The spying scandal involving FC Southampton and FC Middlesbrough has finally been resolved. The Saints have indeed been barred from the playoffs.
It is undoubtedly a decision that will cause quite a stir: In an official statement on Tuesday evening, the EFL announced that Southampton FC has been excluded from the playoffs of England’s second-tier league. The ruling by an independent disciplinary committee had been eagerly awaited across the country after Middlesbrough FC had once again explicitly demanded the Saints’ exclusion from the playoffs last week.
A few days before the first leg, Middlesbrough caught a member of German head coach Tonda Eckert’s analysis team hiding behind a tree and secretly recording Boro’s training session with a smartphone. This clearly violates EFL regulations—and, as has since become clear, was not an isolated incident.
Violations in two additional cases
“Southampton was first charged on Friday, May 8; further charges were brought on Sunday, May 17, in connection with additional violations during the 2025/26 season,” the league association’s statement reads. “These additional charges arose from matters identified after the original proceedings regarding the action against Middlesbrough were initiated.”
The Saints consequently “admitted to breaches of the regulations requiring clubs to act in the highest degree of good faith,” the EFL explains, referring not only to the playoff semifinal but also to other Saints matches “against Oxford United in December 2025 and Ipswich Town in April 2026.”
According to EFL regulations, “no club shall observe, or attempt to observe, the training of another club within 72 hours prior to a scheduled match between the two clubs.”
Middlesbrough can dream again
Under EFL regulations, however, Southampton has “the right to appeal the Commission’s decision, and the parties are currently working to clarify a potential appeal on Wednesday, May 20.”
If the decision stands as expected, it would have serious and historic consequences for the Saints, who would not only have four points deducted regarding the upcoming Championship season. Above all, they would be deprived of the chance to be promoted to the Premier League this summer.
“Today’s decision means that Middlesbrough will be reinstated in the 2026 playoffs and will face Hull City in the playoff final. The final will still take place on Saturday, May 23, though the kickoff time has yet to be determined,” the EFL confirmed.