Leicester City have lost their appeal against their six-point deduction for breaching English Football League financial rules.
The Foxes, shock Premier League title winners a decade ago, sit in the Championship relegation zone and face a battle to avoid dropping into the third tier of English football. They are a point adrift of safety with five games remaining.
The penalty was imposed in February by an independent commission. They were charged by the Premier League in May 2025 for breaches relating to the 2023-24 season, when they were in the Championship.
The club said in a statement: 'With the matter now at an end and five games of the season remaining, everyone at the club is fully focused on the matches in front of us and on shaping the outcome of our season through our results on the pitch.
'We know this has been a challenging period, and we thank our supporters for the backing they continue to give the team.
'The responsibility now is to ensure these remaining games are approached with the focus and intent our current situation demands.'
A Premier League statement said: 'An independent commission's decision to recommend a six-point deduction on Leicester City Football Club this season has been upheld by an independent appeal board.
'The club were found by the commission to have breached the EFL's profit and sustainability rules for the period ending season 2023/24.
'The club appealed that decision on a number of grounds, including the power of the commission to recommend the points deduction, as well as the level of sanction. These were dismissed by the appeal board.
'The appeal board also dismissed a challenge by the Premier League, which was limited to the commission's decision not to increase the sanction on the club as a result of its breach of the League's rules regarding the late submission of its annual accounts.'