Overview
- The EFL, which issued an update Thursday, set an independent hearing for on or before Tuesday, May 19, and warned the May 23 Championship play-off final could be adjusted.
- Middlesbrough on Friday called for Southampton to be removed from the final and said it was blocked from taking part in the case, leaving the club without an internal EFL appeal route.
- Sky Sports News published a photo of a man with a camera outside Boro’s training ground, and other outlets reported a bank‑card link and named an alleged Southampton staffer, which remain unconfirmed by the league.
- Fans face costly uncertainty as Southampton and Hull began ticket sales Friday and the EFL said it has contingency plans, with Wembley’s busy calendar limiting easy rescheduling options.
- Southampton is charged under Regulation 3.4 and Regulation 127, a post‑2019 rule that bans watching opponents’ training within 72 hours of a match, and possible penalties range from a fine or points deduction to expulsion from the play‑offs.