Middlesbrough will face Hull City in the Championship playoff final after the English Football Association expelled Southampton due to a spying scandal. The match is set for Saturday at 10:30 a.m. ET on Paramount+. Aidan Morris, a key player for Middlesbrough, will be available after recovering from injury and played a crucial role in the semifinal.
Southampton defeated Middlesbrough 2-1 in extra time of their second semi-final match after a scoreless first leg. However, the FA ruled that Southampton spied on Middlesbrough before the match and throughout the season. As a result, they forfeited the game and Middlesbrough advances. Morris missed the first match entirely and came on for the final 31 minutes of the second match. He has played every minute of the two-leg semifinal and is coming off a strong close to the season.
The winner of the one-match final will earn promotion to the Premier League. Hull and Middlesbrough split their regular-season series, with each team winning on the road. The match is now dubbed football’s richest game due to the financial implications of promotion.
Also on Saturday, Real Sociedad will play Espanyol at 3 p.m. ET on ESPN Select. Pellegrino Matarazzo’s team is winless since winning the Copa del Rey and will look to close the season strong.
In MLS, Minnesota United host RSL at 4:30 p.m. ET with Diego Luna and Zavier Gozo in action. Charlotte face New England at 7:30 p.m. ET with Tim Ream squaring off against Matt Turner. Chicago Fire host Toronto FC at 8:30 p.m. ET where Chris Brady could start in goal.
Sunday brings several key matches. Crystal Palace face Arsenal at 11 a.m. ET on CNBC. Chris Richards will miss the match with an ankle sprain but is expected to be available for Palace’s Conference League final. Bournemouth will need a win to keep pressure on Liverpool for a Champions League spot in their match against Nottingham Forest.
Fulham and Newcastle United will play at 11 a.m. ET on Peacock. Antonee Robinson scored his first goal of the season in his last match and will look to help Fulham avoid relegation.
West Ham United host Leeds United at 11 a.m. ET on USA Network. Brenden Aaronson will be under pressure as West Ham fight for survival. Leeds are in 14th place but are undefeated in their last eight matches.
In Serie A, Torino face Juventus at 2:45 p.m. ET on Paramount+. Weston McKennie and Juventus will need a win and help to qualify for the Champions League. AC Milan host Cagliari at the same time with Christian Pulisic playing a key role in their push for a top-four finish.
Villarreal host Atletico Madrid at 3 p.m. ET on ESPN Select. Alex Freeman is available after missing last week’s match. Columbus Crew host Atlanta United at 5 p.m. ET on MLS Season Pass with Max Arfsten in action. LAFC face Seattle Sounders at 9 p.m. ET on FOX with Cristian Roldan playing for the Sounders.
The weekend will decide promotion, European qualification, and relegation in multiple leagues. The final results will impact the 2026 World Cup preparations for several U.S. players.
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