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Published : 21 May 2026, 07:36 PM
The Football Association said on Thursday it had launched an investigation into Southampton after the club admitted spying on three Championship rivals this season.
Southampton were expelled from the Championship playoffs after acknowledging they observed opponents' training sessions within 72 hours of matches, with Middlesbrough reinstated on Tuesday to face Hull City in Saturday's final.
The winners of the lucrative playoff final, often described as the richest match in football, are promoted to the Premier League next season.
"We will now investigate, and won't comment further until we have assessed the evidence," the FA said in a statement.
Southampton have also been handed a four-point deduction for next season, while their appeal, which argued the punishment was "disproportionate", was rejected on Wednesday.
Southampton winger Leo Scienza's reaction was "anger and sadness, while midfielder Kuryu Matsuki said it was difficult to find words after their hopes of promotion were dashed.
"Disappointment, anger, sadness," Scienza said in a long Instagram post. "A moment like this should never end the way it did.
"We gave everything for this dream. Day after day, sacrifice after sacrifice, always believing we could bring this club back to where it belongs.
"For me, the dream of playing in the Premier League was something I fought for with everything I had. That's why this pain cuts so deep."
The English Football League confirmed on Wednesday that the club's sanction, along with the four-point deduction for the 2026–27 season and a formal reprimand, will stand.
That decision has forced the south-coast side to quickly turn their focus to rebuilding on and off the pitch.
The club had admitted spying on opponents in a case dubbed 'Spygate', including filming a Middlesbrough training session before the playoff semi-final, plus similar incidents involving Oxford United and Ipswich Town earlier in the campaign.
"We set ourselves the goal of earning promotion to the Premier League, and every single day we fought together while supporting one another," Matsuki posted on social media.
"And without a doubt, it was all of you -- our fans and supporters -- who stood by us until the very end and gave us the strength to keep moving forward."
