Sky Sports’ Kaveh Solhekol explains possible punishments as Chelsea face 74 charges by the FA relating to agent payments.
The Football Association has charged Chelsea with 74 breaches of various regulations, spanning 2009 to 2022, primarily related to the 2010/11 to 2015/16 seasons.
The charges involve violations of FA rules on football agents, intermediaries, and third-party investments in players, particularly linked to historical transfers like those of Eden Hazard, Willian, and Samuel Eto’o.
Chelsea’s new ownership, after acquiring the club in May 2022, identified these issues during due diligence, self-reported them to the FA, Premier League, and UEFA, and cooperated fully by providing comprehensive access to club records.
Chelsea previously settled with UEFA in July 2023, paying a €10 million fine for incomplete financial reporting up to 2019.
The club has until September 19, 2025, to respond to the FA charges, while the Premier League investigation continues.
Chelsea anticipates a financial penalty but argues a sporting sanction, like a points deduction, would unfairly punish the current ownership and squad, who were not involved in the historical breaches.
The club were transparent and the hope is that self-reporting will not deter others due to potential harsh penalties.
— FA Spokesperson (@FAspokesperson) September 11, 2025
Updated – I'm told Chelsea are expecting a financial sanction – roughly similar to the £8m Uefa fine – and are NOT expecting a sporting sanction https://t.co/ujztdxVUq1
— Matt Law (@Matt_Law_DT) September 11, 2025
FA STATEMENT:
The Football Association has today charged Chelsea FC with breaches of Regulations J1 and C2 of The FA Football Agents Regulations, Regulations A2 and A3 of The FA Regulations on Working with Intermediaries, and Regulations A1 and B3 of The FA Third Party Investment in Players Regulations.
In total, 74 charges have been brought against Chelsea FC. The conduct that is the subject of the charges ranges from 2009 to 2022 and primarily relates to events which occurred between the 2010/11 to 2015/16 playing seasons.
Chelsea FC has until 19 September 2025 to respond.
CHELSEA STATEMENT:
Chelsea FC is pleased to confirm that its engagement with The FA concerning matters that were self-reported by the club is now reaching a conclusion.
The Club’s ownership group completed its purchase of the club on 30 May 2022. 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. 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. 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.
Kaveh said: “Well, look, this is quite a complicated story. It all started just over three years ago when Chelsea’s new American owners were carrying out due diligence when they were trying to buy the club.
“Due diligence, that means going through all the historical accounts just to make sure that they were paying the right price for what they were buying.
“During this due diligence, they uncovered some discrepancies. It appeared that there were some payments which hadn’t been recorded properly in Chelsea’s accounts and the accounts which were submitted to the Football Association, the Premier League and UEFA.
“So what they did is they said to Roman Abramovich’s lawyers, said, out of the £2.5 billion that we’re paying for Chelsea, we are going to withhold £100 million because we want to cover any unforeseen future liabilities.
“So they could see a potential problem. Then as soon as they bought Chelsea, what they did is they went to the FA, they went to the Premier League, they went to UEFA, and they said, we have discovered these potential breaches.
“This is the information we have. We are going to cooperate fully with you. And over the past three years, that is what they’ve been doing.
“So for instance, they have been giving the FA investigators all the files, all the data, all the emails that they needed. And they’ve been doing the same with UEFA and also the Premier League.
“Now, interestingly, back in uh July 2023, Chelsea reached a settlement with UEFA. And that settlement was to pay a fine of 10 million euros, which is about 8.5 million pounds, for incomplete financial reporting up to 2019. So the UEFA case was settled.
“Now today, the FA have come out and said, we’re going to charge you with 74 breaches of our rules. And also at the same time, the Premier League investigation is also ongoing.
“I think it’s really important to stress that this has all come about because Chelsea have self-reported. The new owners saw these potential rule breaches and went straight to the authorities and they have been cooperating fully with the authorities ever since.
“Obviously two years ago, they reached a settlement with UEFA. And because they themselves went to the FA and the Premier League, they knew that this was coming.
“I think what they will be saying to the FA, the Premier League, and also what they said to UEFA is, look, we discovered this, we have come straight to you, and this has got really nothing to do with us because this all happened under the previous ownership.
“So I think this is all to do with payments that were made in connection with historical transfers. I’ve been led to believe that it has to do with the transfers of players, for instance, like Eden Hazard, Willian, Samuel Eto’o.
“Now, the suggestion is that there were some payments connected to historical transfers under Chelsea’s previous ownership that were not registered properly in Chelsea’s accounts.
“So the new owners are saying this has really nothing to do with us, but we are doing everything we can to cooperate with the authorities and to flag up any potential rule breaches which we’ve discovered.
“Chelsea have released a statement just in the last few minutes. They say that they’re pleased to confirm that its engagement with the FA concerning matters that were self-reported by the club is now reaching a conclusion.
“They go on to say that they notice these discrepancies and as soon as they did they reported them to the relevant authority, and they go on to say that they have demonstrated unprecedented transparency during this process giving comprehensive access to the club’s files and historical data, so what I was saying to you they have handed over everything that they were asked to hand over, now of course they have to wait and see what the sanction is going to be from the FA.
“I think they have until September the 19th to respond to these charges. Also, of course, they have to wait and see what the Premier League decide to do.”
Reporter: “And you mentioned the fact that they kind of set aside some money for this. They’ve had to spend approximately what you say, eight million pounds in terms of the UEFA fines. What could they face, do you think, in terms of the FA and the Premier League then?”
Kavek: “I think from the perspective of Chelsea’s new owners, they would expect a financial penalty. I think there’s a possibility of a sporting sanction as well.
“There’s been talk, for instance, of a points deduction. But I think if you go down the road of a points deduction, then in a way you are punishing the wrong people.
“Because the people who, if it’s proved that they did break these rules, they’re no longer at the club at all. So why would you punish the present owners, the present squad who had nothing to do with this at all?
“So I think the feeling at Chelsea is perhaps, if these breaches are proven, then a financial punishment would be the fairest outcome.
“The other interesting point to make as well is, if Chelsea had deducted points, would that in the future put clubs off self-reporting?
“So if in the future they discover something, would they think, hey, we better keep quiet about this, cover it up, because if we report it, we could be deducted points? So that’s another interesting aspect to well.”
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