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Chelsea and Aston Villa have both been penalised by UEFA after falling foul of the governing body’s financial sustainability regulations. The sanctions, which include hefty fines and potential transfer restrictions, follow investigations by UEFA’s Club Financial Control Body (CFCB).
Chelsea have been fined £27 million (€31m) and could face an additional £52 million (€60m) in penalties should they breach a four-year financial settlement agreement. Aston Villa, meanwhile, received an initial fine of £9.5 million (€11m), with another £13 million (€15m) hanging over them if they fail to meet financial obligations within a three-year period.
Both Premier League clubs were found to have exceeded UEFA’s limits on their squad cost ratio – a regulation that restricts the proportion of club income spent on first-team player wages and transfers. UEFA rules currently cap this ratio at 80%, dropping to 70% in 2025. Chelsea’s squad cost penalty amounted to £9.4 million, while Villa were fined £5.1 million for the same breach.
In addition, Chelsea were hit with a £17.2 million fine over violations of UEFA’s football earnings rule, which could rise to £69 million if they do not meet future financial targets. Villa’s corresponding fine was £4.3 million, potentially increasing to £17.2 million depending on compliance with their settlement terms.
As part of their punishment, both clubs agreed to restrictions on registering new signings for UEFA competitions during the 2025/26 season, unless the value of those signings is offset by outgoing sales. For Chelsea, this restriction will also apply in the 2026/27 campaign if conditions are not met.
In a public statement, Chelsea addressed the situation:
“Chelsea FC has entered into a settlement agreement with UEFA concerning a break-even deficit reported by the club under UEFA's Financial Sustainability Regulations covering the financial years 2022/2023 and 2023/2024. The club has also agreed to pay a fine as a result of the club's squad cost ratio in the 2024 reporting year being between 80 per cent and 90 per cent.
The club has worked closely and transparently with UEFA to provide a full and detailed breakdown of its financial reporting, which indicates that the financial performance of the club is on a strong upwards trajectory. Chelsea FC greatly values its relationship with UEFA and considered it important to bring this matter to a swift conclusion by entering into a settlement agreement.”
Villa are also understood to have taken steps to comply with domestic PSR, reportedly agreeing to sell their women’s team.
Despite the fines, Villa remain committed to strengthening their squad under Unai Emery, and a structured “glide path” has been agreed with UEFA to meet future financial targets. However, they could still be fined €5 million for every year they fail to stay within spending limits.
Barcelona were also sanctioned, receiving a €15 million (£13m) fine for financial breaches. French club Lyon face a €12.5 million (£10.7m) penalty and risk exclusion from European competition if their appeal against relegation from Ligue 1 is unsuccessful. Other clubs sanctioned by UEFA include Besiktas (€900,000), Panathinaikos (€400,000), and Hajduk Split (€300,000).
Featured Image Credit: Unsplash / Pritam Laskar, Instagram / @avfcofficial
