West Brom hit with points deduction effective immediately for breach of EFL financial rules

West Brom have been hit with a points deduction which is effective immediately for a breach of EFL financial rules.

The Baggies have been docked two points for breaching the English Football League’s profitability and sustainability rules.

The sanction sees them drop from 18th to 20th in the Championship standings, six points clear of relegation, with two games to play. They play Ipswich, who are battling for an automatic promotion place and Sheffield Wednesday, who are bottom and already relegated.

Breaking: #wba are to receive a 2-point deduction for a breach of the EFL’s P & S rules. Will leave the club 6 points above the bottom three with 2 games left to play. Fortunately the brilliant job by James Morrison (9 games unbeaten) has proved significant. Albion could appeal

— John Percy (@JPercyTelegraph) April 24, 2026

West Brom have been deducted two points for breaching PSR in the three year cycle ending in 2025.

West Brom disagree with the outcome, maintaining that they did not breach PSR.

They now need a point to guarantee their safety. pic.twitter.com/kBAUMOXSTm

— Second Tier podcast (@secondtierpod) April 24, 2026

EFL STATEMENT:

In March 2026, the EFL’s Club Financial Reporting Unit (CFRU) submitted a Compliance Report to the independent Club Financial Review Panel (CFRP) in relation to an alleged breach of Profitability and Sustainability (P&S) Rules.

The report alleged that the Club had exceeded the Upper Loss Threshold of £39 million over the three-year period ending in the 2024/25 season and recommended a two-point deduction in line with EFL sanctioning guidelines. The Club denied the allegations.

Following a hearing on 22 and 23 April and having considered the Compliance Report in full alongside the Club’s responses, the CFRP determined that the Club’s losses did exceed the Upper Loss Threshold and imposed a two-point deduction, effective immediately.

The sporting sanction has been applied to the Championship table for the 2025/26 season.

The Club may appeal the decision within 14 days of receipt of the full written reasons, as set out in Appendix 6 of the Regulations. If an appeal is lodged, the rules provide that it shall be heard within 28 days of submission.

The full written reasons will be published in due course.

West Bromwich Albion Football Club has released the below statement following publication of an EFL Club Financial Review Panel (CFRP) decision. 👇

— West Bromwich Albion (@WBA) April 24, 2026

WEST BROM STATEMENT:

West Bromwich Albion Football Club has released the following statement following publication of an EFL Club Financial Review Panel (CFRP) decision:

“Following a two-day hearing which concluded on 23 April 2026, the EFL’s Club Financial Review Panel (CFRP) has published a decision which states that the Club has exceeded the Upper Loss Threshold for the three-year period ending 30 June 2025 and will therefore receive a two point deduction, effective immediately. At this stage, the CFRP has not published any written reasons for the decision. The Club disagrees with the CFRP’s findings and remains of the view that it has fully complied with the Profitability and Sustainability (P&S) Rules.

“The decision does not state the amount by which the Club is said to have exceeded the Upper Loss Threshold. West Bromwich Albion has not been informed of the quantum of the breach, save that this is less than £2million. This is therefore the smallest ever breach of the P&S Rules across the EFL Championship and the Premier League.

“Proceedings were brought by the EFL’s Club Financial Reporting Unit (CFRU) following a change in the CFRU’s approach to Community Development Expenditure. In 2023/24, the CFRU accepted that the Club was entitled to include in-kind donations of the Club’s facilities, staff time and resources to its official charity partner, The Albion Foundation, in its P&S calculation. Earlier this year, the CFRU informed the club that it had changed its approach and imposed a retrospective adjustment to the Club’s P&S calculation.

“Without the CFRU changing its approach to the Community Development Expenditure, the Club would not have breached the P&S Rules. The Club will continue to support the great work of The Albion Foundation and its community programmes.

“West Bromwich Albion has a right of appeal and is considering its options. The Club will provide further comment once it has received the written reasons.

“For now, we will settle this on the pitch.”

Last week, West Bromwich MP Sarah Coombes said in the House of Parliament, per Express & Star: ”Many (fans in my area) are very concerned by reports of a potential points deduction due to allegations of financial rule breaches, which the club strongly rejected.

“Given Albion’s recent run of seven games unbeaten, keeping us just above the relegation zone, a points deduction sending us down would be heartbreaking for fans, particularly because the source of the issue seems to be a loan from the previous owners.

“Does the minister agree that such a situation is awful for fans and can she urge that it is resolved as quickly as possible?”

Ms Nandy replied: “Can I thank her for that question and having been through some very difficult times with my own superb football club Wigan Athletic I know how much this matters to people in West Brom. I know what a great champion she is for them.

“This is precisely why we delivered the Football Governance Act, which clearly sets out the need to protect the integrity and sporting competitiveness of existing competitions and I’m sure they will be looking at this closely.”

I spoke up for worried Albion fans in Parliament. After an unbeaten run, news of this potential points deduction comes very late in the season and is seemingly down to a loan taken out under previous owner. Fans deserve an urgent resolution. #WBA pic.twitter.com/4qojhREAfp

— Sarah Coombes for West Bromwich (@SarahCoombesWB) April 16, 2026

Here’s the fan reaction after West Brom are hit with a points deduction effective immediately for a breach of EFL financial rules…

@TEwba268: 2 points, not a problem. We’ll get them back Saturday 👌

@stourbaggies: Pretty damning on the governing bodies this is to retrospectively change the goal posts, glad the lads have done the work the last couple games. Confident in them they’ll get at least the point needed to guarantee safety.

@CJHall83: Absolutely embarrassing from @EFL. Smacks of a rushed decision which they’ve scrambled to get out given the lack of information and justification they’ve given the club. Yet more inept handling of situation from a governing body that’s not fit to run a raffle! #wba

@Wbafcleigh11: @EFL get fucked, no point in new owners even trying to work with them 🖕

@aidennwba: EFL are a joke aren’t they hahaha. Let’s settle it for good tomorrow then Albion #wba

@danwba_: Give us another 6 and we’ll still stay up, fuck the EFL.

@heal1979: So they changed the goalposts during the period, and then retrospectively applied a pts deduction. Under the rules we were working to (with them supporting us) we were fine. Shambles.

@albionjonnywok: Absolute bullshit. Whats the point of even trying to comply when you can be 80mil over and only get 6 points. #wba

@Charliegrif05:Tsamina mina, eh, ehWaka waka, eh, ehPoints deduction who gives a fuckThe Albion’s staying up#WBA

@talkwba: 2 points? The smallest breach in Prem & EFL history… Hahahah fuck off @EFL you con organisation, bending the rules to sanction us as you always do… The Albions staying up 😍😍 #wba

@MattYeltzBaggie: The @EFL are an inept bunch of scumbags. Utter disgrace. We’ve nearly been bankrupted by an unfit owner the @premierleague declared fit and proper, our new owners are still picking up the pieces. The game is governed by idiots. Let’s settle this tomorrow #wba

@Andyjoneswrites: Might as well have kept all our players, spent more money and got 6pts fine like £70m overspend Leics. What a lesson the EFL is teaching us all. #wba

@JonnyDrury_Star: If it was a straight, clear cut breach fair enough. But changing goalposts is just baffling, bordering on a joke! Albion will be sound but my word, what a shambolic situation

Deary me I don’t think we’ve seen the end of this. What an unholy mess. Easy to see why #wba frustrated, to put it very mildly. Baggies still punching in relegation dogfight & will want to hit back on field tomorrow. Won’t someone make this season end.https://t.co/fCD6x3RCs7

— Lewis Cox (@LewisCox_star) April 24, 2026