Premier League spends over £45 million on legal costs in fight to uphold rules

The Premier League spent more than £45 million (€53 million) on legal costs last season as it fights to uphold its rules.

The league is involved in two separate legal disputes with four-times-in-a-row champions Manchester City, while it is also investigating Chelsea over alleged irregular payments linked to the club’s former owner Roman Abramovich.

On top of that, there have been legal cases connected to its profit and sustainability rules (PSR) involving Everton and Nottingham Forest, who were docked points last season, and Leicester who will not now face an independent commission over an alleged breach.

Leicester City has won its appeal against a decision that an independent Commission had jurisdiction to consider an alleged breach by the Club of Premier League Profitability and Sustainability Rules (PSRs).

— Leicester City (@LCFC) September 3, 2024

The PA news agency understands the costs are included in information sent to clubs ahead of Thursday’s Premier League shareholders meeting in central London.

The league’s chief football officer Tony Scholes will present refereeing and VAR data to clubs from the first weeks of the season at the meeting, which it is expected will show a positive picture in contrast to some of the criticism of officiating from top-flight managers in the opening weeks.

Scholes will also provide an update on testing of new semi-automated offside technology, which clubs unanimously agreed in April to introduce at some stage in the current campaign.

The intention at the time was an introduction after one of this autumn’s international breaks, with the next one falling in October.

There have also been reports that a decision is imminent regarding City’s challenge to the league’s associated party