The English Football Association announced Thursday it is investigating Southampton following the club’s admission of spying on three opponents in the Championship this season. The scandal, quickly labeled “SpyGate,” has shaken English football.

Incidents included filming Middlesbrough’s training session before a playoff semi-final, as well as similar surveillance of Oxford United and Ipswich Town earlier in the season. Southampton confessed to monitoring rival preparations within 72 hours of matches.

As a result, the club was excluded from the playoff final for promotion to the Premier League. Middlesbrough was reinstated to face Hull City in Saturday’s decisive match. The English Football League also imposed a four-point deduction on Southampton for next season and issued a formal reprimand.

The playoff winner secures promotion to the Premier League, along with financial rewards estimated at £200 million ($268 million). The scandal has raised serious questions about fair play, integrity, and the lengths clubs may go to gain a competitive edge.