Right back is one of the clearest problem positions in Thomas Tuchel’s England squad. With a summer World Cup approaching, the manager faces limited choices and few guaranteed solutions.

Trent Alexander-Arnold missing out on the 2026 World Cup would have seemed unfathomable a year or so ago. The former Liverpool man was widely regarded as one of the best right backs of his generation because of his elite passing range and crossing ability, despite lingering questions over his defensive frailties. His move to Real Madrid has altered that narrative. What was meant to be a career-defining transfer has instead been difficult: the England international has struggled for consistent starts and his defensive issues have come under an even harsher spotlight in the pressure cooker environment of the Santiago Bernabéu. Injuries certainly have not helped, and few will be surprised he did not make the final cut.

Ben White and Rico Lewis were perhaps the next-best alternatives among those who missed out, but in truth neither did enough over the course of the season to force their way into Tuchel’s plans.

Tino Livramento presents a different profile. The former Chelsea youngster brings a natural attacking instinct, regularly bursting forward, overlapping at pace and delivering dangerous crosses into the box. Those attributes make him, on paper, a strong fit for Tuchel’s preferred style. He is also no liability defensively, offering a well-rounded presence on the flank. Livramento has shown versatility too, alternating between right back and left back duties for Newcastle during Lewis Hall’s injury absence.

The obvious caveat is fitness. Livramento has suffered a range of problems this term, including knee, hamstring and thigh issues, and missed a large portion of the campaign. That record makes him a risk at a tournament where minutes must be managed carefully, and it is likely Tuchel will monitor his workload closely if he is called upon.

Hull City secured promotion to the Premier League with a 1–0 victory over Middlesbrough in the Championship play-off final, Oli McBurnie’s stoppage-time winner providing a decisive end to a highly divisive post-season.

The route to Wembley was overshadowed by an espionage row. Southampton analyst intern William Salt was found filming Middlesbrough’s training from behind a pine tree and was detained by indignant Boro staff. Southampton revealed this was not the first instance of spying sanctioned by manager Tonda Eckert. Saints had prevailed across the two legs of the play-off semifinal against Middlesbrough, only for an unprecedented English Football League ruling to expel Southampton from the final and reinstate Boro.

“We can say everything is unfair in this last two weeks,” Hull manager Sergej Jakirović sighed on the eve of the final.

The final itself was a tight, attritional contest. Only one Championship play-off final in the past decade has been decided by more than a single goal, Brentford’s 2–0 win over Swansea City in 2021, which was aided by Jay Fulton’s red card in the 65th minute. Middlesbrough supporters had gathered in Trafalgar Square the day before, but the match struggled for fluency. The first shot on target did not arrive until the 61st minute and stifling heat contributed to a subdued tempo.

When the breakthrough came it arrived in dramatic fashion. In the 95th minute McBurnie reacted quickest to a poor save from Solomon Brynn, gobbling up the rebound from a cross to find the goal that would send Hull back to the top flight for the first time since 2017. The late strike closed a tumultuous play-off campaign and spared Hull any need for legal action.

After 10 months, 370 Championship matches and 1,021 goals, attention now turns to the Premier League. The final table remains undecided, with Tottenham Hotspur and West Ham United the last two sides still fighting to secure top-flight survival with 90 minutes of the season remaining.

Promotion from the Championship to the Premier League remains the most consequential financial event for a second-tier English club. The rewards are not a single, fixed sum; they depend on how long a club remains in the top flight and how it performs once promoted. Clubs such as Brentford, Bournemouth and Brighton & Hove Albion illustrate how sustained Premier League status can transform commercial prospects.

A common industry estimate places the total value of promotion at roughly £200 million ($269 million). Almost half of that total comes from broadcast revenue, which is equally shared among all 20 sides and generally earns teams around £84 million ($113 million) per season. As per BBC Sport, clubs also receive “centralized commercial fees, facility fees and merit payments” that make up much of the rest of their earnings, while increased status and international exposure help boost merchandise sales, stadium attendances and commercial growth.

That mixture of shared broadcast income and additional centralized payments explains why a single season in the Premier League is so lucrative. The immediate uplift in revenue funds investment in playing staff, facilities and commercial operations, and it raises a club’s profile among sponsors and overseas supporters.

At the same time, the system recognises the financial shock of relegation. Parachute payments have also been in effect since 2006–07 to ensure that relegated sides keep receiving revenue for up to three seasons after demotion. Parachute payments guarantee relegated sides a percentage of the broadcast revenue they would have earned for competing in the Premier League, and are put in place so that the rising costs of running a top-flight club don’t create financial issues upon a return to the Championship.

In short, promotion delivers immediate and ongoing financial benefits through shared broadcast income, centralized commercial receipts and post-relegation support. The scale of those revenues explains the fierce competition for the three places that lead into England’s top tier.