Chelsea have been charged with 74 breaches of Football Association regulations following alleged financial misconduct involving agents, intermediaries and third-party investments in players, spanning over a decade.
The FA announced the charges on Thursday, stating that the alleged misconduct took place between 2009 and 2022, with the majority of incidents occurring between the 2010-11 and 2015-16 seasons. During this period, Chelsea were owned by Russian billionaire Roman Abramovich.
The club, now under the ownership of Todd Boehly and Clearlake Capital since May 2022, said the issues were self-reported as part of due diligence carried out during the change of ownership.
“During a thorough due diligence process prior to completion of the purchase, the ownership group became aware of potentially incomplete financial reporting concerning historical transactions and other potential breaches of FA rules,” Chelsea said in a statement.
“Immediately upon the completion of the purchase, the club self-reported these matters to all relevant regulators, including the FA. 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.”
A source at the club told Reuters that Chelsea have opened their books to the FA to assist with the investigation. Although they did not reveal the nature of the charges or the irregular payments, the source confirmed they relate to the men’s team.
Chelsea have until 19 September to respond to the charges. Potential sanctions could include fines, points deductions or transfer bans. In 2019, Chelsea received a transfer ban from FIFA after being found guilty of breaking rules concerning 29 overseas players under the age of 18.
This is not the first time Chelsea’s financial history has come under scrutiny. In July 2023, UEFA reached a settlement with the club over the submission of incomplete financial information related to transactions between 2012 and 2019. Chelsea proactively reported these instances to UEFA.
Later that month, the Premier League confirmed it had opened an investigation into possible financial breaches during Abramovich’s ownership. Reports suggested the inquiry involved multi-million-pound payments to offshore entities connected to football intermediaries.
In July this year, Chelsea were fined 31 million euros (£26.6 million) by UEFA for breaching its financial regulations, including non-compliance with the football earnings rule and the squad cost rule. The club agreed to a four-year settlement to avoid a further fine of 60 million euros if financial issues are not resolved.
