English FA charges Southampton coach Tonda Eckert over ‘spygate’ scandal

Allegations of spying on rivals led to Southampton’s expulsion from the Championship playoff final.Southampton manager Tonda Eckert has been charged by the English Football Association (FA) over the spying scandal that led to his side being kicked out of the Championship playoffs.In a stunning controversy that rocked English football last season, Southampton admitted spying on a training session held by playoff semifinal opponents Middlesbrough in May.They also spied on training sessions at fellow Championship clubs Ipswich and Oxford earlier in the season.After beating Middlesbrough in the semifinals, Southampton were expelled from the Championship playoff final against Hull and deducted four points for the 2026-27 season.Middlesbrough replaced Southampton in the final and were beaten by Hull.The financial cost to Southampton was huge, with promotion to the Premier League worth an estimated 200 million pounds ($267m).An independent disciplinary commission appointed by the Football League ruled that the espionage was authorised by Eckert and was a “contrived and determined plan from the top down”.The FA subsequently confirmed they were investigating the scandal and on Wednesday English football’s governing body charged Eckert for his role in the spying.“Tonda Eckert has been charged with three breaches of FA rule E3.1 in relation to misconduct between December 2025 and May 2026,” the FA said in a statement.“It’s alleged that the head coach acted in an improper manner and/or brought the game into disrepute by directing and/or authorising the observation of training sessions of Oxford United FC, Ipswich Town FC and Middlesbrough FC ahead of fixtures between these clubs and Southampton FC in December 2025, April 2026 and May 2026 respectively.”