Chelsea have been fined £10m and given a suspended ban from registering new players for two transfer windows for breaching rules relating to payments to agents between 2009 and 2022. But the club have had a six-point deduction, which was suspended until 30 June 2027, "set aside" on appeal.
In the written reasons document in the case between Chelsea and the FA, the governing body said a 'starting point of 15 points is appropriate', before the club's self-reporting and co-operation was taken into account. If Chelsea were handed a 15-point deduction at the end of last season, it would have seen them relegated to the Championship, due to the Blues finishing 13 points ahead of 18th-placed West Ham. The Blues finished 13 points ahead of West Ham, who went down in 18th place on 39 points.
All of the breaches relate to the period when Roman Abramovich was owner of Chelsea.
Owners Todd Boehly and Clearlake Capital self-reported 74 breaches of Football Association rules when they purchased the club in 2022. The regulatory commission said: "Had the club not brought these matters to the attention of the FA, it is unlikely that they would have been discovered."
"The club appealed against the suspended points deduction and an independent Appeal Board allowed the appeal and set aside this sanction following a further hearing. 'In its place, the Appeal Board imposed a registration ban for two complete and consecutive transfer windows which is suspended until 30 June 2027.'
The £10m Chelsea have been fined will be invested into grassroots football. Earlier this year, the Blues were fined £10m and handed a suspended transfer ban by the Premier League after admitting to making £47m in secret payments to unregistered agents and third parties between 2011 and 2018.