Chelsea fined $13.4M, handed suspended ban for agent breaches
Chelsea fans with a banner in the stands before the pre-season friendly match between Chelsea and Tottenham Hotspur at Accor Stadium, Sydney, Australia, Aug. 1, 2026. (Reuters pHOTO)


Chelsea were fined 10 million euros ($13.4 million) and handed a suspended two-window transfer ban on Friday after winning a partial appeal against sanctions imposed for multiple breaches of Football Association rules.

The Premier League club had originally received a suspended six-point deduction in addition to the fine, but an appeal board replaced the points sanction with the suspended transfer ban.

Chelsea admitted to 74 breaches of FA regulations involving agents, intermediaries and third-party ownership and investment arrangements related to player transfers.

Owners Todd Boehly and Clearlake Capital self-reported the breaches to football authorities in 2022 while they were in the process of buying the club from Russian billionaire Roman Abramovich.

The suspended six-point deduction, which was due to remain in effect until the end of June 2027, was imposed by the independent regulatory commission that initially heard the case. Chelsea appealed that sanction.

The appeal board replaced the points deduction with a suspended two-window registration ban, which will remain suspended until the end of June 2027.

Chelsea have previously reached settlement agreements over the matter with the Premier League and European soccer's governing body, UEFA.

The £10 million fine imposed by the regulatory commission was not subject to appeal, and the full amount will be invested in grassroots soccer.

The FA said it was continuing to investigate individual misconduct arising from the case.

Chelsea welcomed the ruling in a statement, describing it as a "final decision" on the matter.

"In 2022, the club self-reported potential historical rule breaches to all applicable regulators," the statement said.

"Following that report, it has worked openly and transparently with all regulators, including voluntarily and proactively disclosing many thousands of documents."

The statement added: "The club is pleased to confirm that, now the FA process has concluded, this brings all regulatory proceedings against the club to a close."