Here is why new signings like Joao Pedro and others might not play for Chelsea in the new Champions League season.
As football fans eagerly anticipate a new season in the Champions League, clubs are also in a race against time to balance their books on or before September 2, 2025, in a bid to register new players for the 2025/2026 season of the tournament.
One of such clubs that could see their new signings not feature in the new season of the Champions League has been confirmed to be Chelsea, as it is expected that if the UEFA Conference League champions don’t have a balanced book star signings like Joao Pedro who impressed at the 2025 Club World Cup might not be registered for the tournament.
According to Dailymail UK, UEFA have confirmed that their auditors will only account for the financial revenue generated from players who were officially registered in Chelsea’s squad for the UEFA Europa Conference League knockout stages last season. This decision directly impacts how Chelsea’s transfer dealings are assessed under UEFA’s financial regulations.
Crucially, the ruling means that the sale of João Félix will not be included in UEFA’s financial calculations, as the Portuguese forward was not part of Chelsea’s submitted squad list for the latter stages of the competition. Instead, only the earnings related to players who were formally registered from the knockout rounds onward will count toward the club’s audited financial statements.
The clarification comes at a significant time for Chelsea, as the club continues to navigate UEFA’s strict financial sustainability rules while reshaping its squad under ongoing transfer activity.
While the possible exclusion of Félix’s transfer fee may create fresh challenges for Chelsea in balancing their books, it also provides a clearer framework for how UEFA intends to evaluate compliance among competing clubs in continental tournaments.
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