Leicester City FC have failed in their bid to overturn a six-point deduction for breaching financial rules, leaving the club staring at the prospect of relegation with five games left to play.
The sanction, imposed in February by an independent commission and now upheld by an appeal board, relates to breaches of profit and sustainability regulations during the 2023-2024 season.
The decision keeps Leicester in deep trouble near the foot of the EFL Championship table, one point from safety after slipping into the relegation zone.
Leicester were originally charged by the Premier League in May 2025 after an investigation transferred from the English Football League. The club challenged both the commission’s authority to impose a points deduction and the severity of the punishment, but those arguments were rejected.
In a club statement, Leicester said: “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.”
The appeal board, chaired by Lord Dyson and including Sir Gary Hickinbottom and Daniel Alexander KC, confirmed the original ruling. It also rejected a separate Premier League challenge seeking a harsher sanction over the late submission of Leicester’s annual accounts.
Leicester’s financial losses across the assessment period exceeded the permitted threshold under the rules.
