Four Premier League clubs fined by Uefa for breaching financial regulations

Chelsea, Aston Villa, Nottingham Forest and Newcastle have all been fined by Uefa for breaking financial rules for the 2025 calendar year.

>Chelsea, who were fined €30m last year, were fined a further €1m, with €2m more suspended, with the London club saying it showed they were getting closer to complying with Uefa’s regulations.

>Villa, who won the Europa League, will have to pay €7.5m but could face a further fine of €15m if they do not improve their financial position. They had already been fined €11m last year.

>In addition, Villa will face a restriction on the registration of new players for next season’s Champions League campaign.

Aston Villa won the Europa League last season but will face a restriction on the registration of new players for the Champions League this year (PA Wire)Europa League semi-finalists Forest were fined €2.5m while Newcastle, who like Chelsea reached the last 16 of the Champions League, were fined €10m, of which €7m was suspended, for breaching the football earnings rule and a further €3m for a squad cost ratio that exceeded 70 percent of turnover.

>Newcastle, who have already sold Anthony Gordon to Barcelona this summer, are adamant it does not mean they need to sell further players, though there is interest in Sandro Tonali from Manchester City and Tottenham, plus Bruno Guimaraes from Arsenal.

>Chief executive David Hopkinson and chief financial officer Simon Capper flew to Switzerland to negotiate with Uefa and the relatively small fine is seen as a positive outcome by Newcastle.

>“Newcastle United has entered into a settlement agreement with Uefa following a breach of its Financial Sustainability Regulations in the three-year period ending June 2025,” read a statement from the Magpies.

>“Following an overspend in relation to Uefa’s Football Earnings threshold, the club has worked closely and constructively with the Club Financial Control Body (CFCB) to swiftly resolve the matter. Accordingly, the club has accepted the three-year settlement, which includes a €3m euro financial penalty, with a further €7m suspended pending future compliance.

>“In addition, UEFA has determined that the club will pay a further €3m due to breaching Uefa’s 70 per cent Squad Cost Ratio (SCR) target in calendar year 2025. Newcastle United thanks Uefa for its careful consideration and is committed to full ongoing compliance.”

Newcastle CEO David Hokpinson helped negotiate a relatively small fine for the club (PA)Meanwhile, Chelsea said in a statement: “Following proactive and transparent engagement with Uefa, the Uefa Club Financial Control Body (CFCB) recognised the improving trend in the Club’s squad cost ratio for the 2025 calendar year. However, as the 70 per cent threshold for Uefa’s Squad Cost Ratio was narrowly exceeded, a fine will be paid.”

>And Uefa said: “Regarding Aston Villa FC and Chelsea FC, which had already been sanctioned in the previous season, the CFCB First Chamber took into consideration the improving trend in their squad cost ratio between 2024 and 2025 in line with projections submitted as part of their settlement agreement. As a result, part of the fine is conditional upon the clubs continuing to significantly decrease their squad cost ratio in 2026.”

>Chelsea, Forest and Newcastle have not qualified for Europe next season but Uefa’s financial regulations would kick in when they again play in continental competitions. However, each is likely to have a lower income this season without the commercial and broadcast revenue from competing in Europe.

>The biggest fine Uefa handed out was €25m, €12m of it suspended, to Strasbourg, Chelsea’s sister club, while other clubs sanctioned include Juventus, Fenerbahce and Nice, which is owned by Sir Jim Ratcliffe.