Chelsea FC have been fined a record £10.75 million by the Premier League for historical breaches of league regulations, the league announced on Monday.
The London club were also handed a one-year first-team transfer ban, suspended for two years, and an immediate nine-month academy transfer ban. The league said the club also accepted a £10 million financial penalty after recalculating historical financial submissions tied to the payments.
Self-Reported Violations
The Premier League stated that Chelsea’s current ownership voluntarily reported evidence in 2022 of potential rule violations involving third-party payments and financial reporting. A further potential breach relating to academy regulations was reported in 2025.
The league said in a statement:
“The Premier League has concluded two separate disciplinary processes involving Chelsea Football Club, following the club voluntarily self-reporting potential historical breaches of rules,”
Findings From Investigation
Following an investigation, the league found that between 2011 and 2018, undisclosed payments were made by third parties linked to Chelsea to players, unregistered agents, and other individuals.
“These payments were not disclosed to the football regulatory authorities at the time, including the Premier League,” the statement said.
“The payments were made for the benefit of Chelsea FC and should have been treated as having been made by the club.”
Ownership Era and Club Sale
The period under investigation largely occurred while the club was owned by Roman Abramovich, who was compelled to sell the club in 2022 after the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
A consortium led by Todd Boehly and Clearlake Capital completed the takeover later that year.
No Points Deduction but Further Penalties
Chelsea avoided a points deduction after the Premier League determined the club would not have breached its Profitability and Sustainability Rules during the relevant period.
However, the club accepted a £750,000 fine and an immediate nine-month ban on registering academy players from Premier League and EFL clubs following a separate investigation into youth registration breaches between 2019 and 2022.
“From the outset of this process, the club has treated these matters with the utmost seriousness, providing full cooperation to all relevant regulators,” Chelsea said.
Record-Breaking Sanction
The £10.75 million sanction is the largest fine ever issued by the Premier League, surpassing the £5.5 million penalty given to West Ham United in 2007.
Leave a comment