Chelsea FC have been fined a record £10.75 million ($14.3 million) by the Premier League for historical breaches of league regulations, the league announced.
In addition to the financial penalty, the club received a one-year first-team transfer ban, which has been suspended for two years, and an immediate nine-month ban on registering academy players.
The Premier League said Chelsea’s current owners voluntarily reported in 2022 that they had evidence of potential breaches related to third-party payments and financial reporting. A separate potential breach of academy rules was reported in 2025.
Following investigations, the league confirmed that between 2011 and 2018, undisclosed payments were made by third parties associated with Chelsea to players, unregistered agents, and other parties. These payments were not disclosed to football authorities, including the Premier League.
According to the league, these payments were made for the benefit of Chelsea and should have been declared as club payments. Chelsea admitted that both making these payments and failing to disclose them breached the requirement to act in good faith toward the league.
The violations occurred when the club was owned by Russian billionaire Roman Abramovich. He sold the club in 2022 following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, with ownership transferring to a group led by U.S. investor Todd Boehly and private equity firm Clearlake Capital.
The Premier League also reviewed revised historical financial submissions that included these payments. Chelsea accepted a £10 million fine as part of this process.
Despite the breaches, Chelsea avoided a points deduction after the league determined that the club did not violate Profitability and Sustainability Rules during the relevant period.
The league noted that Chelsea’s proactive self-reporting, admissions, and cooperation were key factors in reducing the severity of the punishment.
A separate investigation into Youth Development Rule breaches focused on the registration of academy players between 2019 and 2022 by a senior club employee. Chelsea accepted a £750,000 fine and a nine-month ban on registering academy players from Premier League and English Football League clubs.
All sanctions take effect immediately, and Chelsea will also cover the full cost of the investigation and disciplinary process.
In a statement, Chelsea said the club treated the matter seriously from the beginning and fully cooperated with all relevant authorities.
This fine is the largest ever imposed by the Premier League, surpassing the previous record of £5.5 million issued to West Ham United in 2007.
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