OFFICIAL: Chelsea banned from signing new players for next two transfer windows

Chelsea have been given a two transfer window ban by FIFA for breaching the rules around the transfer of minors.

The west London club have been found to have breached article 19 of FIFA's regulations with regards to the transfer of 29 minor players and article 18 regarding two further minors.

They have also been fined 600,000 Swiss francs (528,800 euro), while the Football Association has been fined 510,000 Swiss francs.

The ban does not prevent the release of players and will not apply to Chelsea's women's and futsal teams.

The Premier League club have been given three days to appeal against the world governing body's decision.

It comes following a Fifa investigation into the Blues' signing of foreign under-18 players, including former striker Bertrand Traore.

Based on documents from Football Leaks, French website Mediapart claimed 19 Chelsea signings had been looked at in a three-year-long investigation.

A FIFA statement read: 

'The FIFA Disciplinary Committee has sanctioned the English club Chelsea FC and The Football Association for breaches relating to the international transfer and registration of players under the age of 18.

'Chelsea was found to have breached art. 19 of the Regulations in the case of twenty-nine (29) minor players and to have committed several other infringements relating to registration requirements for players. The club also breached art. 18bis of the Regulations in connection with two agreements it concluded concerning minors and which allowed it to influence other clubs in transfer-related matters.

'The Disciplinary Committee sanctioned Chelsea with a ban on registering new players at both national and international level for the next two (2) complete and consecutive registration periods. This ban applies to the club as a whole - with the exception of the women’s and futsal teams - and does not prevent the release of players.

'Additionally, the club was fined CHF 600,000 and given a period of 90 days to regularise the situation of the minor players concerned.

'The Football Association was also found to have breached the rules in connection with minors. It was fined CHF 510,000 and given a period of six months to address the situation concerning the international transfer and first registration of minors in football.

'The protection of minors is a key element in FIFA’s overall regulatory framework relating to the transfer of players and effective enforcement of these rules is paramount, as also confirmed on various occasions by the Court of Arbitration for Sport.

'The decisions issued by the Disciplinary Committee were notified today and can be contested before the FIFA Appeal Committee.'