- National League club Ebbsfleet United has been hit with a points deduction for failing to meet financial obligations, with the deduction set to apply for the 2026-27 season.
- Matches against Slough Town, Folkestone Invicta (15 points), and Chelmsford City (17 points) will count toward the points deduction.
- Following a petition filed with the club’s owners on 19 charges, Ebbsfleet will appeal the decision, arguing that it is the club’s own responsibility to pay the amount owed to HMRC by the end of the season.
National League club Ebbsfleet United has been hit with a points deduction for failing to meet financial obligations, with the deduction set to apply for the 2026-27 season.
BBC material says that the reason the club ran into financial problems was that the unpaid tax liabilities to His Majesty’s Revenue and Customs (HMRC) were not paid. According to the report, the points deduction means that Ebbsfleet will lose points from Slough Town, with Folkestone Invicta at Kuflink Stadium taking 15 points, and the match against Chelmsford City at 17 points.
According to The Independent, the National League club was handed a decision by the Compliance and Licensing Committee. The paper reports that the club could appeal the points deduction for the 2026-27 season, but Ebbsfleet has said it will not appeal the decision. The petition was filed on 19 charges.
BBC also reports that Ebbsfleet is appealing the decision to deduct points, arguing that the club should not be punished for financial problems. According to BBC, the National League’s Independent Football Regulator has ruled that the club’s appeal would be rejected.
In a statement to the BBC, the club said it planned to appeal the points deduction decision to the end of the season. The club also said that it had been told to pay off its debts within 12 months and would comply with the ruling.
The Independent adds that Ebbsfleet is trying to overturn the decision, arguing that the club did not receive an HMRC winding-up order.