EFL Squad Cost Ratio
How much can Cardiff City spend?
Cardiff City: the SCR breakdown
- Estimated revenue (football) reported £25.8m
- SCR limit - 85% of revenue £21.9m
- + Owner equity top-up (max / season) £15m
- Effective spending allowance £36.9m
- Estimated squad cost reported £39m
- Headroom −£2.1m
What this means
On these estimates, Cardiff City are spending above the 85% Green Threshold but within reach of it - the kind of position the owner top-up allowance is designed to cover. Manageable, but not unlimited.
Old rules vs new: PSR compared to SCR
Under the old PSR system, clubs were judged on total losses over three years, not on what they spent on the squad as a share of revenue. Here's how Cardiff's position compares under both sets of rules.
| Old PSR (loss-based) | New SCR (revenue-based) |
|---|---|
|
3-year losses: −£49.7m
reported
Limit: £39m Headroom: −£10.7m 2021/22–2023/24 (Championship) |
Squad cost: £39m
Limit (85% + top-up): £36.9m Headroom: −£2.1m Based on £25.8m revenue |
Losses of £26.6m, £11.4m and £11.7m over three years (£49.7m, £10.7m over the £39m limit). No EFL enforcement action reported. Owner Vincent Tan's continued funding kept the club operating but at the cost of growing debt (£97m owed to Tan). Relegated to League One in 2024/25.
Source.