Chelsea FC has narrowly avoided a six-point deduction after an appeal overturned the initial sanction. Instead, the club received a suspended transfer ban following violations spanning 2009 to 2022—years when the team was under the ownership of Russian oligarch Roman Abramovich.

The Football Association (FA) uncovered the breaches during Chelsea’s 2022 takeover by new owners. In September 2025, the governing body formally charged the club with 74 separate breaches. Most of these irregularities date back to the 2010–2016 period, when Abramovich led the club.

Between 2011 and 2018, Chelsea made payments totaling £47 million to unregistered agents and third parties. Key transfers under scrutiny include Eden Hazard’s move from Lille in 2012, Samuel Eto’o’s arrival from Anzhi Makhachkala in 2013, and André Schürrle’s signing from Bayer Leverkusen the same year. Other notable deals involve Nemanja Matic’s transfer from Benfica in 2014 and David Luiz’s move from Paris Saint-Germain in 2016.