Southampton lose appeal, Middlesbrough to face Hull in playoff final

Hull City will play Middlesbrough for a place in the Premier League after Southampton failed on Wednesday to overturn ​their expulsion from the Championship playoff final for spying on opponents.
Southampton were thrown out of the final on Tuesday, and handed a four-point deduction for next season, after they had beaten semifinal opponents Middlesbrough.
“The original sanction of expulsion... 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 English Football League (EFL) said in a statement.
The final will be at London’s Wembley Stadium on Saturday, kicking off ‌at 3:30pm ‌local time.
Southampton had admitted the charge of illegally spying ​on ‌an ⁠opponent within ​72 ⁠hours of a scheduled match.