Leicester City have been referred to an independent commission by the Premier League for an alleged breach of EFL financial rules during the 2023-24 Championship season.

The club could be punished with a possible points deduction and fine, although it is not clear at this stage when, what or how that will be applied.

At the centre of the tribunal decision were two contrasting decisions.

The tribunal upheld a decision that the Premier League could not punish the Foxes for breaching Premier League profit and sustainability (PSR) rules for the 2022-23 season as the club had been relegated from the top flight at the end of that campaign.

However, it also ruled that the Premier League does have jurisdiction to investigate the club for breaching EFL rules in 2023-24.

The independent commission will also assess two further alleged breaches by the Foxes; that they failed to provide accounts to the Premier League by 31 December, 2024, and that they did not “provide full, complete and prompt assistance to the Premier League in response to the league’s inquiries”.

Leicester, who this season have been relegated to the Championship for the second time in three years, said: “The club intends to engage co-operatively in this matter now that the Premier League’s jurisdiction has been established for the period ending FY24 (financial year 2024).”

News of the charge was revealed in a complex ruling that leaves many uncertainties over what it means and how it will be applied.

How can the Premier League do this?

Leicester won an appeal in September 2024 against an alleged breach of Premier League PSR rules for the 2022-23 season.

An independent panel found the Premier League did not have the jurisdiction to punish the Foxes as the club had been relegated to the Championship when their accounting period ended on 30 June 2023.

The Premier League said at the time it was “surprised and disappointed” by the panel’s decision, while Leicester said they had “simply sought to ensure that the rules are applied based on how they are actually written”.

The Premier League then tightened its rules, external in April so that clubs were still bound by its rules even if they were relegated.

“The alleged breach relates to the assessment period concluding at the end of the 2023-24 season, when the club was a member of the EFL Championship,” said a Premier League statement on Tuesday.

“The tribunal confirmed that the Premier League has the power to investigate an alleged breach of the P&S Rules [PSR] because the EFL validly transferred responsibility for its investigation to the Premier League in June 2024, when the club was promoted from the Championship.

“The Premier League continues to have jurisdiction even though Leicester City will be relegated to the Championship at the end of this season.”

What are the PSR rules?

Under the current rules the Foxes’ losses cannot exceed £83m for the three years up to 2023-24.

Premier League clubs cannot lose more than £105m over three years but the figure is reduced by £22m for every season a club spends outside the top flight.

Leicester’s latest accounts showed a loss of £19.4m for the period ending 30 June, 2024.

In their 2022-23 accounts Leicester confirmed an £89.7m loss while in the 12 months up to May 2022 they lost a club record £92.5m.

Those figures do not take into account ‘add backs’ – costs such as building infrastructure and investing in women’s football that the Premier League and EFL view as in the general interest of clubs.

Timeline of Leicester case

24 April 2023: Leicester change accounting period from 30 May 2023 to 30 June 2023

28 May 2023: Leicester relegated from Premier League

12 June 2023: Leicester formally cease to be Premier League club

30 June 2023: Accounting period for 2022-23 season ends

21 March 2024: Leicester charged by Premier League for breaching PSR rules for three-year period up to 2022-23

22 March 2024: Leicester appeal against the Premier League’s charge

26 April 2024: Leicester promoted back to Premier League

3 September 2024: Leicester win appeal against Premier League charge

20 May 2025: Premier League refers Leicester over alleged EFL financial breach

Source: bbc.com