The club were charged last week by the EFL with spying on a training session held by semi-final opponents Middlesbrough, with the league asking for an independent commission to examine the case “at the earliest opportunity”.

The EFL issued a statement on Thursday afternoon to say the hearing would take place “on or before Tuesday, May 19”.

Given the high stakes involved, an appeal from one or more parties in the case seems almost certain, putting a question mark over whether the appeal could be heard before the date scheduled for the final, May 23, if the initial hearing does not happen until Tuesday.

However, the EFL said it “continues to plan on the basis that the Championship play-off final will take place as scheduled”.

The EFL said the match was scheduled to kick off at 4.30pm.

The EFL, which was at pains to point out that it did not have control of the timetable due to the independent nature of the hearing, said the exact date for the hearing “remains under discussion” and is expected to be confirmed shortly.

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While the league continues to plan for May 23, it admitted: “Supporters should, however, be aware that the outcome of the disciplinary proceedings may yet result in changes to the fixture.”

The league added that it has “a number of contingency plans should they be required”.

Both clubs shared ticket and travel information with their supporters on Thursday evening, with the sales process beginning on Friday. The two clubs have been allocated 35,984 tickets each.

Moving the match to the following weekend is a no-go – Wembley will host rugby league’s men’s and women’s Challenge Cup finals on May 30 and the Women’s FA Cup final the following day.

From the following weekend onwards, the stadium is given over to non-football events, such as Harry Styles’ 12 shows between June 12 and July 4.

Hull sporting director Jared Dublin maintains the club will just continue their own preparations for Wembley as everyone awaits the outcome of the EFL hearing.

“(It is) not a good look for football, not a good look for the EFL for sure, unfortunately. At this moment in time we’re preparing for Southampton, that’s all we can do,” Dublin told Hull Live.

“We don’t want to go to Wembley with any excuses on this, that, distraction, noise, so the message to the players, the message to the staff is, we’re preparing for Southampton away at Wembley and see what comes.”

Dublin added: “We will react as appropriate and as necessary to obviously protect our football club and our interests, but right now we are 100 per cent focused on Southampton, away at Wembley.”

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Hull owner Acun Ilicali said he would have been “furious” if such alleged spying had been conducted against his team.

“I always run for justice in my life, but you see many things in life that surprises you, and on this I am surprised too,” he told talkSPORT.

“I know the owners of Southampton – they are good people and I am sure this is nothing to do with them. But whoever is involved on the technical side, I do not know – whoever is involved, I think, put the evil in the football world this week.”