Match Preview: Hull City vs. Chelsea
Competition: FA Cup (Fourth Round)
Date: Friday, February 13, 2026
Kick-off: 19:45 GMT
Venue: MKM Stadium, Hull
The FA Cup Fourth Round kicks off with a narrative-heavy clash at the MKM Stadium as Championship high-flyers Hull City host Premier League giants Chelsea. The match is headlined by the emotional return of Chelsea head coach Liam Rosenior, who faces his former club just two years after his departure.
The State of Play
Chelsea arrive in East Yorkshire looking to steady the ship after a frustrating 2–2 midweek draw against Leeds United. Despite that slip-up, the Blues have been in formidable form, winning seven of their last ten matches. They view the FA Cup as a realistic path to silverware this season.
Hull City, currently 4th in the Championship, are firmly in the promotion hunt. Although their six-game unbeaten run was snapped by Bristol City last weekend, the “Tigers” are notoriously difficult to beat at home and will treat this as a “free hit” against elite opposition.
Head-to-Head (H2H)
The historical record is heavily weighted in favor of the visitors:
- Total Matches: 35
- Hull Wins: 1 (dating back to 1988)
- Chelsea Wins: 14 (in the last 16 meetings)
- FA Cup History: Chelsea have progressed from all eight of their previous FA Cup ties against Hull.
Team News
Hull City
The Tigers are dealing with several defensive absences. Semi Ajayi is still out following an injury at AFCON 2025, while Mohamed Belloumi, Cody Drameh, and Matt Crooks are sidelined with muscular issues. They will lean heavily on the strike partnership of Oli McBurnie and Joe Gelhardt, who have 22 goals between them this season.
Chelsea
Liam Rosenior is expected to rotate his squad. Marc Cucurella is out (hamstring), joining Levi Colwill and Jamie Gittens on the treatment table. Reece James is a doubt due to illness. Interestingly, Liam Delap is expected to start against the club where he previously enjoyed a successful stint.
Predicted Chelsea XI (4-2-3-1): Sanchez; Acheampong, Fofana, Badiashile, Hato; Caicedo, Santos; Neto, Estevao, Garnacho; Delap.
Key Tactical Battle: Possession vs. The Low Block
Hull City under Sergej Jakirović are expected to deploy a compact low block to frustrate Chelsea’s creative outlets. Chelsea, likely to dominate possession, will rely on the flair of Estevao and Alejandro Garnacho to pick locks. However, Chelsea’s recent defensive record—failing to keep a clean sheet in their last ten away games—gives Hull hope on the counter-attack.
Match Prediction
While Hull have the home advantage and the “magic of the cup” on their side, Chelsea’s depth and individual quality should prevail.
Predicted Score: Hull City 1 – 3 Chelsea
