Why Chelsea could still be banned from the Champions League despite UEFA fine

While this settlement allows Chelsea to compete in the short term, it comes with strict conditions—and failure to meet them could still result in a ban from the Champions League.

Why the fine isn’t the end of the story

UEFA’s Club Financial Control Body (CFCB) found Chelsea guilty of two major violations: exceeding the 70% squad cost-to-revenue ratio and manipulating revenue through internal transactions, such as selling their women’s team and hotels to related entities.

These accounting tactics were accepted by the Premier League but rejected by UEFA, leading to the fine.

However, the settlement agreement is not a free pass. Chelsea must meet annual financial targets over the next four years.

If they fail to comply, UEFA can activate sporting sanctions, including exclusion from UEFA competitions. This means that even though Chelsea paid the initial fine, they are still walking a financial tightrope.

Squad registration restrictions

Another immediate consequence is that Chelsea face restrictions on registering new players for the Champions League.

For the next two seasons, they can only register new senior players on UEFA’s List A if their transfer balance is non-negative—meaning they must sell before they buy.

This could severely limit their ability to strengthen the squad and remain competitive in Europe.

What could trigger a ban?

If Chelsea fail to meet the financial targets set in the settlement—such as reducing their wage bill, balancing transfer spending, or increasing legitimate revenue—UEFA can impose harsher penalties.

These include stricter registration limits or outright exclusion from the Champions League or other UEFA tournaments.

In short, while Chelsea have dodged an immediate ban, their Champions League status is still under threat.

The club must now operate with financial discipline and transparency—or risk being sidelined from Europe’s biggest stage.