A detail of Chelsea's record $36M fine for financial breaches

Liam Delap (R) during Chelsea's 4-1 win over Benfica in the FIFA Club World Cup game at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, North Carolina on June 28, 2025. Photo by Reuters

Chelsea were fined $23.4 million for failing to break even financially and $12.8 million for exceeding the limit of spending more than 80% of their revenue on squad expenses, such as player transfers and wages.

The previous largest fine was $23.4 million, issued to Manchester City and PSG in 2014. That marked the first round of penalties under UEFA's Financial Fair Play (FFP) regulations.

In response, Chelsea announced they had worked transparently with UEFA, providing a full analysis of their financial reports, which indicated that the club's financial performance was improving. The club emphasized their desire to resolve the issue swiftly through a settlement agreement, highlighting the importance of their relationship with UEFA.

Chelsea has been performing well in the FIFA Club World Cup, reaching the semi-finals and earning nearly $74 million. However, according to The Times, the club still face the challenge of selling players in order to register new signings for next season's Champions League.

UEFA regulations require that the cost of adding players must be offset by income from player sales. Consequently, Chelsea's prize money from the Club World Cup does not fulfill this requirement. Reports show that the club may need to raise more than $80 million to meet UEFA's requirements.

Since the beginning of the summer, Chelsea has made significant signings: Liam Delap for $41 million, Joao Pedro for $82 million, and Jamie Gittens for $75 million. The club are expected to continue strengthening their squad after the Club World Cup, further complicating their financial situation.

To balance the books, Chelsea will need to offload players no longer in the team's plans, including Joao Felix, Raheem Sterling, Ben Chilwell, Renato Veiga and Axel Disasi. Successful transfers of these players could significantly improve the club's financial position.

Last week, Barcelona was also fined $17.7 million for excessive losses following UEFA's assessment of their financial standing, particularly in relation to European competition qualification.

Both Chelsea and Barcelona were penalized for their 2024 financial accounts and will face additional fines in future seasons if they fail to meet UEFA's financial targets.