Southampton expelled from play-offs for Spygate - with Middlesbrough replacing them to face Hull City at Wembley
The Saints admitted spying on a Boro training session prior to their victory in the Play-Off semi-finals
Southampton have been expelled from the Championship play-off final over the Spygate scandal - after the club admitted spying on Middlesbrough.
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The Saints were set to face Hull City on Saturday in the Play-off final at Wembley, after beating Boro in the semi-final.
But the EFL has now confirmed they have been booted out of the competition after breaking the rules by spying on their competition.
The build-up to the game was marred by accusations against Southampton, with Boro making clear that they would continue to prepare for the Play-Off Final after their initial elimination.
As a result, Middlesbrough will now face Hull in what is known as "football's richest game".
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The winner will be promoted to the Premier League - and will receive an estimated £220 million for their participation in England's top-flight.
An EFL statement read: “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 four-point deduction that will be applied to the 2026/27 Championship table.
“The effect of today’s order is that Middlesbrough are reinstated into the 2026 Play-Offs and will proceed to the Play-Off Final against Hull City.
“The final remains scheduled for Saturday 23 May, with the kick-off time to be confirmed.”
Southampton have lodged an appeal against the decision.
The scandal emerged when a figure with a camera was seen peeking out from behind a tree at Boro’s training ground ahead of the first leg of the semi-final clash earlier this month.
The ‘spy’, a young man with dark hair, is reported to have parked at a nearby golf club and then walked a couple of hundred yards down a road to the spot with a view of the training site.
He was seen pointing his mobile at the training session while wearing headphones.
Middlesbrough staff believe he may have been on a video call and was live-streaming the training session.
He was approached by a member of Boro staff but refused to identify himself before ‘deleting content’ on his phone and running off towards the golf club.
Middlesbrough's photographer took photos and matched him to a photo on the Southampton website. One of those pictures was subsequently made public last week.
The side immediately reported the incident to the EFL.
Southampton were charged with breaking two regulations; Regulation 3.4, which requires clubs to act towards each other with the utmost good faith, and Regulation 127 which prohibits any club from observing, or attempting to observe, another club's training session within 72 hours of a scheduled match between the two clubs.