Southampton Disqualified…

Southampton has been expelled from the Championship playoff final after being found guilty of spying on various opponents during the 2025-26 season.

The English Football League (EFL) has imposed an additional four-point penalty on Southampton ahead of the next season.

– Boro players on standby pending ‘Spygate’ verdict

Middlesbrough, who lost to Southampton in the playoff semifinals, has been reinstated and will compete against Hull City on Saturday for a chance to enter the Premier League.

Sources have informed ESPN that Southampton is appealing the decision, with a hearing set for May 20. A ruling is anticipated within 24 hours.

“Depending on the outcome, there may be further changes to Saturday’s fixture,” the EFL stated.

The EFL originally charged Southampton for spying on Middlesbrough before the first leg of their playoff semifinal. Additional charges were brought against Southampton on May 17 for other violations during the 2025-26 season, specifically regarding matches against Oxford United in December 2025 and Ipswich in April 2026.

Southampton acknowledged breaking regulations that mandate clubs to operate with the utmost good faith and prohibit observing another club’s training session within 72 hours of a match.

The EFL mentioned that the written rationale for the commission’s sanctions will be released in due course and that further discussions with the three clubs regarding the decision’s implications will occur.

Middlesbrough, which called for Southampton’s expulsion over the scandal last week, issued a statement welcoming the decision. They remarked, “We believe this sends a clear message about the future of our game regarding sporting integrity and conduct.”

“As a club, we are now focused on our game against Hull City at Wembley on Saturday. Ticket information for our supporters will be available soon.”

The playoff final is often referred to as the world’s richest one-off soccer match, offering a financial boon of at least £200 million ($270 million) in future earnings for the victorious team.

Gaining promotion to the premier tier of English football, renowned as the wealthiest and most followed league globally, provides access to its multibillion-dollar broadcasting deals and sold-out stadiums for games against major teams like Manchester United, Liverpool, and Arsenal.

After finishing at the bottom last season, Southampton was aiming for a swift return to the Premier League.

This unexpected expulsion follows a previous sanction against Leeds for similar spying allegations.

In 2019, the EFL fined Leeds $259,000 for spying on Derby’s training ahead of a match.

Marcelo Bielsa, who was Leeds’ manager at that time, accepted responsibility for having club personnel spy on Derby’s practice sessions. During a detailed, hour-long press conference, Bielsa admitted to observing at least one of his opponents’ training sessions.

In delivering the fine, the EFL stated that Leeds’ behavior “significantly fell short of the standards expected by the EFL and must not be repeated.”

The Southampton situation recalls a similar incident involving Canada’s Olympic women’s soccer team, which was penalized for using drones over New Zealand’s closed training sessions before their match at the 2024 Paris Games.

The Associated Press and PA contributed to this report.