What are Chelsea allowed to spend money on following Abramovich sanctions?

Robin Bairner

• Updated: 10 Mar 2022 05:09 CST
• 3 min read

Chelsea are in crisis after Roman Abramovich was sanctioned by the UK government, with his assets frozen.

It is potentially the greatest catastrophe for the club in its 116-year history, with Abramovich having become a popular figurehead at Stamford Bridge over the duration of his 19-year ownership, during which he has financed the club to two Champions League titles.

However, the oligarch’s alleged links to Vladimir Putin – something that he has always been at pains to deny – have ultimately brought these restrictions for Chelsea.

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Fans will suffer. Not only will they see a marked decline in the quality of their team, but they are no longer able to buy tickets for matches and official merchandise is no longer able to be sold.

So what can the club spend money on?

Chelsea can spend money on five things

Under the terms of their new operating licence, Chelsea are allowed to pay the wages and pensions of all employees of the club, including players and coaching staff.

Directors of the club are also allowed to claim fees, dividends and allowances which pre-date the licence and are due in the period of the licence.

Chelsea will also be allowed to pay their bills. This includes rates, Council tax and other taxes, insurance and ongoing maintenance work that ensures the safety of their properties, such as Stamford Bridge. They are not, however, allowed to invest in new buildings or carry out refurbishments.

Additionally, they are allowed to pay “reasonable costs” of travel to and from fixtures for players and essential staff. However, they cannot pay more than £20,000 per game. This could cause complications for a European away fixture, for example.

“Reasonable costs” are also allowed for the purpose of hosting home fixtures, though this is not allowed to exceed £500,000 per game. This covers security, catering and stewarding.

Chelsea, then, are set to operate on a shoestring due to the sanctions imposed on Abramovich.