Rabat – Southampton manager Tonda Ecker has been charged by the English Football Association over a spying scandal that resulted in his team being removed from the Championship playoffs.
According to AFP, the German tactician admitted spying on a training session held by playoff semifinal opponent Middlesbrough in late May.
Eckert also spied on training sessions of Championship clubs Ipswich and Oxford earlier in the season.
After defeating Middlesbrough in the semifinals, Southampton were removed from the Championship playoff final against Hull and handed a four-point deduction for the 2026-27 season.
The English football association subsequently confirmed they opened an investigation into the incident, and later charged Eckert over his alleged involvement in the spying scandal.
“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 noted that the head coach acted in an improper manner that brought the game into disrepute by directing 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.
In response, Southampton confirmed their full cooperation with the football association, stressing that the club remain fully supportive of Tonda and his staff members as they work ambitiously towards gaining a return ticket to the Premier league.
Southampton will kick off their season with a League Cup first round tie at Colchester on August 8 before their opening Championship fixture at Watford on August 16.
