Millwall

The EFL will reveal its fixture list for the 2026-27 season on Thursday.

Want to know who your team will face on opening day? The fixtures will be announced at 12:00 BST - but that is not all.

The draws for the group stage of the Vertu Trophy and the first round of the Carabao Cup will also take place.

So check back on 25 June to see who your team faces first, last and everything in between.

Millwall have submitted a £5m bid for Hull City's Scottish striker Kyle Joseph, 24, with the Tigers needing to recoup some money to avoid a points deduction in the Premier League. (Daily Mail), external

For more transfer news and rumours, read Thursday's full gossip column here.

"It was heartbreaking because it really felt like it was Millwall's time."

BBC Radio London's Karl Bates reflects on Millwall's 2025-26 season that saw them finish just one point outside the automatic promotion places before losing to Hull City in the play-off semi-finals and what could happen in the upcoming transfer window.

Listen to the full review on BBC Sounds

Listen to more Millwall content on BBC Sounds

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Millwall goalkeeper Max Crocombe was in action at the weekend as preparations for the World Cup ramp up.

The stopper played 84 minutes for New Zealand against England on Saturday but could not prevent Harry Kane's goal from slipping through in a 1-0 defeat.

Crocombe is a regular starter for the All Whites and you may be able to catch him in action again once the World Cup begins on 11 June.

New Zealand are in Group G and will face Iran, Egypt and Belgium.

Image source, Getty Images

Millwall forward Femi Azeez marked his senior international debut for Nigeria with two goals on Tuesday night.

The 24-year-old scored in each half as the Super Eagles beat Zimbabwe 2-0 in their Unity Cup tie at The Valley.

Azeez netted 11 goals for Millwall this season as they finished third in the Championship before being beaten by Hull City in the play-off semi-finals.

Nigeria will meet either India or Jamaica in the final of the Unity Cup on Saturday with those two sides playing their semi-final, also at The Valley on Wednesday evening.

Millwall head coach Alex Neil spoke to BBC Radio London after his side were beaten 2-0 by Hull City in the Championship play-off semi-finals:

"[The feeling is] disappointment as much as anything else and I think frustration. I didn't think there was a lot in the game, I thought the first goal was always going to be a deciding factor in the game.

"We're the home team and we wanted to really force the issue. We rolled the dice a little bit early with putting on our striker [Mihailo Ivanovic] up front.

"But I still think we lacked quality in the game, I didn't think there was enough quality shown in terms of getting into good areas and crosses in the box.

"I put the two guys [Alfie Doughty and Barry Bannan] who you would probably say have got the quality in our squad onto the pitch to try to influence that and give us a bit of momentum, but unfortunately within 30 seconds or a minute of them coming on, the ball ends up in the back of the net.

"After that we start chasing our tail a little bit and from there it becomes difficult for us. The second goal - we try to keep the ball in play so we can sustain an attack and it costs us the second goal - they break and then they manage to score.

"At that stage, the game gets taken away from us."

Image source, Opta

Millwall and Hull City's promotion destiny will be decided when they meet at The Den in the second leg of their Championship play-off semi-final on Monday (20:00 BST).

The sides played out a goalless draw in the first leg at the MKM Stadium on Friday night and extra-time and penalties may be needed to determine which side progresses to the final at Wembley on 23 May to face either Southampton or Middlesbrough.

• Hull City have won on each of their past two trips to Millwall, both coming in the Championship in January 2025 (1-0) and December this season (3-1); it's as wins as in their previous 27 visits (D10 L15).

• Millwall have won four of their previous six home games (L2), keeping a clean sheet in all four victories, while they recorded more shutouts than any other side in the home Championship games in the regular season (11).

• Hull won just one of their final seven away league games to finish the Championship season (D2 L4), suffering as many away defeats in that run as in their first 16 away league matches of 2025-26 (W9 D3).

• Hull are aiming to become the first sixth-placed side to reach the Championship play-off final since Derby County in 2018-19, with each of the six seasons since seeing the side that finished third in the regular season at least reach the final.

• Millwall are aiming to reach the Championship play-off final for the very first time, and first play-off final of any sort since winning the League One final in 2017; Hull are looking to reach their third Championship play-off final, having won in both 2008 and 2016.

• In 2026, 11 of Millwall's 18 home goals in the Championship came via set pieces (5x free kick, 4x throw, 2x corner), with three of their first six shots in the first leg coming from throw-ins.

