Southampton's play-off appeal dismissed
It means Middlesbrough and Hull City will compete for a place in the Premier League in Saturday's final at Wembley
Southampton's appeal against their expulsion from the Championship has been dismissed.
It's after they admitted to filming training sessions of rivals teams without permission.
Southampton will also have a four point deduction next season.
Here is the EFL statement in full:
'A League Arbitration Panel has tonight dismissed Southampton Football Club’s appeal against the Independent Disciplinary Commission’s sanction following the admittance of multiple breaches of EFL Regulations.
The determination means that the original sanction of expulsion from the Sky Bet Championship Play-Offs 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.
The Club submitted its appeal following yesterday’s decision of the Independent Disciplinary Commission in respect of breaches of EFL Regulations.
As per EFL Regulations, the decision of the League Arbitration Panel is final and cannot be appealed.
Following the conclusion of the proceedings, the Sky Bet Championship Play-Off Final between Hull City and Middlesbrough is confirmed as taking place at Wembley Stadium on Saturday 23 May, kicking off at 3:30pm.
The League Arbitration Panel’s written reasons will be published in due course along with the Independent Disciplinary Commission’s full decision.'
The club has responded. Here is the club's statement:
'Southampton Football Club has this evening been informed that the EFL’s League Arbitration Panel has upheld the sanctions imposed earlier this week. As a result, the club will not participate in Saturday’s Championship Play-Off Final.
This is an extremely disappointing outcome for everybody connected with Southampton Football Club. We know how painful this moment will be for our supporters, players, staff, commercial partners and the wider community who have given so much backing to the team throughout the season and we apologise once again to everyone impacted by this.
While we fully acknowledge the seriousness of this matter and the scrutiny that has followed, the club has consistently believed the original sporting sanction was disproportionate, a view that has been widely shared by many in the football community over the last 24 hours.
We would like to place on record our sincere thanks to our supporters for the support, patience and loyalty they have shown throughout an incredibly difficult period. We will share information as soon as possible in relation to ticket refunds for those who bought tickets to Wembley.
Southampton Football Club has a proud history and strong foundations, but it is clear that trust now needs to be rebuilt. That work begins immediately. The club will reflect carefully on the events that have led to this point, learn from them and take the necessary steps to move forward responsibly.
While tonight is a painful moment, this football club will respond with humility, accountability and determination to put things right.'