West Bromwich Albion have been hit with a two-point deduction after the club was found to have breached the English Football League’s financial rules.
The penalty leaves the Baggies just six points clear of the Championship relegation zone with two crucial matches remaining, meaning consecutive defeats could see them dragged into a perilous position.
The EFL’s Club Financial Reporting Unit (CFRU) had alleged that Albion exceeded the permitted losses of £39 million over a three-year period, concluding at the end of the 2024-25 season.
An independent Club Financial Review Panel (CFRP) subsequently determined that the upper loss threshold had indeed been breached, leading to the immediate sanction.
West Brom swiftly issued a statement indicating they are considering their options regarding an appeal, but affirmed: “For now, we will settle this on the pitch”.
The club expressed disagreement with the CFRP’s findings, maintaining that they were compliant with the league’s profitability and sustainability (P&S) rules.
“The decision does not state the amount by which the club is said to have exceeded the upper loss threshold,” the statement from the Hawthorns added. “West Bromwich Albion has not been informed of the quantum of the breach, save that this is less than £2million. This is therefore the smallest ever breach of the P&S rules across the EFL Championship and the Premier League.”
The club attributed the proceedings to the CFRU adopting a different approach to community development expenditure.
“Without the CFRU changing its approach to the community development expenditure, the club would not have breached the P&S rules. The club will continue to support the great work of the Albion Foundation and its community programmes,” the statement concluded.
Concerns were also raised about the speed of the decision, which followed less than 24 hours after the hearing, a timeframe noted as significantly shorter than similar cases. West Brom’s accounts were submitted in December, but charges were not brought until late March.
The Baggies are set to host promotion-chasing Ipswich on Saturday before concluding their season away at already-relegated Sheffield Wednesday.