• Millwall's Jake Cooper created more chances than any other player in the first leg (3), as well as winning three of his four aerial duels; during the regular season only Bristol City's Rob Atkinson (74.6%) had a better aerial duel success rate than his 73.6% (271/368).

• Hull's Kyle Joseph was involved in three of their four goals against Millwall during the regular season (2 goals, 1 assist); he only has more goal involvements in the Football League against Burton Albion (4 goals).

Millwall boss Alex Neil on his side's 0-0 draw at Hull City in the first leg of their Championship play-off semi-final:

"I'd be interested to see what the referee's thoughts on the disallowed goal are because I thought it was quite harsh.

"I thought all in all you could see that that [performance] should give us confidence to try and win the game on Monday.

"We didn't play as if we didn't want to lose, we played like we wanted to try and win the game.

"We need to remember that a lot of our lads haven't really played in this type of match before and the only chance of note they had was right at the start.

"I'm not naive, I think that when we go back to our place Hull are really comfortable soaking up pressure and playing on the counter-attack.

"I thought the atmosphere was good and that's what you get in the game for."

These two meet in the play-offs having shared the spoils across the season with each recording 3-1 away wins.

Hull City secured their play-off place on the final day of the season by coming from behind to beat Norwich City while Millwall confirmed third spot with a 2-0 victory over Oxford United.

The first leg of this tie is on Friday (20:00 BST) with the return in south London Monday, 11 May (20:00 BST).

• Hull have lost just one of their past five home games against Millwall (W3 D1), though it was a 3-1 defeat in March in this season's Championship campaign.

• Following that victory in March, Millwall are looking to win consecutive meetings with Hull in all competitions for the first time since April 2011.

• This is Hull's third appearance in the Championship play-offs, winning promotion to the Premier League on both previous occasions (2007-08 and 2015-16). However, the team finishing sixth has not won the Championship play-offs since 2009-10 (Blackpool).

• Millwall have reached the final in each of their past four Football League play-off appearances, with all of these coming in League One (2008-09, 2009-10, 2015-16, 2016-17). However, they have gone out in the semi-finals in all three of their second tier play-off campaigns (1990-91, 1993-94, 2001-02).

• Hull have won the first leg of their semi-final tie in all three of their previous appearances in the Football League play-offs, keeping a clean sheet each time.

• Millwall have not lost the first leg in any of their last six play-off semi-final ties (W2 D4), since a 2-0 loss at Derby in 1993-94.

Will momentum play a key role in deciding which teams meet at Wembley in the Championship play-off final on Saturday, 23 May?

Southampton enter the play-offs in the strongest form, unbeaten in the league since 17 January and accumulating 14 points across their past six games.

Millwall ended their regular season one point shy of the automatic promotion places and have earned 11 points in six games, while Middlesbrough have picked up nine and Hull City just six.

"I feel that momentum, wherever you finish – whether it's third, fourth, fifth or sixth – coming into it in a real feel-good factor is really important," Jobi McAnuff told the More Than the Score podcast.

"You look at Millwall or Saints this year and they are definitely the two coming into it with that – and of course they are third and fourth. I think if you are fans of those clubs, it's two factors there that are in your favour."

The play-off semi-finals begin on Friday with Hull City hosting Millwall (20:00 BST).

The Tigers secured their spot on the final day with a 2-1 win over Norwich City, but McAnuff is leaning towards the Lions to progress.

"I do favour Millwall to get through – their away form has been absolutely brilliant this season," he added.

"They are going to be a real hard nut to crack, very solid defensively, very organised, so for the semis I think that suits them well.

"It's a club that has been around the play-offs more often than not in the last few years and not quite able to get there."

Listen to the full episode on BBC Sounds

Nick Hart
Fan writer

Image source, Getty Images

So the play-offs it is then…

Last Saturday's routine 2-0 win over an already-relegated Oxford United was as much as the Lions could do in their chase for the final automatic promotion spot.

But in truth, it was always Ipswich Town's to lose - and the Tractor Boys were too good a side to allow the prize to slip from their grasp.

Two terrific goals from talisman Femi Azeez were enough, however, to seal the points, securing Millwall's highest league finish since 1993-94.

The Lions will approach their first Championship play-offs in 25 years with a largely fit squad, a highly experienced manager in Alex Neil and players such as Camiel Neghli and Azeez in great form.

There's every reason to feel confident going into the double-header versus Hull City and overall, this has been a tremendous season that has exceeded all expectations.

Is there still a story to tell about the 2025-26 campaign?

We'll know around 22:00 BST next Monday evening…

Come on you Lions!

Find more from Nick Hart on Achtung! Millwall, external