Sheffield Wednesday set for huge League One points deduction due to expected EFL rule breach

Sheffield Wednesday appear set to start next season’s League One campaign with a damaging 15-point deduction, talkSPORT understands.

That’s because prospective buyers are currently unwilling to pay £15million to outgoing owner Dejphon Chansiri.

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It means Wednesday, who suffered the earliest ever relegation from the Championship last month, face a fight to avoid the drop to League Two next term.

A breach of EFL rules

It means the Owls will be in breach of EFL rules which state the club must pay 25 per cent to existing creditors.

EFL rules state that all football creditors must be paid in full with other creditors needing to be paid a quarter of what they are owed.

During his 11 years at the helm, Chansiri loaned the club around £60m, meaning the club’s new owners would be required to pay him £15m, or face another points deduction.

The U.S-based Storch group are among the contenders to acquire the club and are understood to be willing to take a 15-point penalty in order to secure Sheffield Wednesday.

American financier David Storch said: “We remain incredibly passionate about the opportunity at Sheffield Wednesday and seeing the club return to its former glory.

“We wish the preferred bidder well through the process but are ready to step in should the opportunity present itself again.

“We know all are disappointed by relegation yet wish the team well as they finish the current season.”

Meanwhile, ex-Newcastle owner Mike Ashley retains his interest in the club having already tabled an offer.

Ashley’s proposal is believed to be the lowest by some distance but is keen to avoid the 15-point penalty.

The club’s takeover plans suffered a blow last month when a group headed up by professional poker player James Bord pulled out of the running.

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Bord’s consortium was considered the preferred option when their interest was first made known in December.

However, they were unable to complete the deal claiming ‘our sizeable binding bid can no longer be justified’, despite ploughing £4million into the club as part of the process.

Glimmer of hope

Wednesday fans are set to welcome in a new owner sooner rather than later but any hopes of an immediate return to the Championship could a case of too much too soon.

Even if next season culminates in relegation, Owls supporters are unlikely to hit the depths of despair experienced during the 2025/26 campaign.

The ongoing dire situation at Hillsborough under Chansiri finally reached its conclusion in October when the club entered administration.

Wednesday were deducted 18 points earlier this season and saw their relegation confirmed in February with 13 games still to play.

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Their 2-1 defeat at bitter rivals Sheffield United set a new EFL record for the earliest relegation.