Southampton have been expelled from the EFL Championship playoffs following a spying scandal involving their rivals, stripping them of the chance to fight for promotion to the Premier League. Southampton had successfully reached the EFL Championship playoff final, where they were set to face Hull City for a coveted spot back in the Premier League. However, the governing body has made the dramatic decision to disqualify the Saints from the playoffs after they were found guilty following an espionage complaint.
After an investigation was launched in response to a complaint filed by Middlesbrough, Southampton admitted to breaches against Oxford United in December 2025, Ipswich Town in April 2026, and Middlesbrough in May 2026, according to an official statement released by the English Football League.
Specifically, Southampton violated two key regulations within the EFL Championship framework. The club was charged with breaking EFL Regulation 3.4, which demands that clubs behave toward one another with the utmost good faith, and Regulation 127, which strictly prohibits any club from viewing, or attempting to view, another club’s training session within 72 hours of a scheduled match between the two sides.
Furthermore, the EFL announced that Southampton retains the right to appeal the decision made by the Independent Disciplinary Committee, noting that the club is actively working to resolve any appeal by Wednesday, May 20. In light of this, the governing body indicated that scheduling adjustments could be made for the final on Saturday, May 24, depending on the outcome.
An Independent Disciplinary Commission has today expelled Southampton from the Sky Bet Championship Play-Offs after the Club admitted to multiple breaches of EFL Regulations related to the unauthorised filming of other Clubs’ training.In addition, the Club has received a… pic.twitter.com/VxyXFk48BA— EFL Communications (@EFL_Comms) May 19, 2026
Who’s replacing Southampton?
Following the confirmation of Southampton’s expulsion from the EFL Championship playoffs, Middlesbrough will step in to replace the Saints. They will now face Hull City for a place in the Premier League on Saturday, May 24, at Wembley Stadium.
Middlesbrough’s selection as the replacement stems from the fact that they were the team defeated by Southampton in the playoff semifinals, suffering a narrow 1-0 loss on aggregate.
What other charges will Southampton face?
On top of being barred from competing in the EFL Championship playoff final—missing out on a guaranteed minimum revenue of £110 million from Premier League broadcasting rights—Southampton have also been hit with a four-point deduction, which will be applied at the start of next season.