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Middlesbrough demands Southampton be thrown out of Championship playoff final over spying claims
Politics
Published on 15 May 2026
EFL warned the May 23 final could change
Middlesbrough has formally asked the English Football League to expel Southampton from the Championship playoff final after accusations that the Premier League-bound club filmed Middlesbrough’s training ahead of their semifinal. Southampton won the tie, but the EFL is preparing a hearing and has warned fans there could be “changes” to the May 23 final. Middlesbrough argues the alleged recording undermines sporting integrity and calls for a sanction severe enough to deter future attempts.
- Middlesbrough wants Southampton excluded from the May 23 playoff final
- Southampton beat Middlesbrough in the playoff semifinal after spying accusations
- The EFL will hold a hearing over alleged unauthorized filming of training
- Middlesbrough said the conduct threatens fair competition and sporting integrity
- Southampton says it is cooperating and requested time for an internal review
Read the full story at Republic
This summarization was done by Beige for a story published on 
Republic