Southampton have been expelled from the Championship playoff final and docked four points for next season for spying on Middlesbrough and two other opponents.
An independent disciplinary commission handed down the punishment after the English Football League charged Southampton with a breach of its regulations. The EFL said Southampton had “admitted to multiple breaches of EFL regulations related to the unauthorised filming of other clubs’ training” and that the admitted breaches “concern fixtures against Oxford United in December 2025, Ipswich Town in April 2026 and Middlesbrough in May 2026”.
It means Middlesbrough, who were beaten by Southampton in the semi-finals, are due to face Hull for a place in the Premier League. The final remains scheduled for Saturday at Wembley. Southampton have appealed and the commission aims to resolve the appeal by the end of Wednesday. “Subject to the outcome, it could result in a further change to Saturday’s fixture,” the EFL said.
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Middlesbrough had demanded that Southampton be kicked out of the playoffs after saying they had been the victims of training-ground spying two days before their semi-final first-leg meeting.
Boro said they had caught a Southampton analyst hiding in the bushes and recording their training session. Boro have continued to train, knowing they could be reinstated.
Southampton did not win any of the games that followed their spying, losing at Oxford and drawing at home to Ipswich and at Middlesbrough. They then beat Boro 2-1 in the second leg.
Boro welcomed the commission’s ruling and said: “We believe this sends out a clear message for the future of our game regarding sporting integrity and conduct.”
The appeal panel will be made up of an entirely new panel. Southampton consider the unprecedented sanctions to be wholly disproportionate and are confident the decision will be overturned when heard on Wednesday.
