Southampton Spygate scandal: Middlesbrough have 'evidence' to support push for Saints expulsion from Championship playoffs

Middlesbrough allegedly have evidence that Southampton have spied on at least two other clubs during 2025-26.

On Tuesday night, Southampton progressed through to the Championship playoff final courtesy of a 2-1 victory over Boro at St Mary's after extra time.

In theory, the Saints have set up a showdown against Hull City at Wembley Stadium on May 23, but that is far from a certainty.

Southampton are currently facing an EFL charge for "observing, or attempting to observe, another club's training session within 72 hours of a scheduled match" and not acting "with the utmost good faith".

Keith Downie visits Middlesbrough’s training ground and stands in the exact spot where it’s alleged a member of Southampton’s staff was “spying” on their session ahead of the Championship play-off semi-final. pic.twitter.com/zsZolG8MJe

— Sky Sports Football (@SkyFootball) May 13, 2026

Last Thursday, it is alleged that a Southampton member of staff spied on Middlesbrough's training session. CCTV is said to show the staff member with video equipment before he was spotted by staff associated with Middlesbrough.

While Southampton have made a specific request regarding an investigation in recent days, they have never denied the allegation.

“It breaks my heart.” ?

Kim Hellberg gives an emotional post-match press conference after Middlesbrough’s play-off semi-final defeat to Southampton. pic.twitter.com/Jniyj7g98W

— Sky Sports Football (@SkyFootball) May 13, 2026

Middlesbrough pushing for Southampton expulsion

According to The Sun, Middlesbrough are pushing hard for Southampton to be kicked out of the Championship playoffs.

The report says that the North-East outfit have evidence that at least two other clubs are ready to allege that a Southampton member of staff spied on their training sessions earlier in the season.

If found guilty, Southampton will either face a fine, points penalty in the Championship, an advised EFL points penalty for the Premier League or expulsion from the playoffs.

After Leeds United were fined £200,000 for spying on a Derby County training session in 2019, a specific rule - mentioned above - was added to EFL regulations.

No team has fallen foul of that ruling since its introduction, subsequently meaning that it is difficult to second-guess which punishment an independent disciplinary commission would decide upon if Saints cannot prove any wrongdoing.

As per the report, Hellberg is planning accordingly ahead of a possible reprieve, rather than allowing his players to go away on holiday as would usually be the case.

While Hellberg has claimed that someone at Southampton knowing made the decision to "cheat", Eckert has refused to engage his persistent questioning from the media.