Middlesbrough will face Hull City in the Championship play-off final at Wembley Stadium on Saturday after Southampton was expelled from the tournament for spying on opponents. The English Football League (EFL) upheld its decision against Southampton, which admitted to breaches of regulations related to unauthorized filming of other clubs' training sessions.
Key Takeaways
Middlesbrough will face Hull City in Saturday's Championship play-off final at Wembley after Southampton was expelled for spying on opponents.
- Middlesbrough to compete against Hull City in Wembley final
- Southampton expelled from playoffs and handed four-point deduction for next season
- Winners guaranteed minimum £110m in Premier League broadcast revenue
- Transport options limited due to other national events and engineering works
Southampton's appeal was dismissed on Wednesday, confirming their expulsion and a four-point deduction in next season's Championship. The club had been charged with spying on Oxford United, Ipswich Town, and Middlesbrough during the 2025-26 season. According to BBC, Southampton admitted to 'multiple breaches of EFL regulations related to the unauthorised filming of other clubs' training'. Meanwhile, per Fox News, Middlesbrough staff spotted a suspicious man hiding behind a tree and filming their closed-door practice with a camera.
The winners of the play-off final are guaranteed a minimum £110m in Premier League broadcast revenue. Fans of both Middlesbrough and Hull City have been allocated tickets, with Middlesbrough supporters receiving 35,984 tickets for the West End of Wembley Stadium. According to BBC, Hull City has also been given an additional 2,000 tickets, bringing the total available to almost 36,000, with more than 30,000 already sold.
Transport options for fans traveling to Wembley are 'extremely limited' due to other national events and engineering works. Craig McManus, Boro's head of supporter engagement, urged fans to come forward if they were having trouble securing tickets, stating 'We've got everyone all hands on deck.' Engineering works have also reduced LNER train services frequency at the weekend with replacement coaches operating between York, Northallerton and Darlington.
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