EFL Clears Akintola for Hull City’s Wembley Playoff Final

Hull City applied for special dispensation to register Akintola after midfielder Eliot Matazo suffered a cruciate knee ligament injury last month, leaving the club short of options. The EFL granted the request, and Akintola has since been added to Hull’s 25 man squad for the final. The winner of Saturday’s clash at Wembley earns promotion to the Premier League for the 2026-27 season.

Akintola’s last appearance for the club came on January 24, when he came off the bench in a 2-1 home win over Swansea City. He was left unregistered after the winter transfer window closed but continued training at Hull’s Cottingham base throughout the rest of the season. The 30 year old also watched from the stands as his teammates progressed through the playoffs, including the two legged semi final victory over Millwall. Nigerian fans following the Wembley final can grab the Bet9ja sign-up offer before Saturday’s 3:30 PM kick-off.

It is worth noting that Hull had previously sought to re-register Akintola earlier in the season after injuries to Yu Hirakawa and Toby Collyer, but those applications were turned down by the EFL. The approval this time around, tied to Matazo’s serious knee problem, finally gives the Nigerian a route back into Hull’s matchday plans at the most critical moment of their season.

A Season of Waiting for Akintola

Akintola joined Hull City on a two year contract last summer, making the move to English football for the first time in his career. Born in Oyo, Nigeria, the winger came through FC Ebedei before moving to Danish club Midtjylland in 2014. He spent the bulk of his career in Turkey, making 147 Süper Lig appearances across spells with Hatayspor, Adana Demirspor, and Caykur Rizespor before the move to England.

In 20 Championship appearances this season, the winger registered one goal and two assists. His output was modest, but the quality he showed in flashes, particularly his creativity on the ball and ability to stretch defences, gave Hull manager Sergej Jakirovic reasons to remain patient with him even as his involvement dried up after January. Fans looking ahead to a potential Premier League season for Hull can also check out the Bet9ja’s YOHAIG welcome bonus for their playoff final stake.

A Final Shrouded in Controversy

The 2025-26 Championship playoff final has been one of the most dramatic in the competition’s history. Hull beat Millwall 2-0 on aggregate in the semi finals, with goals from Mohamed Belloumi and Joe Gelhardt at The Den. Middlesbrough, on the other hand, actually lost their semi-final to Southampton on a 2-1 aggregate scoreline, but were reinstated as finalists after Southampton were expelled from the playoffs by an independent disciplinary commission.

Southampton admitted to multiple breaches of EFL regulations involving the unauthorised filming of opponents’ training sessions on three separate occasions, including those of Middlesbrough. The punishment handed down was expulsion from the playoffs and a four-point deduction for the 2026-27 season. As reported by FootballInNigeria.com.ng, Hull City also sought legal advice in the immediate aftermath of the ruling as the full implications of the decision became clear.

Middlesbrough finished fifth in the Championship this season, seven points above Hull in sixth. Despite losing on the pitch to Southampton, they now find themselves in a Wembley final with a genuine shot at reaching the Premier League for the first time since 2017. For Hull, it would be a return to the top flight nine years after their last relegation. Fans of both clubs can find the Bet9ja referral code page for extra value going into one of the biggest games of the English football calendar.

Akintola’s inclusion adds a Nigerian thread to Saturday’s occasion. If he features and Hull win promotion, it would cap a remarkable personal journey for a winger who spent the best part of a decade in Turkish football before finally landing in England at the age of 29.