Aston Villa handed huge UEFA fine for financial rules breach as Chelsea, Newcastle and Nottingham Forest also punished

Chelsea, Newcastle Aston Villa and Nottingham Forest have been slapped with UEFA fines after breaching Squad Cost Ratio rules.

The Premier League quartet have also been warned about their future conduct by European football’s governing body.

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In addition, the Magpies were also hit with a suspended fine but escaped relatively unscathed compared to their Premier League counterparts and other sanctioned clubs from France, Greece, Italy and Turkey.

A statement posted on UEFA’s website on Tuesday read: “The CFCB First Chamber found that Aston Villa FC (ENG), Chelsea FC (ENG), Newcastle United FC (ENG), Nottingham Forest FC (ENG), OGC Nice (FRA), RC Strasbourg (FRA), AEK Athens (GRE), ACF Fiorentina (ITA) and Fenerbahce SK (TUR) breached the squad cost rule by reporting a squad cost ratio above 70 per cent for the 2025 calendar year. 

“As a result, each club was imposed a fine calculated in proportion to the percentage points above the defined limit and the size of the club’s squad cost excess.”

Newcastle United

The Magpies have been fined a combined £5.2million and have entered into a stringent future compliance agreement after being found guilty of breaching UEFA’s Financial Sustainability Regulations (FSR).

For the three-year period ending June 2025, Newcastle exceeded UEFA’s football earnings threshold and surpassed the 70 per cent squad-cost ratio (SCR) across the calendar year of 2025.

In response, Newcastle released a statement of their own, stating the club will fully comply with UEFA’s ruling. 

It read: “Newcastle United has entered into a settlement agreement with UEFA following a breach of its Financial Sustainability Regulations in the three-year period ending June 2025.

“Following an overspend in relation to UEFA’s Football Earnings threshold, the club has worked closely and constructively with the Club Financial Control Body (CFCB) to swiftly resolve the matter.

“In addition, UEFA has determined that the club will pay a further €3m due to breaching UEFA’s 70 per cent Squad Cost Ratio (SCR) target in calendar year 2025. Newcastle United thanks UEFA for its careful consideration and is committed to full ongoing compliance.”

Chelsea

The Blues have been fined £2.6m for their own misdemeanours of which £861,000 is suspended.

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Their sister club Strasbourg were handed the biggest fine of all of the clubs involved in UEFA’s report with a £21.54m sanction imposed.

A club statement read: “Chelsea FC can confirm that the UEFA Club Monitoring process for season 2025/26 has concluded and UEFA has today published its outcome concerning the Club’s compliance position in relation to the squad cost ratio for the 2025 calendar year.

“Following proactive and transparent engagement with UEFA, the UEFA Club Financial Control Body (CFCB) recognised the improving trend in the Club’s squad cost ratio for the 2025 calendar year. 

“However, as the 70 per cent threshold for UEFA’s Squad Cost Ratio was narrowly exceeded, a fine will be paid.”

Aston Villa

The Midlands club have been dealt the worst hand by UEFA of the Premier League clubs having been slapped with a £19.4m fine.

The Europa League winners will also face a restriction on the registration of new players on their squad list for next season’s Champions League.

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Villa, who will see £12.9m of the fine suspended, must significantly decrease their squad cost ratio next in the 2026/27 season.

The amount has been rolled over from a suspended punishment in 2025 when the club was fined £9.5m with a further £12.9m based on compliance over three years.

Nottingham Forest

Last season’s Europa league semi-finalists have been ordered to pay £2.2m. The club are yet to react to the news via their social media channels.

Chelsea, Newcastle and Nottingham Forest must comply with the UEFA regulations even though they will not not compete in European competition next season.