Southampton have been kicked out of the Championship playoff final after being found guilty of ​spying on semi-final opponents Middlesbrough, the English Football League said on Tuesday.

Middlesbrough, who lost 2-1 to Southampton ‌on aggregate in the semi, have been reinstated and will face Hull City on Saturday in what is dubbed the world’s richest soccer match.

Promotion to the Premier League, even with an immediate relegation, is estimated to be worth in the region of 200 million ​pounds ($268.10 million) over three seasons.

Southampton, who admitted the charges, were also found guilty of filming training sessions ​involving Oxford United in December and Ipswich Town in April during the regular season.

They ⁠have also been deducted four points from the start of next season in England’s second tier.

“An Independent Disciplinary Commission ​has today expelled Southampton from the Championship play-offs after the club admitted multiple breaches of EFL regulations related to ​the unauthorised filming of other clubs’ training,” the EFL said.

“Southampton admitted breaches of Regulations requiring Clubs to act with the utmost good faith and prohibiting the observation of another Club’s training session within 72 hours of a scheduled match.

“The effect of today’s order is that ​Middlesbrough are reinstated into the 2026 play-offs and will proceed to the play-off final against Hull City. The ​final remains scheduled for Saturday 23 May, with the kick-off time to be confirmed.”

The EFL confirmed that Southampton could appeal against the ‌decision ⁠and that “parties are working to try and resolve any appeal on Wednesday 20 May.

“Subject to the outcome, it could result in a further change to Saturday’s fixture,” the statement said.

‘BORO CALLED FOR SOUTHAMPTON EXPULSION

Middlesbrough had called for Southampton’s expulsion after having a training session at their Rockliffe Park site filmed 48 hours ahead of the first leg of ​their playoff semi-final with Southampton ​which ended 0-0.

The north-east ⁠club said they welcomed the decision.

“We believe this sends out a clear message for the future of our game regarding sporting integrity and conduct,” the north Middlesbrough said in ​a statement.

“As a club, we are now focused on our game against Hull City ​at Wembley on ⁠Saturday.”

Southampton were relegated from the Premier League last season and were struggling in the early part of this campaign until a storming finish in which they went unbeaten in 19 league games to finish fourth and enter the playoffs.

The south-coast ⁠club are ​the first to fall foul of the Football League’s regulation 127 — ​brought in after Leeds United were found guilty of spying on Derby County seven years ago, an offence for which they were fined 200,000 ​pounds.

-Reuters

By Kunle Solaja.

Egyptian publication Ahram has reported an astronomical increase in prize money in all tiers of Egyptian domestic competitions.

This decision by the Egyptian Football Association to unveil what it described as the biggest prize-money package in its history for the 2025/26 season has once again thrown the spotlight on the modest financial rewards in Nigerian domestic football competitions.

Under the new structure announced by the Egyptian federation, winners of the Egypt Cup will receive EGP 2 million (approximately $37,000), while runners-up will earn about $19,000. The champions of the Egyptian Premier League are also expected to pocket EGP 5 million, estimated at about $94,000.

The package extends beyond the elite division. Clubs promoted from Egypt’s Second Division (A) will each earn roughly $19,000, while those advancing from Second Division (B) will receive close to $9,500 each.

Women’s football and youth competitions were equally accommodated. Winners of the Women’s Football League will receive about $9,500, while the Women’s Egypt Cup champions and runners-up will earn nearly $7,500 and $3,700 respectively. Youth championships across several age categories also have dedicated prize allocations running into millions of Egyptian pounds.

The Egyptian initiative is being viewed in many football circles as a deliberate attempt to improve club stability, encourage grassroots development and make domestic competitions more competitive.

For Nigerian football stakeholders, the development offers another example of how stronger financial incentives can stimulate growth in local competitions.

In Nigeria, complaints over poor prize money have persisted for years, especially in the domestic league, women’s football and youth competitions. Several clubs continue to struggle financially, while players and officials often lament inadequate rewards despite demanding schedules and rising operational costs.

Observers argue that meaningful prize money can motivate clubs to invest more seriously in infrastructure, player welfare, youth development and women’s football.

The Egyptian model also demonstrates that football development is not restricted to top-flight competitions alone. By extending financial rewards to lower divisions and youth categories, the federation appears to be creating a broader economic support system for its football ecosystem.

Many Nigerian football followers believe the Nigeria Football Federation, the Nigeria Premier Football League and corporate partners can draw valuable lessons from Egypt’s approach.

With Nigerian clubs facing increasing financial pressure and continental competitiveness declining in recent years, analysts insist that enhanced prize money could become one of the incentives needed to revive domestic football and restore greater excitement around.

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By Kunle Solaja.

Nigeria is set to host the 48th Ordinary General Assembly of the Confederation of African Football (CAF), marking the third time the country will stage the continent’s top football gathering.

The development was confirmed in a statement issued by the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), which disclosed that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, on the sidelines of the ongoing Africa Forward Summit in Nairobi, Kenya, approved Nigeria’s proposal to host the event.

The approval followed a meeting between President Tinubu and CAF President Patrice Motsepe, attended by Nigeria’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu, NFF President Ibrahim Musa Gusau, former NFF President and Special Adviser to the CAF President Amaju Melvin Pinnick, as well as CAF Acting General Secretary Samson Adamu.

Sports Villages Square affirms that Nigeria previously hosted the CAF Congress at the National Theatre in Lagos in March 1980 and again in February 2009, when the late CAF President Issa Hayatou secured another four-year term in office.

In addition to this year’s 48th Ordinary General Assembly, scheduled for October, Nigeria also secured the hosting rights of the CAF Awards ceremony. The annual awards gala, which celebrates Africa’s top football performers, has been staged in Morocco over the past three years.

Nigeria had earlier hosted the CAF Awards when telecom firm, Globacom, was the headline sponsor. This year’s event will be the seventh to be held in Nigeria after those of 2005, 2008, 2009, 2013, 2014 and 2016.

The CAF Ordinary General Assembly traditionally attracts key football stakeholders from across the continent, including presidents of CAF’s 54 member associations, representatives of the six zonal unions and senior football administrators.

The CAF Awards ceremony is regarded as one of African football’s flagship events, honouring outstanding players, coaches, clubs and officials in a glamorous setting that showcases the continent’s football excellence.

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