Leicester have announced defeat in their appeal against a six-point deduction for breaching English Football League financial rules. An independent commission imposed the sanction on Leicester in February, which dropped the club from 17th to 20th in the Championship.
They appealed against the decision and have subsequently fallen to 22nd, a point adrift of safety with five fixtures remaining. It is very possible the club, currently managed by Gary Rowett, could be relegated to League One a decade after winning the Premier League.
Download the Guardian app from the iOS App Store on iPhone or the Google Play store on Android by searching for 'The Guardian'.
If you already have the Guardian app, make sure you’re on the most recent version.
In the Guardian app, tap the Profile settings button at the top right, then select Notifications.
Turn on sport notifications.
“We acknowledge that an independent commission’s decision to recommend a six-point deduction on the club this season has been upheld by an independent appeal board,” read a Leicester statement. “With the matter now at an end and five games of the season remaining, everyone at the club is fully focused on the matches in front of us and on shaping the outcome of our season through our results on the pitch.
“We know this has been a challenging period, and we thank our supporters for the backing they continue to give the team. The responsibility now is to ensure these remaining games are approached with the focus and intent our current situation demands.”
Leicester were initially charged by the Premier League in May 2025 for profitability and sustainability breaches in regards to the 2023-24 season, when they were in the Championship.
A Premier League statement read: “An independent commission’s decision to recommend a six-point deduction on Leicester has been upheld by an independent appeal board. The club were found by the commission to have breached the EFL’s profit and sustainability rules for the period ending season 2023-24. The club appealed that decision on a number of grounds, including the power of the commission to recommend the points deduction, as well as the level of sanction. These were dismissed by the appeal board.
“The appeal board also dismissed a challenge by the Premier League, which was limited to the commission’s decision not to increase the sanction on the club as a result of its breach of the League’s rules regarding the late submission of its annual accounts.”
