Premier League Appeal Board Dismisses Leicester City FC and Premier League Appeals

39 Essex Chambers’ Lord Dyson (Chair) and Sir Gary Hickinbottom sat on the Premier League Appeal Board which dismissed Leicester City FC and Premier League’s appeals and upheld the Premier League Commission’s original decision.

On 5 February 2026, the Premier League (“PL”) announced that a PL Commission had sanctioned Leicester City FC (“LCFC”) with an immediate six-point deduction following LCFC’s breach of the English Football League’s (“EFL”) Profitability and Sustainability Rules for the 2023/24 season. The EFL’s investigation into LCFC’s breaches of the Profitability and Sustainability Rules had transferred to the PL following LCFC’s promotion in 2024.

Following LCFC’s relegation to the EFL Championship in 2025, the immediate six-point deduction imposed by the Commission took effect upon LCFC’s current season in the EFL Championship.

Both LCFC and the PL appealed against the decision, seeking a reduction and an increase to the six-point deduction respectively based upon several grounds of appeal.

On 8 April 2026, it was announced that a PL Appeal Board had dismissed LCFC’s and the PL’s appeals and had upheld the Commission’s original decision. The Appeal Board’s written reasons can be found here. The Commission’s decision can be found here.