West Bromwich Albion penalized and at risk of relegation in the Championship.

West Bromwich Albion faces a new financial storm that could prove costly in their battle for survival in the Championship. The West Midlands club has been penalized with a two-point deduction in the league standings for breaching the profitability and sustainability rules of the English Football League (EFL). This punishment, announced by an independent panel last Friday, has seen West Brom drop from 18th to the bottom of the competition, severely complicating their aspirations to remain in the English second division.

With only two matches remaining in the championship, West Brom now has 50 points, sitting dangerously close to the relegation zone, just six points above the drop line. This decision not only confirms the already determined relegation of Leicester City to League One, but it also turns Oxford United’s survival into a true race against time, forcing them to win their last two matches to keep hope alive of surpassing either West Brom or Charlton Athletic, both on 50 points.

To avoid relegation, West Bromwich Albion needs to earn just one point from their remaining two matches: against Ipswich Town at home and away at Sheffield Wednesday. The club, which is on an impressive run of nine games without defeat, also benefits from a better goal difference compared to their direct rivals, which could be crucial in this final stretch.

In response to the sanction, West Brom expressed its displeasure through an official statement, rejecting the panel’s conclusions and stating that it has strictly adhered to the imposed financial rules. “The club disagrees with the findings of the Club Financial Review Panel (CFRP) and maintains that it has fully complied with the Profitability and Sustainability (P&S) Rules. West Bromwich Albion has not been informed of the amount of the infraction, other than that it is less than €2.3 million. This is, therefore, the smallest breach of the P&S rules in the Championship and the Premier League,” the club’s official statement reads.

West Brom further clarified that the origin of the penalty is related to a change in criteria by the EFL’s Club Financial Reporting Unit (CFRU) regarding community development expenses. “Without the CFRU’s change in approach, the club would not have breached the rules. West Bromwich Albion has the right to appeal and is considering its options. The club will make further comments as soon as it receives the reasons in writing. For now, we will resolve this on the pitch,” the statement concluded.

The infringement relates to a period of three seasons that ended last summer, during which West Brom accumulated losses of €74 million — an amount that exceeds the permitted limit of €48 million by €26 million. However, the EFL allows for certain deductions related to investments in academies, community projects, and women’s teams, which reduced the value of the infringement to less than €2.3 million. According to league rules, an infringement of this magnitude would typically result in a three-point penalty, but the panel decided to withdraw one point from the sanction due to the significant reduction in the club’s financial losses in the 2024/25 season compared to the previous one.

Although the club can appeal the decision within 14 days, this possibility is seen as remote unless Oxford United manages to surpass West Brom in the standings, which would keep the pressure at the top of the table.

With this penalty, West Bromwich Albion joins Leicester City and Sheffield Wednesday as the Championship clubs that have suffered point deductions this season — a reality that highlights the EFL’s strictness in enforcing its financial rules, with direct consequences for the teams’ fates. Leicester has already been relegated after losing six points, while Sheffield Wednesday saw its relegation confirmed following an 18-point penalty.

The battle for survival in the Championship now enters a critical phase, where West Brom will have to prove on the pitch that it deserves to remain in the division, while trying to withstand a financial storm that threatens to shake its foundations. The outcome of these final matches promises to be electrifying and decisive for the club’s future.

This article first appeared on Apito Final.