Leicester City handed fresh update over Premier League legal battle - points deduction could loom | OneFootball

Leicester City have been charged with three different breaches

Leicester City have received an update on their legal battle with the Premier League.

Marti Cifuentes’ side have started the 2025/26 campaign in a stable manner, picking up points in seven of their opening eight matches, highlighting their capability to remain in games and avoid defeat.

However, the Foxes have drawn half of their league outings thus far, with their last four Championship contests all ending in stalemates.

Cifuentes will likely be keen to start turning these draws into victories, but when compared to Southampton and Ipswich Town, who both also suffered relegation from the top-flight last year, Leicester City can still remain optimistic about their automatic promotion chances.

They currently sit sixth in the table and just five points shy of league leaders Middlesbrough, but there could be one external factor that may hand the Foxes a major blow in their push for a Premier League return.

Leicester City were hit with three charges by the Premier League in May, with the club alleged to have breached profitability and sustainability rules for the 2023/24 campaign, when they operated out of the second-tier.

The King Power Stadium outfit were also charged with failing to provide their annual accounts before the December 31 deadline. Following this, they received a third and final charge for failing an “obligation to provide full, complete and prompt assistance to the Premier League”.

Leicester City receive update on their Premier League legal battle

If Leicester City are found guilty of these charges, their punishment could include a points deduction, which would put a huge dent in their push for promotion.

Leicester made combined losses of more than £200 million across the financial three-year period ending in 2024, which far exceeds the PSR regulations' maximum loss of £81 million.

Telegraph Sport has revealed that a date for the hearing has now been scheduled and will begin in the next few weeks.

The report states that with the prospect of appeals, a conclusion on the saga may not be reached until next year.

This means that any potential punishment would be introduced later in the season, which could have a significant impact on the Foxes’ campaign for a Premier League return.

Alternative penalties could also reportedly be applied instead of a points deduction, such as a transfer ban or a fine.

Leicester City will desperately hope to avoid a points deduction

Given how tightly contested the opening stages of this season have been, Leicester City will be crossing their fingers that they aren’t struck with a points-related penalty.

The Foxes had a seven-point margin over third place in the 2023/24 campaign, so still would’ve been likely to secure promotion even with a deduction, but they were far and away the Championship’s best side that term.

Cifuentes’s men haven’t displayed such dominance during the opening stages of this season and already have ground to make up on league leaders Middlesbrough.

Any further extension to their current gap from the top would be a huge blow to take and may also allow Ipswich Town and Southampton to gain further ground on Leicester.

Therefore, the Foxes will be hoping desperately that this matter can be resolved without a points deduction being applied.