Southampton have been kicked out of Saturday's Championship playoff final and docked four points for the 2026-27 season after admitting to spying on three different opponents during the course of the season. The club admitted that they had not only spied against playoff semifinal opponents Middlesbrough but also Ipswich Town and Oxford United during the season. An appeal was officially dismissed on Wednesday, days after they admitted to the breaches. The determination means that the original sanction of expulsion from the Sky Bet Championship PlayOffs remains in place, as does the four-point deduction to be applied to the 2026/27 Championship table and the reprimand in respect of all charges. As a result, it is Middlesbrough, Southampton's semifinal opponent, who will take their place in the Wembley final, facing off against Hull City for the near $300 million prize of promotion to the Premier League. The club's manager, Tonda Eckert, will surely now come under scrutiny, given that the first admitted case of spying came less than two months after he took the job following the sacking of Will Still. Southampton's expulsion from the playoff final has significant implications for the team's future, and the four-point deduction will impact their chances of promotion next season. The EFL's decision to expel Southampton from the playoff final sends a clear message about the importance of sporting integrity and conduct in the Championship. The League Arbitration Panel's written reasons will be published in due course along with the Independent Disciplinary Commission's full decision. Southampton's fans will be disappointed by the news, but the team must now focus on rebuilding and preparing for the next season. The spying scandal has damaged the club's reputation, and it will take time to recover from this setback.