West Bromwich Albion could face a points deduction after allegedly breaching the English Football League’s financial regulations.
The Baggies, who sit just two points above the Championship’s relegation zone with four games to go, have been accused by the EFL of breaching their Profit and Sustainability Rules (P&S) during the 2024-25 campaign.
If found guilty of a breach, West Brom could face an immediate points sanction and suffer relegation from English football’s second tier.
The Telegraph was first to report on Monday morning that the Club Financial Reporting Unit (CFRU) had filed a compliance report to the Baggies over a breach of the loss limits for the 2024-25 season under the EFL’s P&S rules.
West Brom, who have spent four spells in the Premier League and were last relegated from the top flight in 2021, confirmed in a statement that they ‘acknowledge’ media reports but have ‘fully complied with P&S rules’ and ‘will continue to co-operate with the EFL’s Club Financial Reporting Unit’ in the hope of resolving the allegations.
It is believed the Baggies will argue that any points sanction should be delayed until the start of next season, given there are only four matches left in the current Championship campaign.
However, the Press Association understands that under sanctioning guidelines, sanctions should be applied in the season after the breach, which would affect Albion’s points total this term if a points penalty were imposed.
Other sanctions that could be imposed are a transfer ban or a fine.
West Brom were required to submit their annual accounts for the 2024-25 season by December 31, 2025, with accounts of all clubs set to be assessed for compliance.
It is understood West Brom have 14 days from receipt of the CFRU compliance report to file a response, and any hearing should usually take place within 28 days of the compliance report being submitted.
Decisions taken over sanctions by the Club Financial Reporting Panel (CFRP) are usually published, but prior to that discussions between a club and the EFL remain strictly confidential.
The EFL declined to comment.
West Brom are already entrenched in a relegation scrap with four games to go, sitting a point above Portsmouth and two adrift of the drop zone, which includes Oxford United, Leicester City and already-relegated Sheffield Wednesday as it stands.
Ahead of facing the Owls on the final day of the campaign, West Brom must travel to Preston next weekend before two home games against Watford and Ipswich.
Should West Brom be found guilty and handed a points deductions, it is possible that all three relegated sides are demoted after sanctions, following punishments for Leicester and Sheffield Wednesday earlier this season.
