Spygate explained: Why Southampton risk being kicked out of the richest game in soccer

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Southampton's push to return to the Premier League may be in trouble, but not for the reasons that usually cause a team worry with a spot in England's top flight within reach.

Tonda Eckert's side initially booked their spot in the May 23 match with a 2-1 aggregate win over Middlesbrough in the semifinals, though the sporting merit of the result is now the subject of controversy. A picture of someone secretly watching a Boro training session has been the source of the dispute, forcing complaints out of Boro and forcing the EFL to deal with an issue there is little precedent for.

No matter how things shake out, the Saints' promotion campaign will now be remembered for a scandal called Spygate, one that has resulted in an investigation by the EFL, will involve a hearing in the coming days and could see Eckert's side eliminated from contention completely. There is now plenty of uncertainty over the Championship promotion playoff final, currently slated for May 23 at London's Wembley Stadium – known as soccer's richest game – and set to be contested by the Saints and Hull City, though several changes could be made before a ball is actually kicked.

What are Southampton being accused of?

Middlesbrough reported Southampton to the EFL on May 7, two days before the semifinal first leg, saying they saw a Southampton employee at their training facility. The club said the Southampton staff member was hiding in the bushes while filming training and recording audio of Boro coach Kim Hellberg.

The following day, the EFL charged Southampton with violating regulation 3.4, which requires clubs to act in good faith with one another, and regulation 127, which forbids clubs from watching opponents' training sessions – or attempting to – within 72 hours of the game.

"The club is fully cooperating with the EFL and the disciplinary commission, while also undertaking an internal review to ensure that all facts and context are properly understood," Southampton CEO Phil Parsons said on Tuesday. "Given the intensity of the fixture schedule and the short turnaround between matches, we have requested time to complete that process thoroughly and responsibly. We understand the discussion and speculation that has followed over recent days, but we also believe it is important that the full context is established before conclusions are drawn."