Tottenham to face new spending rule if they go down as Championship clubs 'vote for change'

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Tottenham Hotspur will have to contend with a new spending rule if they are relegated from the Premier League to the Sky Bet Championship. Clubs in the second-tier have today voted through major changes to the league's financial regulations, following support from 20 of the division’s 24 teams.

Clubs have backed plans to replace the current profitability and sustainability (P&S) system with a squad cost ratio model (SCR) from next season. The new rules will align the division more closely with the Premier League's new rules and cap spending on football costs at 85 per cent of total revenue.

SCR expenses are directly tied to the first team, which includes player wages, manager salaries, agent fees, and the yearly amortisation of player transfer fees. They are consolidated into a single budget pool that represents the true cost of the squad.

If clubs in the Championship don’t comply with the rules, then a non-negotiable sporting penalty is applied in the season that an offence occurs. Exceeding limits incurs an automatic six-point deduction.

The point deduction increases based on the size of the breach. For every £6.5 million spent beyond the ceiling, an additional one-point penalty is added.

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Spurs return to Premier League action next week with their Premier League future still uncertain. They are currently two points clear of the drop zone, having secured just 38 points from 36 games so far this season, taking until April 25 to win a league game in 2026.

Monday's 1-1 draw with Leeds United saw Tottenham miss the chance to pull even further clear of West Ham United at the bottom of the table. The Hammers were beaten 1-0 by Arsenal on Sunday and, at one stage during the Spurs vs Leeds game, were five points adrift with two matches remaining.

But that gap is now two, with the Hammers facing Newcastle United on Sunday afternoon before Spurs return to action against Chelsea at Stamford Bridge on Tuesday night. Asked what is overarching emotion was at seeing his old club battle to avoid the drop, former Spurs chairman Daniel Levy admitted on Thursday: "Emptiness…I'm feeling the pain but I'm optimistic that we'll get through it.

"It's been very, very difficult - Spurs is in my blood. I could never have envisioned this at the beginning of the season. Obviously incredibly disappointed. Let's look forward and very much hope that next season we're still in the Premier League."

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He added: “I’m optimistic that we will remain in the Premier League. I think Tottenham has a great coach, and all the fans and all the employees and everyone now are behind this coach.

“Let’s hope that the players can do it for the last two games. Like every fan there’d be emptiness in the stomach. But, we will bounce back.

“Let’s be optimistic and hope that doesn’t happen. I just hope at this moment in time that Tottenham manages to remain in the Premier League.”

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