On 19/5, the English Football League (EFL) confirmed that Middlesbrough, who lost to Southampton with an aggregate score of one-two in the play-off semi-final, would be reinstated to the final. Middlesbrough will now face Hull City at Wembley on 23/5 to compete for a place in the Premier League. In addition to losing their final spot, Southampton will also face a 4-point deduction next season.

Ross Stewart scored in Southampton's two-one victory over Middlesbrough in the second leg of the Premier League play-off semi-final at St Mary's stadium, Southampton, England on 12/5. Photo: AP

According to ESPN, Southampton has filed an appeal. The hearing is expected to take place on 20/5, with results potentially announced within 24 hours. "Depending on the appeal's outcome, the schedule for saturday's final may still change", the EFL stated.

Middlesbrough welcomed the EFL's decision. "We believe this sends a clear message about integrity and standards of conduct in football", the club announced. Middlesbrough also stated it would focus on the final against Hull City at Wembley, with ticket information for fans to be released soon.

Initially, Southampton faced accusations of illegally monitoring Middlesbrough before the first leg of the play-off semi-final. However, on 17/5, the EFL brought additional charges related to other violations during the 2025-2026 season, including matches against Oxford United in december 2025 and Ipswich in april 2026.

Southampton subsequently admitted violating regulations that require clubs to act in the utmost good faith and prohibit monitoring opponent training within 72 hours before a match. The EFL stated that a detailed explanation of the penalty would be published later, adding that it is working with the three involved clubs to address any repercussions from the decision.

According to the Guardian newspaper, this latest scandal could trigger an internal crisis at Southampton. Many players are reportedly angry with the management and are considering legal action against the club. They argue they have lost the opportunity for higher salaries, bonuses, and promotion share if the team had played in the play-off final. Several players may seek advice from the Professional Footballers' Association (PFA) regarding financial damages.

Following the appeal process, coach Tonda Eckert, tactical analysis intern William Salt, and other involved personnel could face separate penalties from the Football Association (FA) for actions that damaged the sport's image. The investigation revealed Salt was caught secretly filming Middlesbrough's training session while hiding among trees near the training ground.

Middlesbrough coach Kim Hellberg was disappointed after the match. Photo: AP

The Championship play-off final is often called the "richest game in the world". The winning team can secure over 250 million USD in future revenue due to promotion to the Premier League. Promotion grants clubs massive revenue from the global television rights of England's most attractive league, along with opportunities to compete against top teams like Arsenal, Man Utd, Man City, and Liverpool.

English football was previously rocked by a spying scandal in 2019 when the EFL fined Leeds 259,000 USD for monitoring Derby County's training before a match. At that time, coach Marcelo Bielsa admitted responsibility after sending club staff to observe opponents. In a nearly one-hour press conference, the Argentine coach also revealed he had observed at least one training session of every opponent. The EFL then declared Leeds' conduct "fell significantly short of the standards expected by the league and must not be repeated".

Southampton's incident also recalls a scandal involving the Canada women's national football team at the Olympic Paris 2024. The team was found using a drone to monitor New Zealand's closed training sessions before a match between the two teams. This incident led to head coach Bev Priestman being disciplined and two assistants being expelled.

Hong Duy (according to ESPN)