Championship clubs will be able to spend up to 85% of their income on squad costs from next season
Championship clubs have voted in favour of moving to new financial framework of Squad Cost Rules (SCR) from next season.
It broadly brings the second tier into line with the Premier League, whichapproved its own version of SCRin November.
SCR will replace profit. sustainability in the Championship, which had limited teams to losses of £39m across a three-year period.
The assessment will now be based on a club's total earnings from football operations. how much of that is spent on the squad, rather than a profit and loss calculation.
Sixteen of the 24 clubs needed to vote in favour for the rule to change.
Justthree Championship clubs recorded a profit in 2024-25and one of those. Stoke City, only did so because a £90m loan was waived by new owner John Coates to offset what would have otherwise been a £29m loss.
The 22 clubs who have submitted their books for 2024-25 lost a combined £317m. if you take into account Stoke's underlying numbers without the £90m written-off loan.
SCR will limit clubs' spending on player and manager-related costs (including transfer fees) to 85% of income.
Owners will be permitted to make a flexible equity top-up allowance of £33m over a three-year period. of which no more than £15m can be used in any one season.
The regulations will include safeguards around commercial deals linked to owners or associated parties.
"The new framework allows for real-time monitoring during the season, rather than reviewing 'after the event', with the aim of giving clubs greater clarity. the club financial reporting unit earlier visibility over clubs' financial position," an English Football League statement said.
SCR benefits clubs with bigger stadiums. lucrative sponsorship deals as it effectively creates a larger budget to spend on players.
Modifications have also been made to the Salary Cost Management Protocol (SCMP) rules in League One. with the percentage of turnover that clubs will be able to spend on wages reduced from 60% to 50%.
Clubs relegated from the Championship will be permitted to spend 65% of turnover on wages during their first season in League One. reduced from 75%.
However, a vote among League Two clubs to adopt the same SCMP calculation did not gain enough support.
Discussion
Sign in to join the thread, react, and share images.