Leicester lose appeal against six-point deduction in major blow to Championship survival hopes

Leicester City’s hopes of overturning a six-point deduction have been dashed, with an independent appeal board upholding the penalty for breaching financial rules.

The decision further complicates the Sky Bet Championship club’s battle against relegation.

The Foxes, who were relegated from the Premier League at the end of the 2022-23 and 2024-25 seasons, had challenged an independent commission’s recommendation of the sanction.

This penalty was imposed for offences committed under the EFL’s profit and sustainability rules over the three-year period leading up to 2024.

A Premier League statement confirmed the outcome: “An independent commission’s decision to recommend a six-point deduction on Leicester City Football Club this season has been upheld by an independent appeal board. The club were found by the commission to have breached the EFL’s profit and sustainability rules for the period ending season 2023/24.

“The club appealed that decision on a number of grounds, including the power of the commission to recommend the points deduction, as well as the level of sanction. These were dismissed by the appeal board.

“The appeal board also dismissed a challenge by the Premier League, which was limited to the commission’s decision not to increase the sanction on the club as a result of its breach of the League’s rules regarding the late submission of its annual accounts.”

Currently languishing in 22nd place in the Championship table, Leicester City issued a statement on their official website.

It read: “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.”

Leicester are one point from safety in the Championship, but have played one more game than the team directly above them in the table, Portsmouth.