Chelsea hit with 74 charges by FA over alleged financial breaches | OneFootball

Chelsea have been charged with 74 alleged breaches of Football Association regulations covering a 13-year period between 2009 and 2022.

The FA confirmed on Thursday that the charges relate mainly to seasons between 2010-11 and 2015-16, when the club was owned by Roman Abramovich.

In a statement, the governing body said Chelsea were accused of breaking rules concerning football agents, intermediaries, and third-party investment in players.

“In total, 74 charges have been brought against Chelsea FC,” the FA announced. “The conduct that is the subject of the charges ranges from 2009 to 2022 and primarily relates to events which occurred between the 2010-11 to 2015-16 playing seasons.”

Chelsea have until 19 September to respond.

The charges arrive more than three years after Abramovich was forced to sell the club following sanctions imposed by the UK government after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

The Russian billionaire was disqualified as a Premier League director in March 2022 and subsequently sold the club to the Todd Boehly and Clearlake Capital-led consortium that summer.

Chelsea said in their response that the alleged breaches were uncovered during the takeover process and were immediately reported to the authorities.

“During a thorough due diligence process prior to completion of the purchase, the ownership group became aware of potentially incomplete financial reporting concerning historical transactions and other potential breaches of FA rules,” the club said.

“Immediately upon the completion of the purchase, the club self-reported these matters to all relevant regulators, including the FA.” The club added that they had provided “unprecedented transparency” throughout the investigation.

“The club has demonstrated unprecedented transparency during this process, including by giving comprehensive access to the club’s files and historical data. We will continue working collaboratively with the FA to conclude this matter as swiftly as possible.”

The potential sanctions for Chelsea have not been detailed, though punishments for such cases could range from financial penalties to more serious measures, including transfer restrictions or a points deduction.

This is not the first time Chelsea’s historical finances have drawn scrutiny since the ownership change. In July 2023, the club were fined £8.6m by UEFA for breaking Financial Fair Play rules between 2012 and 2019 after submitting “incomplete financial information.” That penalty also stemmed from information provided by the new ownership.

Chelsea’s cooperation with the FA is expected to be taken into account as the case progresses, but the charges underline the scale of the alleged irregularities during the Abramovich era.