Hull City will play Middlesbrough for a place in the Premier League after Southampton failed in their appeal against expulsion from the Championship play-off final on Wednesday for spying on their opponent.
Southampton were thrown out of the final on Tuesday and were given a four-point deduction for next season after beating opponents Middlesbrough in the semi-finals.
“The original expulsion sanction remains in force, as well as the four-point deduction to be applied to the 2026-2027 Championship table and the reprimand in relation to all charges,” the English Football League (EFL) said in a statement.
The final will take place on Saturday at Wembley Stadium in London and start at 3.30pm local time.
Southampton had admitted charges of illegally spying on an opponent within 72 hours of a scheduled match. The alleged spy was caught recording a training session in Middlesbrough from behind a tree just before the first leg.
The south coast club beat Middlesbrough 2-1 on aggregate to reach the final, considered the richest fixture in world football with 200 million pounds ($268.68 million) guaranteed over three seasons through broadcast revenue, sponsorship and parachute payments.
Although Southampton chief executive Phil Parsons said the club accepted there should be sanctions, he added that they could not accept “a sanction that is out of proportion to the offence”.
Southampton also admitted that training sessions had been similarly filmed during the regular season involving Oxford United in December and Ipswich Town in April.
Middlesbrough had demanded that Southampton be kicked out of the final to “protect the integrity of the game”, while threatening to take legal action if necessary.
“This is an extremely disappointing outcome for everyone associated with Southampton Football Club,” the Saints said in a statement after the verdict.
“We know how painful this moment will be for our supporters, players, staff, commercial partners and the wider community who have given so much support to the team all season and we apologize again to anyone affected by this.
«Southampton Football Club has a proud history and strong foundations, but it is clear that trust now needs to be rebuilt. That work begins immediately,» it added.
Published on May 21, 2026
