Chelsea Football Club has narrowly avoided a six-point deduction after an initial sanction was overturned on appeal. Instead, the club faces a suspended transfer ban, along with a significant financial penalty.

The Football Association (FA) confirmed that violations occurred between 2009 and 2022, during the ownership tenure of former owner Roman Abramovitch. The bulk of the breaches were traced back to the 2010-2016 period, a time when financial irregularities were allegedly widespread within the club’s operations.

The irregularities came to light in 2022, following the change in ownership. Upon conducting a thorough review, the new leadership uncovered evidence of financial misconduct that had persisted for over a decade. In September of the previous year, the FA formally lodged 74 charges against the club.

Between 2011 and 2018, Chelsea made payments totaling £47 million (approximately €54.5 million) to unregistered third parties and agents. Several high-profile transfers were flagged as part of the investigation, including Eden Hazard’s move from Lille in 2012. Other transfers under scrutiny include Samuel Eto’o (from Anzhi Makhachkala in 2013), Willian (also from Anzhi Makhachkala in 2013), André Schürrle (from Bayer Leverkusen in 2013), Nemanja Matić (from Benfica in 2014), and David Luiz (from Paris Saint-Germain in 2016).

The club’s new management has since implemented stricter financial governance to ensure full compliance with FA regulations moving forward.