18th December 2025
December 18 – The UK government has given a final warning to former Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich. Release the £2.5 billion raised from the sale of the club for humanitarian aid in Ukraine within 90 days, or face court action.
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer told Members of Parliament that a new licence had been issued, giving Abramovich one last chance to comply with the terms under which he was allowed to sell the club in 2022. Those terms were clear. The money was to go to victims of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, not sit frozen in a UK bank account.
“The clock is ticking on Roman Abramovich to honour the commitment he made when Chelsea FC was sold,” Starmer said. “This government is prepared to enforce it through the courts so that every penny reaches those whose lives have been torn apart by Putin’s illegal war.”
Abramovich’s Blues sale marked the end of one of the most controversial ownership eras in English football. His arrival in 2003 changed the Premier League’s economic landscape forever. Massive transfer spending, elite managers, and a win-now mentality forced rivals to either keep up or fall behind. The modern, hyper-commercial Premier League was built in his image as much as anyone’s.
But his era ended under sanctions following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Abramovich was granted permission to sell Chelsea only on the condition that the proceeds be used for humanitarian causes. Instead, the funds have remained frozen amid disputes over whether the money should help only Ukrainians or also Russian victims of the war.
Chancellor Rachel Reeves called the delay “unacceptable” and said the government was prepared to act if Abramovich continued to stall.
Abramovich reshaped English football by moving fast and decisively with money. Now, £2.5 billion meant for humanitarian relief has been stuck in limbo for over three years. The irony is hard to miss.