Tonda Eckert authorised spying on three clubs, and his six-week FA ban will not stop him facing Portsmouth
An independent FA commission has suspended Tonda Eckert’s six-week ban until the end of the 2027-28 season, so the Southampton head coach stays in charge for Sunday’s derby.
Oct 8, 2026
Tonda Eckert will be in the Southampton dugout for Sunday’s south coast derby against Portsmouth. The Football Association has given him a six-week ban from all football activity for his part in the club’s spying on rival training sessions, but the ban is suspended until the end of the 2027-28 season. He was also fined £28,000 and reprimanded.
The suspended part only bites if he is found to have broken the same rules again before it runs out. Until then, nothing changes for Southampton on a matchday.
Three clubs, three admissions
Eckert admitted three breaches of FA Rule E3.1. The charges said he acted improperly or brought the game into disrepute by directing or authorising the watching of Oxford United, Ipswich Town and Middlesbrough in training before Southampton played them, in December 2025, April 2026 and May 2026.
The independent regulatory commission heard the case on 24 September and published its decision on Wednesday. It said there was “considerable mitigation in this matter, most particularly around the genuine contrition” shown by the 33-year-old German. The FA had asked for a three-month ban.
The club has already paid for it
The FA case against Eckert sits on top of a much heavier EFL punishment for the club. It began on 7 May, when a Southampton analyst intern was spotted filming Middlesbrough at their Rockliffe Park training ground two days before the first leg of the Championship play-off semi-final. An EFL disciplinary commission later found Eckert had specifically authorised the spying, threw Southampton out of the play-offs and docked them four points for this season. Their appeal was rejected, Middlesbrough were put back into the final, and Hull City beat them at Wembley to go up.
That is why I think the commission landed about right, even if the FA wanted more. Southampton lost a shot at the Premier League over this, and making Eckert sit out six weeks on top would have punished the same episode twice. The suspension still leaves him no margin for a repeat.
From bottom to 13th
The deduction left Southampton bottom on minus four after they lost 2-1 at Watford on the opening day. Eight games in, they have won four, drawn two and lost two, and sit 13th on 10 points. Without the deduction they would have 14.
Portsmouth come to St Mary’s on Sunday, 11 October, for a midday kick-off, which is 4.30pm IST. Southampton then go to Norwich City on Wednesday, 14 October.