Chelsea Football Club must pay a £10 million fine and faces a two-window suspended transfer ban. This follows the club’s admission of 74 Football Association rule violations involving unauthorized payments to third parties and agents during the tenure of former owner Roman Abramovich.
The FA confirmed that these sanctions stem from an investigation prompted by the club’s current ownership group, led by Todd Boehly and Clearlake Capital. After taking control in May 2022, the new owners voluntarily disclosed the irregular payments, which totaled £47 million and occurred between 2011 and 2018. Deals involving high-profile former players such as Eden Hazard, Willian, and Samuel Eto’o were reportedly part of the inquiry.
An Independent Regulatory Commission initially suggested a points deduction, but an appeal resulted in that penalty being replaced by a suspended transfer registration ban valid until mid-2027. The £10 million fine will be directed toward English grassroots football programs. While the FA continues to review potential individual misconduct, Chelsea stated that this resolution marks the end of all regulatory issues tied to their voluntary reporting. The club emphasized that they cooperated fully by providing extensive documentation throughout the inquiry.
