Burnley has published financial results showing a reduced loss of £9 million for the 2025-26 season, a figure significantly improved by a £38.8 million compensation payment from Everton. This payout stems from Everton's profit and sustainability breach in 2021-22, which a tribunal found impacted Burnley's chances of avoiding relegation that season. However, this award is subject to an appeal expected in January, and the club's accounts note that no provision has been made for it, as the outcome is uncertain.
Without the Everton settlement, Burnley's loss for the 2025-26 season would have been £47.8 million, which would have represented a record loss for the club despite reporting record revenues of £144.5 million for the campaign. Professor Kieran Maguire, a football finance expert at the University of Liverpool, commented that the club was still losing over £1 million per week, even with the benefits of Premier League revenue.
The club's total debt has been reduced to £62.9 million, more than halving its £142.3 million borrowing from the previous season. This reduction was achieved through a £77.7 million investment from the ownership group, alongside the Everton payout. Bank loans decreased from £105 million to £70.1 million, and factored debts were reduced from £37 million to £16.1 million. Notably, Burnley was debt-free before the current ownership's takeover.
Despite these improvements, financial concerns remain. A significant portion of bank loans, £24.2 million, is due for repayment in January, with another £21.6 million due next August. The club is in negotiations to refinance these facilities, but if an agreement is not reached, the owners will need to provide additional finance.
Looking ahead to the next season in the Championship, Burnley faces substantially lower revenues and will not have the benefit of the Everton payment. The 2026-27 accounts are projected to include £38 million from player sales and £48 million in parachute payments. Nonetheless, the accounts state that events, including the outcome of the Everton compensation appeal, could cast significant doubt on the club's status as a going concern. Maguire suggests that the underlying financial issues at Burnley persist, indicating ongoing challenges even with Premier League revenues.