UEFA Delivers Final Blow: Chelsea Hit with Champions League Financial Punishment
UEFA has announced that Chelsea will not face additional penalties concerning their Champions League squad expenses.
The London club received fines totaling €31 million (£26.9 million, $36.1 million) in July following violations of financial regulations related to excessive expenditure and squad costs, with an additional €60 million penalty looming if Chelsea failed to lower their European squad expenses during the summer window.
Chelsea was required to demonstrate a positive transfer balance from players listed in the previous season's 'List A' from their Conference League registration. Transfers of non-registered and peripheral players, including João Félix, Carney Chukwuemeka and Renato Veiga, were not counted toward this balance.
Fortunately for Chelsea, they successfully arranged departures for several 'List A' players. Noni Madueke, Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall, Christopher Nkunku, Mathis Amougou and Nicolas Jackson all left the club, enabling Chelsea to satisfy UEFA's predetermined conditions.
A UEFA statement (via the Daily Mail's Kieran Gill) stated: "The squad list submitted fulfilled the criteria of the settlement agreement and it was therefore already reviewed and approved before publication on UEFA's website."
By achieving a positive balance, Chelsea gained the freedom to register all their new acquisitions in what became a 23-player European squad.
Chelsea's 2025–26 Champions League Squad
Goalkeepers: Robert Sánchez, Filip Jörgensen
Defenders: Marc Cucurella, Tosin Adarabioyo, Benoît Badiashile, Levi Colwill, Jorell Hato, Trevoh Chalobah, Reece James, Malo Gusto, Wesley Fofana
Midfielders: Enzo Fernández, Cole Palmer, Jamie Gittens, Dário Essugo, Andrey Santos, Moisés Caicedo
Forwards: Pedro Neto, Liam Delap, João Pedro, Marc Guiu, Estêvão, Alejandro Garnacho
Among those excluded from the main squad, Roméo Lavia, Tyrique George and Josh Acheampong remain eligible to participate after being placed on 'List B', which is designated for players 21 and younger who have been with the club for a minimum of two years. This list remains flexible and can be modified regularly throughout the campaign to provide academy prospects with opportunities to compete.
Reserve goalkeeper Gabriel Slonina is not featured but, most notably, there is no spot for Deadline Day acquisition Facundo Buonanotte. The Brighton & Hove Albion loan signing, who expressed enthusiasm about competing in the Champions League upon his recent arrival, has been omitted from the roster.
Raheem Sterling, Axel Disasi and David Datro Fofana, all of whom stayed at Stamford Bridge after unsuccessful attempts to secure summer transfers elsewhere, have also been excluded.