UEFA Punishes Chelsea, Barcelona, Aston Villa, Lyon For Breaching Football Earnings Rule

The European football body, UEFA, has found Chelsea, FC Barcelona, Aston Villa, and Lyon guilty of breaching new financial rules.

The new rule, which is known as the football earnings rule, is a regulation introduced to promote financial stability in football.

UEFA applied the rule for the first time during the 2024-2025 season. The football body came out with a verdict after assessing club earnings over the past two financial years (2023 and 2024).

After the process, the body concluded that four clubs were found guilty and the said football sides have accepted the blame for the breaches.

Despite that, UEFA’s Club Financial Control Body (CFCB) announced earlier today, July 4, that the four clubs who ran foul of the rule have been fined.

Aside from the unconditional fines which the clubs have accepted, the European sides have also accepted long-term financial oversight.

Here is the breakdown of the fines:

Chelsea have agreed to a four-year settlement and a total fine of €80 million, of which €20 million is unconditional.

Aston Villa have agreed to a three-year settlement and a €20 million fine, of which €5 million is unconditional.

Barcelona have agreed to a two-year settlement and a €60 million fine, of which €15 million is unconditional.

Olympique Lyonnais have agreed to a four-year settlement and a €50 million fine, of which €12.5 million is unconditional.

Meanwhile, Chelsea and Aston Villa have been slammed with more fines worth €11 million and €6 million each for reporting a squad cost ratio above 80 per cent in 2024. This is against UEFA’s squad cost rule, according to the CFCB First Chamber ruling.