Chelsea FC Fined £150,000 After Bottle-Throwing Incident

Chelsea FC have been fined £150,000 by an independent Football Association Regulatory Commission after admitting a charge of misconduct relating to an incident during their Premier League match against Aston Villa.

The incident occurred immediately after the final whistle of Chelsea’s fixture with Aston Villa on 27 December 2025. According to an Extraordinary Incident Report submitted by referee Stuart Atwell, an unidentified member of Chelsea’s technical area threw a plastic drinks bottle in the direction of the Aston Villa technical area.

The FA launched an investigation and provided Chelsea with video footage of the incident, requesting that the club identify the individual responsible. Despite investigations by both the FA and Chelsea, the person who threw the bottle could not be identified. Chelsea were subsequently charged with misconduct under FA Rule E20.1, which holds clubs responsible for the behaviour of their players and staff in and around the technical area.

The FA designated the case as non-standard due to the seriousness of the alleged behaviour. Chelsea admitted the charge and opted for the matter to be dealt with via a paper hearing, submitting written mitigation for consideration.

An Independent Regulatory Commission, chaired by Stuart Ripley and sitting on 19 January 2026, was tasked solely with determining an appropriate sanction. In its written reasons, the Commission described the incident as “very serious,” noting that the bottle travelled at speed from the Chelsea dugout and passed close to the head of an Aston Villa substitute before landing in the technical area.

The Commission stated that the act was dangerous and could easily have provoked a reaction from Aston Villa staff, adding that it was “only luck” that no one was struck. It further observed that such behaviour would be treated as a serious act of violence if committed by a spectator, and criticised the example set by an individual involved at the highest level of English football.

In determining the sanction, the Commission took into account Chelsea’s admission of the charge, the seriousness of the incident and the club’s disciplinary history. Chelsea have four previous proven breaches of FA Rule E20.1 within the past five years, all of which resulted in fines.

While the FA’s sanction guidelines set an entry point of £125,000 for a first non-standard breach by a Premier League club, with a maximum fine of £250,000, the Commission concluded that a £150,000 fine was fair and proportionate in the circumstances.

The decision remains subject to appeal under FA rules.

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