Chelsea face a bleak future in the Champions League next season as their new signings like Liam Delap and Joao Pedro could be prevented from playing.

Blues must raise more than £60m in sales to ensure new arrivals can play in Champions League next season as part of sanctions for breaching UEFA rules

Pressure Mounts as UEFA Tightens GripFinancial Firepower Collides with UEFA RealityChelsea’s windfall from the Club World Cup — nearing £60 million after

UEFA has confirmed changes to the 2025/26 Champions League. The second-leg venue will now be decided by merit, not random draw, following Arsenal's complaints.

Chelsea may have pocketed nearly £60m from reaching the semi-finals of the Club World Cup, but that windfall does little to ease their ongoing issues with UEFA’s Financial Fair Play (FFP) regulations.

While four clubs remain focused on the tail end of the 2024/25 season in the semi-finals of the Club World Cup, attention has already turned to the new campaign in Europe. The 2025/26 UEFA Champions League officially begins todaywith the opening fixtures of the first qualifying round.

Defender Bashir Humphreys and goalkeepers Kepa Arrizabalaga and Marcus Bettinelli have all departed for a combined sum of around £20m. That means Chelsea could need to recoup at least £90m to be certain of registering their summer signings.