Leicester In Relegation Trouble After Appeal Defeat

Leicester City have lost their appeal against a six-point deduction for breaching English Football League (EFL) financial rules, placing them in a relegation dogfight.

The former Premier League champions have 44 points after 41 matches and are 22nd in the 24-team league table. They are one point behind Portsmouth, who are 21st.

The sanction was imposed on the club in February by an independent commission and initially saw the Foxes drop from 17th to 20th. They have since fallen into the Championship relegation zone and are now one point adrift of safety, with five games remaining.

Leicester were initially charged by the Premier League in May 2025 for breaching Profit and Sustainability Rules (PSR) relating to the 2023–24 season, when they were in the Championship.

“With the matter now at an end and five games of the season remaining, everyone at the club is fully focused on the matches ahead and on shaping the outcome of our season through our results on the pitch,” a Leicester statement said.

“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 said they were “disappointed” when the six-point deduction was announced on 5 February and described the punishment as “disproportionate.”

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

Despite being charged by the Premier League, the EFL took over the case following Leicester’s relegation last year, and the club was found guilty of breaching PSR rules under the EFL.

Leicester had argued that their case should have been assessed over a 36-month period rather than 37 months, due to a delay in submitting their 2023–24 accounts.

However, the commission ruled that the relevant period was 36 months and found that the club’s overspending exceeded the EFL’s £83 million limit by £20.8 million.

The Foxes appealed the decision two weeks later, less than 24 hours after appointing Gary Rowett as interim head coach until the end of the season.

Since the six-point deduction, Leicester’s form has worsened, and they now face an uphill battle to avoid a second successive relegation, having recorded just one win in their last 12 matches in all competitions.