Aston Villa fined by Uefa for squad-cost rule breach

Aston Villa have been fined 22.5m euros (£19.4m) by Uefa for a "significant breach" of its squad-cost rule for 2025.

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

A large part of the fine - 15m euros (£12.9m) - is suspended, depending on the club continuing to significantly decrease their squad-cost ratio in 2026.

In effect, this is a rollover of a suspended punishment handed to the club last summer.

In July 2025, Villa were fined 11m euros (£9.5m), with a further 15m euros (£12.9m) conditional on compliance in a three-year period.

Three other Premier League clubs have also been given financial penalties for breaching the squad-cost rule.

Chelsea have been fined 3m euros (£2.6m), of which 2m euros (£1.7m) is suspended.

Nottingham Forest must pay 2.5m euros (£2.2m), with Newcastle United to pay 3m euros (£2.6m).

The Magpies have also reached a settlement for an overspend in relation to Uefa's football earnings threshold, which means the club must pay a further fine of 10m euros (£8.6m). Of this, 7m euros (£6m) has been suspended pending future compliance.

Three of the clubs either sold infrastructure to directly linked companies, or players to associated teams.

This was previously admissible under Premier League rules - it will not be from next season - but not by Uefa regulations.

Chelsea sold Mathis Amougou to Strasbourg for £12m, while Aston Villa sold their women's team.

Strasbourg, Chelsea's sister club within the BlueCo operation, were fined 25m euros (£21.5m) with 12m euros (£10.3m) suspended for reporting a squad-cost ratio above 70%.

Newcastle posted a £34.7m profit after selling the leasehold to St James' Park and adjacent land to PZ Holdings Limited, a subsidiary company.

Last summer, Chelsea were fined 31m euros (£26.7m) for breaches of the financial sustainability regulations, with the threat of further punishments over the next three years worth a potential 60m euros (£51.7m).

Chelsea said in a statement that Uefa had "recognised the improving trend" in their spending and that the 70% threshold was only "narrowly exceeded".

All four clubs were in Europe last season, and the fines show the difficulties of complying with different rules across two competitions.

Uefa reduced the squad-cost limit from 80% to 70% of a club's income last season, making it more challenging to comply.

The Premier League has introduced its own variation of squad-cost limits, which kicks in from Wednesday.

While clubs in Europe will have to adhere to Uefa's 70%, the other 11 Premier League teams will be permitted to spend upwards of 85% of income on the playing staff and the manager.

The Premier League is trying to protect the competitive balance by allowing those without income from European competition to spend a higher proportion of their earnings.

But Chelsea, Newcastle and Nottingham Forest must continue to comply with the Uefa regulations even though they do not have European football next season.