Chelsea given huge fine for breach of financial rules
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Chelsea risk being hit with a further €60 million fine if they do not get their finances in order.
PHOTO: AFP
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- Chelsea fined €31m by UEFA for breaching financial rules, risking a further €60m if finances aren't improved within four years.
- Barcelona, Aston Villa, and Lyon also received fines, with restrictions on registering new players for UEFA competitions.
- Chelsea sold their women's team and hotels to related companies to balance spending, but UEFA didn't count team sale as asset.
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LONDON – Chelsea have been fined €31 million (S$46.5 million) for breaches of Uefa’s financial rules, while Aston Villa, Barcelona and Lyon were also levied with large fines, European football’s governing body announced on July 4.
The punishments come with the potential for far harsher fines down the road, with Chelsea, who agreed to a four-year settlement with Uefa’s Club Financial Control Body, risking being hit with a further €60 million if they do not get their finances in order.
Barcelona must pay a €15 million fine, but could potentially face €60 million in total, with Uefa fining Lyon €12.5 million and Aston Villa €11 million.
Chelsea were fined €20 million for violating the football earnings rule and an additional €11 million for breaching the squad cost rule, while Aston Villa received fines of €5 million and €6 million for breaking the same respective regulations.
The clubs are also subject to restrictions on registering new players on their List A for Uefa club competitions such as the Champions League and Europa League.
Lyon’s ownership group said on July 4 that the club’s four-year agreement with Uefa’s financial control body would allow them to compete in the Europa League next season, provided their appeal to the French football financial watchdog, the DNCG, is successful.
Lyon were provisionally demoted to Ligue 2 by the DNCG in November 2024 due to financial irregularities. The decision was officially confirmed in June 2025. If Lyon fail to meet the agreed financial targets, they risk being excluded from European competitions.
The clubs accepted settlement agreements lasting two, three, or four years, depending on the case. Each is required to fully comply with the football earnings rule by the end of its designated settlement period.
Chelsea sold their women’s team for €235 million to their parent company, BlueCo, in an effort to offset heavy transfer spending under owner Todd Boehly and reduce their financial losses. However, Uefa ruled that the sale could not be counted as a valid asset in their financial reporting.
The club also sold two hotels to a sister company in a deal that appears to have helped the club to remain compliant with profitability and sustainability rules.
Premier League clubs are not permitted to have losses of more than £105 million (S$182.6 million) over a three-year period. REUTERS
