Chelsea have been officially charged by the Football Association (FA) with 74 alleged rule breaches relating to agents, intermediaries, and third-party investment in players during the Roman Abramovich ownership era.

The FA confirmed the charges cover conduct between 2009 and 2022, with the majority of cases focused on the 2010/11 to 2015/16 seasons.

According to Chelsea, the alleged breaches were self-reported by the club after being uncovered during the due diligence process carried out by the Clearlake Capital and Todd Boehly-led consortium before their takeover in 2022.

FA Statement on Chelsea Charges

In a statement, the FA said:

“Chelsea FC has been charged with breaches of Regulations J1 and C2 of the FA Football Agents Regulations, Regulations A2 and A3 of the FA Regulations on Working with Intermediaries, and Regulations A1 and B3 of the FA Third Party Investment in Player Regulations. In total, 74 charges have been brought against Chelsea FC.”

Chelsea have until September 19 to respond to the charges.

Chelsea’s Response

The club stressed that it has shown “unprecedented transparency” throughout the process, handing over full access to historical files and data.

A Chelsea spokesperson said:

“The ownership group became aware of potentially incomplete financial reporting concerning historical transactions and other potential breaches of FA rules during the takeover process. Upon completion of the purchase, the club immediately self-reported these matters to all relevant regulators.”

Chelsea added they are working “collaboratively” with the FA and want the matter concluded “as swiftly as possible.”

High-Profile Transfers Under Scrutiny

Both the FA and Premier League have separately investigated alleged irregular payments connected to the signings of Willian and Samuel Eto’o in 2013, as well as Eden Hazard’s 2012 transfer.

The FA’s charges mark one of the most significant regulatory cases in recent years, casting further scrutiny on Chelsea’s transfer dealings during Abramovich’s tenure.