EFL Abolishes Automatic Three‑Window Transfer Ban for Late Payments

Overview

• Clubs voted to approve the rule change at the EFL Annual General Meeting on Thursday, removing the automatic three‑window fee restriction for more than 30 days of late payments.
• Under the new system the EFL can still impose a transfer fee embargo but only for a single window and clubs retain the right to appeal any sanction.
• The business‑plan approach will judge breaches on individual circumstances and set clearer requirements on what clubs must report to the league and when.
• The change takes effect next season for all 72 EFL clubs and was approved alongside the re‑election of Rick Parry as chair and Caroline Artis as an independent director.
• The reform responds to high‑profile cases under the old rules, such as Sheffield Wednesday’s points deduction and Hull City’s embargo, and could spare clubs from automatic long bans while preserving powers to punish persistent offenders.