The Football Association (FA) has charged Chelsea with 74 alleged breaches of rules concerning payments to agents between 2009 and 2022, mainly covering the 2010/11 to 2015/16 seasons.
The Premier League club has until September 19 to respond.
Chelsea rose to prominence under Russian billionaire Roman Abramovich, who bought the club in 2003 and sold it in May 2022 to a consortium led by American investor Todd Boehly and private equity firm Clearlake Capital.
In a statement, Chelsea said it was “pleased to confirm that its engagement with the FA concerning matters self-reported by the club is now reaching a conclusion.”
READ MORE: Chelsea Breach UEFA Financial Limits, Face Possible European Ban
The club explained that the new ownership discovered potential gaps in financial reporting and possible FA rule breaches during due diligence before the 2022 takeover and promptly self-reported them to regulators, including the FA.
The team emphasised its “unprecedented transparency” and commitment to cooperating with the FA.
In July 2023, the club reached an agreement with UEFA, paying €10 million (£8.6 million/$11.7 million) after acknowledging “incomplete financial reporting” under Abramovich. UEFA noted that Chelsea proactively disclosed the issues.
Abramovich was sanctioned by the UK government in March 2022 following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
British ministers labelled him part of President Vladimir Putin’s inner circle, though he denies any Kremlin ties.
In June 2025, the UK government threatened legal action over the frozen £2.5 billion from Chelsea’s sale, insisting the funds be used for humanitarian purposes in Ukraine, while Abramovich argues they should support all victims of the conflict, including in Russia.
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