Chelsea will not be able to sign in the next two transfer windows, until the end of January 2020, for failing to respect the rules on the hiring of underage players, FIFA announced Friday.
The Blues will also receive a fine of, about sh.5.5 millions, and must regulate the situation of the children involved in 90 days.
In addition the English Federation has been fined with about sh.4.7 million and “has a period of six months” to clarify its rules in Matter of international signings of minor players, added FIFA.
Chelsea received notification of their penalty this Friday and can lodge an appeal with an appeal commission.
This suspension is a blow for the English club, which will not be able to sign players in the next summer and winter markets, while some of their stellar footballers, such as the Belgian Eden Hazard, have expressed their intention to change their airs and to be more precise, their desire is to go to Real Madrid.
In January 2016 FIFA punished Atlético de Madrid and Real Madrid for similar reasons, after an investigation of the disciplinary commission on the participation of minor players in competitions.
Real Madrid obtained from the Arbitral Tribunal of Sport (TAS) a lifting of its sanction, while Atlético saw its ban maintained until January 2018.
Chelsea has already announced that it “resorts to” the FIFA ban imposed by FIFA this Friday, “categorically rejecting” not having respected the norms regarding the international signings of minors