Allegations of spying on rivals led to Southampton’s expulsion from the Championship play-off final.
Published July 22, 2026
Southampton manager Tonda Eckert has been accused by the English Football Association (FA) of a spying scandal that led to the team being kicked out of the Championship play-offs.
In a stunning controversy that rocked English football last season, Southampton admitted spying on a training session held by play-off semi-final opponents Middlesbrough in May.
They also spied training sessions at fellow Championship clubs Ipswich and Oxford earlier in the season.
Southampton were kicked out of the Championship play-off final against Hull after defeating Middlesbrough in the semi-finals and were deducted four points from the 2026-27 season.
Middlesbrough replaced Southampton in the final, but lost to Hull.
Promotion to the Premier League came at a huge financial cost for Southampton, estimated at £200 million ($267 million).
An independent disciplinary panel appointed by the Football League ruled that the spying was authorized by Eckert and was a “determined plan devised from the top down”.
The FA later confirmed it was investigating the scandal, and on Wednesday English football’s governing body charged Eckert with engaging in espionage.
“Tonda Eckert has been charged with three counts of breaching FA Regulation E3.1 in relation to misconduct between December 2025 and May 2026,” the FA said in a statement.
“The head coach is alleged to have acted inappropriately and/or brought the game into disrepute by directing and/or permitting the observation of practice sessions of these clubs in advance of matches between these clubs and Southampton FC in December 2025, April 2026 and May 2026, respectively, against Oxford United FC, Ipswich Town FC and Middlesbrough FC.”
Southampton said it would “cooperate fully and openly” with the FA, adding: “The club continues to fully support Tonda and his staff in their ambition to return to the Premier League.”
The committee found that Southampton’s junior staff felt “pressure to carry out the observations that Eckert and the senior coaches wanted”.
Eckert, who has until next Tuesday to respond, acknowledged responsibility for the spying in a June statement.
Southampton owner Dragan Solak said at the time that he had no intention of sacking Eckert for his actions.
Southampton will start the season with a League Cup first round tie against Colchester on August 8th, before opening the Championship at Watford on August 16th.
