Chelsea have been fined £10m and handed a suspended two-window transfer ban by the Football Association after admitting 74 breaches of regulations covering football agents, intermediaries and third-party investment in players.
The sanctions bring the FA’s investigation into the club to a close, although the governing body confirmed it is still investigating individual misconduct linked to the case. All of the breaches relate to the period between 2009 and 2022, when Roman Abramovich owned the club.
According to the FA, Chelsea’s current owners, Todd Boehly and Clearlake Capital, voluntarily disclosed the breaches after completing their takeover of the club in 2022.
An independent Regulatory Commission initially imposed a £10m fine and a six-point deduction, with the points penalty suspended until 30 June 2027. However, Chelsea appealed against the sporting sanction, and an independent Appeal Board overturned the suspended points deduction.
Instead, the Appeal Board imposed a suspended ban on registering new players for two complete and consecutive transfer windows, also suspended until 30 June 2027. The £10m fine was not appealed and will be invested in grassroots football.
The FA said in its statement: “A financial sanction of £10 million 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.”
It added: “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.”
Chelsea admitted making £47m in undisclosed payments to unregistered agents and third parties in connection with player transfers between 2011 and 2018.
The regulatory commission’s written reasons revealed the original financial penalty was assessed at £26m before being reduced because of Chelsea’s cooperation.
The amount was cut to £17.25m due to the club’s self-reporting and what the commission described as the “exceptional and unprecedented nature” of its cooperation. It was then reduced to £11.4m following an early guilty plea before being lowered to £10m to reflect penalties already imposed by UEFA and the Premier League.
PThe FA described the final punishment as “an appropriate penalty” that would punish the club while also serving to “deter similar misconduct and maintain the integrity of the game”.
The regulatory commission also noted: “Had the club not brought these matters to the attention of the FA, it is unlikely that they would have been discovered.”
Chelsea welcomed the conclusion of the disciplinary process.
“Now the FA process has concluded, this brings all regulatory proceedings against the club to a close,” a Chelsea statement read.
“We are grateful to Uefa, the Premier League and the FA for their engagement with the club throughout these processes.”
Naija News reports that the latest punishment follows another disciplinary case in March, when Chelsea received an immediate nine-month academy transfer ban and a £750,000 fine over breaches involving the registration of academy players between 2019 and 2022.
