Chelsea avoid Premier League points deduction after breaching FA rules

Chelsea have avoided a Premier League points deduction (Getty)

Chelsea have been fined £10 million and given a suspended two-window transfer ban by the Football Association after successfully challenging a ruling that could have led to them being deducted six points.

Chelsea’s owners, Todd Boehly and Clearlake Capital, self-reported 74 breaches of FA rules related to secret payments to unregistered agents after they purchased the club from Roman Abramovich in 2022.

Chelsea admitted to making £47m in secret payments to unregistered agents and intermediaries between 2011 and 2018.

Chelsea had initially been given a six-point deduction, suspended until June 2027, and a £10m fine after a hearing in December 2025.

However, Chelsea appealed against that ruling and an FA appeal board downgraded that to a two-window transfer ban, which is suspended until June 2027.

Chelsea can continue to sign players this summer and next January unless they breach the rules again before the end of June next year.

Roman Abramovich owned Chelsea from 2003 to 2022 (Getty)

A statement from Chelsea on Friday read: ‘Chelsea Football Club is pleased to confirm that a final decision has been reached by The FA’s judicial bodies in relation to historical regulatory matters that were self-reported by the club.

‘In 2022, the club self-reported potential historical rule breaches to all applicable regulators. Following that report, it has worked openly and transparently with all regulators, including voluntarily and proactively disclosing many thousands of documents.

‘As previously announced, settlement agreements have been entered into with UEFA and the Premier League concerning the same self-reported regulatory matters and topics that have been addressed before. The club is pleased to confirm that, now The FA process has concluded, this brings all regulatory proceedings against the club to a close.

‘We are grateful to UEFA, the Premier League and The FA for their engagement with the club throughout these processes.’

Chelsea self-reported the breaches after they were taken over by Todd Boehly and Clearlake Capital (Getty)

A statement from the FA read: ‘A financial sanction of £10m and a suspended two-window registration ban have been imposed on Chelsea FC for breaches of the Football Association Football Agent Regulations, Regulations on Working with Intermediaries and Third Party Investment in Players Regulations. The FA charged Chelsea FC with 74 breaches of FA Rule E1.2 after its current ownership self-reported misconduct upon its purchase of the club. The FA is continuing to investigate individual misconduct arising out of this case.