Premier League: Aston Villa FC fined £125,000 for breaching multiball rules

"The Premier League has entered into a sanction agreement with Aston Villa FC after the club accepted it had breached the Premier League's multiball rules," announced the English professional league on 14/08/2025.

"First introduced in the 2022-23 season, the multiball system is intended to maintain the flow of League matches, reduce delays and enhance the fan experience. Clubs are required to adopt a multiball system at every League match and adherence to the relevant rules and guidance is of vital importance to maintain consistency and, crucially, to ensure that home clubs do not gain a competitive advantage through their misuse of the system," explained the Premier League. Accordingly, 15 balls must be used per match: one on the pitch, one guarded by the fourth official and 13 spread around the pitch, including two behind each goal.

The Birmingham club has been accused of breaching this rule on five occasions during the 2024-25 season, including during the reception of Tottenham Hotspur FC (2-0 victory) at Villa Park (42,657 capacity) on 16/05/2025. The Premier League has mainly…