Chelsea began Thursday, September 11, 2025, with a bombshell statement from the Football Association (FA), announcing that the London club has been charged with 74 breaches of FA rules. In a case drawing parallels to the one facing Manchester City, questions immediately surfaced over the potential sanctions the governing body could hand down.
The FA’s statement accused Chelsea of violating multiple regulations, including “Agents Regulations,” “Working with Intermediaries,” and “Third-Party Investment.” The alleged breaches span from 2009 to 2022, with most incidents believed to have taken place between the 2010/11 and 2015/16 seasons during Roman Abramovich’s ownership.
With the Russian oligarch forced to sell the club due to government sanctions, BlueCo, a consortium led by Todd Boehly and Clearlake Capital, completed their takeover in May 2022. The current ownership group has until September 19, an eight-day window, to respond to the FA’s charges.
Chelsea’s current hierarchy has already been hit with penalties linked to Abramovich’s tenure. In July 2023, the club agreed to pay UEFA €10 million ($11.6m) after voluntarily disclosing what was described as “incomplete financial reporting” under the previous ownership.
Minutes after the FA’s announcement, Chelsea issued a statement highlighting their cooperation with investigators: “The Club has demonstrated unprecedented transparency during this process, including by giving comprehensive access to the Club’s files and historical data. We will continue working collaboratively with The FA to conclude this matter as swiftly as possible. We wish to place on record our gratitude to The FA for their engagement with the Club on this complex case, the focus of which has been on matters that took place over a decade ago.”
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Chelsea facing several sanctions
The charges have not yet been confirmed, but if upheld, Chelsea could face a wide range of penalties. Possible sanctions include heavy financial fines, points deductions in the Premier League, transfer restrictions, or even the annulment of player registrations tied to the disputed practices. In the most extreme scenario, retroactive sanctions could be applied, potentially impacting titles or competitions from that period.
However, according to The Athletic, Chelsea are expecting a resolution similar to the one reached in July 2023—likely a financial penalty from the FA rather than a points deduction or sporting sanction. While the club prepares its response, a separate Premier League investigation remains ongoing, posing another potential challenge for the Blues.
