Chelsea Football Club has narrowly avoided a six-point deduction after an appeal reduced sanctions imposed by English football authorities for breaches dating back to the Roman Abramovich era.

The Football Association confirmed the original punishment included a points deduction alongside a hefty fine, but Chelsea successfully appealed to have the points penalty overturned. In its place, the club received a suspended transfer ban instead.

Investigations revealed financial irregularities spanning 2009 to 2022, with the majority of violations occurring between 2010 and 2016. These breaches were uncovered during the ownership transition in 2022 when new leadership took over at Stamford Bridge.

According to official records, Chelsea made payments totaling £47 million (approximately €54.5 million) to unregistered agents and third parties between 2011 and 2018. High-profile transfers implicated in the investigation include Eden Hazard’s move from Lille in 2012, Samuel Eto’o’s arrival from Anji Makhatchkala in 2013, and signings of André Schürrle, Nemanja Matić, and David Luiz during the same period.