 2025 -26 seasonHull City finished sixth in the Championship with a plus-four goal differential, qualifying for the playoffs on the final day.
  2. May 2026Hull City won the Championship playoffs, beating Millwall in the semi-finals and Middlesbrough in the final to earn promotion.
  3. Summer 2026Hull City signed 11 new players, including goalkeeper Konstantinos Tzolakis, defender Nobel Mendy, and midfielder Elliot Stroud, as they prepared for the Premier League.
  4. Aug 18, 2026Assistant manager Dean Holden said the club still hopes to recruit players with more Premier League experience before the transfer window closes.
  5. Aug 22, 2026Hull City faced Manchester United in their first Premier League match of the season at the MKM Stadium, with a 12:30pm BST kick-off.

Who’s saying what

Hull City
Assistant manager Dean Holden said, 'We proved the doubters wrong and we'll aim to do that again,' expressing confidence in the squad's ability to compete.
Analysts
The Ringer questioned whether Hull could be 'the worst Premier League team of all time,' citing their underlying numbers and lack of top-flight experience.

Still unverified

The Ringer's suggestion that Hull could be the worst Premier League team of all time is an opinion, not a confirmed fact.

Sources

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