Chelsea avoids points loss but faces €11.6m fine and suspended ban

Chelsea faced a wave of disciplinary action on Friday, with the English FA confirming 74 breaches of its agent‑payment rules, yet the club escaped the worst‑case scenario of a points deduction, receiving instead an €11.6 million fine and a suspended transfer ban.

The Premier League announcement, published by LeagueUne, detailed that the infractions violated rule E1.2 of the FA and resulted in a fine of 10 million pounds (approximately €11.6 million). The club also received a suspended recruitment ban covering two transfer windows.

Initially, an independent disciplinary commission had proposed a six‑point deduction in the Premier League, but Chelsea appealed the decision. A separate independent appeal commission overturned the points sanction after a new hearing.

The suspended recruitment ban will be in effect for two market periods, extending until 30 June 2027, meaning the club can sign players only after that date if no further breaches occur.

The breaches trace back to the period when Roman Abramovich owned the club, spanning 2009 to 2016, and relate to the FA’s regulations on agent remuneration, intermediary work and third‑party investment in players.

Chelsea, bought in May 2022 by a consortium led by Todd Boehly and Clearlake Capital, said it was "happy" with the outcome, noting amicable agreements with UEFA and the Premier League and confirming that all regulatory proceedings against it are now closed.

In July 2023 the club had already reached a settlement with UEFA, agreeing to pay €10 million after acknowledging incomplete financial reports from the Abramovich era.