Chelsea Could be Banned From Champions League if They Finish in Top Five

• Chelsea are at risk of being banned from next season’s Champions League despite sitting fifth in the Premier League
• Strasbourg, also linked to Chelsea’s owners, are closing in on Champions League qualification in Ligue 1
• Urgent action is required behind the scenes to ensure Chelsea can compete in Europe’s top competition

Chelsea risk being banned from the Champions League unless they agree to a UEFA demand.

The Blues are closing in on Champions League qualification, sitting fifth in the Premier League with three games to go.

Under UEFA’s co-efficient system, that position would usually secure a spot in next season’s top-tier European competition.

Enzo Maresca’s side have also reached the Europa Conference League final, where they will face Real Betis.

Victory there or even a sixth-place league finish would guarantee Europa League football.

The last time Chelsea played in the Champions League was in the 2022/23 season, when they reached the quarter-finals before being knocked out by Real Madrid.

Maresca’s current challenge is not only securing European qualification on the pitch, but navigating the potential complications off it.

Multi-club ownership puts Chelsea at risk

The real threat to Chelsea’s Champions League return lies in their ownership. The club is owned by BlueCo, a consortium that also holds a controlling stake in French side Strasbourg.

That creates a conflict with UEFA’s strict multi-club ownership rules, which prevent two teams under the same ownership from participating in the same European competition.

Strasbourg, coached by English manager Liam Rosenior, are in strong form and currently sit sixth in Ligue 1—just one point behind Monaco in the final automatic Champions League spot and level with fourth-placed Nice on goal difference.

With two games left against relegation strugglers Angers and Le Havre, they are still in contention to qualify for Europe’s top competition.

Should both Chelsea and Strasbourg secure Champions League places, UEFA would intervene unless BlueCo restructures its control.

Talks between BlueCo and UEFA reportedly began in January, exploring ways to comply with the regulations. One proposal is to place Strasbourg into a “blind trust” to remove shared control and operational links. Another option would involve reducing their stake in one of the clubs to meet UEFA's rules.

Time ticking on a resolution

A similar case has already played out with Nottingham Forest owner Evangelos Marinakis.

With Olympiakos set to qualify for the Champions League, Marinakis officially relinquished significant control of Forest’s parent company while maintaining his commitment to the club.

If BlueCo fails to act in time, Chelsea could be barred from the Champions League despite qualifying.

If both teams end up in the same UEFA competition, they would be banned from conducting any transfers between each other.

With European qualification within reach, Chelsea now face a race against time—not just on the pitch, but in the boardroom.

FIFA to overhaul VAR system

YEN.com.gh also reported that FIFA is preparing to overhaul the Video Assistant Referee (VAR) system, with sweeping changes set to be trialed at the 2025 Club World Cup.

The revamped FIFA Club World Cup is set to kick off in the summer of 2025, with top clubs like Manchester City, Chelsea, and Lionel Messi’s Inter Miami among the headline participants.

Source: YEN.com.gh