Aston Villa have been fined €22.5 million for breaching UEFA’s squad cost ratio (SCR) limit — but will only pay €7.5m with the rest only payable if their compliance with the regulations takes a downturn.
UEFA, European football’s governing body, say Villa will
only have to pay the remaining €15m if the club’s SCR position does not
continue to show improvements, having seen a reduction in percentage between
2024 and 2025.
For the 2025 calendar year, Villa’s SCR was still found to
be above the tightened 70 per cent limit imposed by UEFA. The €22.5m fine is
the second most expensive fine to be handed out to a European club for 2025,
behind Strasbourg (€25m). Chelsea, meanwhile, were found to have breached and
were fined €3m, €2m of which was conditional.
UEFA said in a statement: “Regarding Aston Villa FC and
Chelsea FC, which had already been sanctioned in the previous season, the CFCB
First Chamber took into consideration the improving trend in their squad cost
ratio between 2024 and 2025 in line with projections submitted as part of their
settlement agreement. As a result, part of the fine is conditional upon the
clubs continuing to significantly decrease their squad cost ratio in 2026.”
Villa’s attempt to reduce their SCR to 70 per cent was a
fundamental reason behind Villa’s lack of significant spending last summer,
with their gross outlay the lowest in the Premier League.
Villa entered into a settlement agreement with UEFA last
year, on the back of breaching FER in the three-year period ending June 2024.
The agreement places limits on future losses and Villa’s ability to register
players for UEFA competition.
Villa’s settlement agreement means they are instead limited
to a €5m football-earnings loss in the current season — a target that on its
own looks difficult, given the club has no Champions League revenues to rely on
while still bearing high operating costs. The agreement does allow that limit
to be lifted to a maximum of €60m (£52m) if Villa’s owners provide equity
funding, as they regularly do.
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