Points deductions are among the rarest and most serious punishments a Premier League club can face. Since the division was founded in 1992, only a handful of clubs have suffered the sanction, with points being taken away for a variety of disciplinary and financial reasons.
The punishment has recently returned to the spotlight because of Manchester City’s long-running Premier League case. After years of investigation and a lengthy independent commission hearing, City were found guilty of 114 of the 115 financial rule breaches brought against them by the Premier League. The allegations cover a range of issues, including the club’s financial reporting and other regulatory requirements, relating to the period between 2009 and 2018.
The commission’s findings now leave City facing the prospect of a separate decision on the appropriate punishment, with a points deduction among the potential sanctions for the multiple-time Premier League champions.
If City are ultimately docked points, which clubs would they join?
Here is the history of every Premier League points deduction since the competition began.
Middlesbrough (3 points, January 1997)
Middlesbrough made Premier League history in January 1997 when they became the first club to receive a points deduction.
The punishment followed their failure to fulfill a fixture against relegation rivals Blackburn Rovers the previous month. Manager Bryan Robson claimed he was without 23 players through injury and illness and could not field a full squad.
Boro said they had been assured the game could be postponed, but failed to provide the required evidence. They were fined £50,000 ($66,285) and docked three points, with a subsequent court appeal also failing.
The deduction proved costly as Middlesbrough finished 19th, just two points from safety.
Portsmouth (9 points, March 2010)
It took another 13 years for a Premier League club to receive a points deduction, with Portsmouth becoming the next team to suffer the punishment in March 2010.
Pompey had been struggling financially for some time following heavy spending in the transfer market and a lack of investment. A proposed takeover eventually went through, but new owner Ali Al-Faraj was unable to resolve the club’s mounting problems.
Portsmouth failed to pay wages between December 2009 and February 2010 and were also served with a winding-up order over unpaid taxes.
The club subsequently entered administration, triggering an automatic nine-point deduction and leaving them at the bottom of the table. They never recovered and were ultimately relegated.
Everton (6 points, November 2023)
Everton joined the list of Premier League clubs to receive a points deduction in 2023, initially being handed a 10-point penalty—the biggest in the competition’s history at the time.
The case followed concerns over Everton’s finances, with Burnley and Leeds United asking the Premier League to investigate the club’s losses in May 2022. The investigation was opened in March 2023 and found Everton had breached the league’s financial rules. The club was punished in November.
Everton appealed the decision, and their 10-point penalty was subsequently reduced to six points.
Nottingham Forest (4 points, March 2024)
Nottingham Forest became the second Premier League club during the 2023–24 season to receive a points deduction for breaching the league’s financial regulations.
The club was found to have exceeded the Premier League’s £61 million ($80.8 million) Profitability and Sustainability Rules limit by £34.5 million ($45.7 million), resulting in a four-point penalty.
