EFL Squad Cost Ratio
How much can Stoke City spend?
Under the EFL's Squad Cost Ratio rules, Stoke City can spend
around £42.5m on squad
costs - based on an estimated £32.3m of football
revenue and the 85% limit, plus the owner equity top-up.
That leaves an estimated £20.2m of headroom.
Stoke City: the SCR breakdown
- Estimated revenue (football) reported £32.3m
- SCR limit - 85% of revenue £27.5m
- + Owner equity top-up (max / season) £15m
- Effective spending allowance £42.5m
- Estimated squad cost reported £22.3m
- Headroom +£20.2m
High spending power
- squad cost is 69% of revenue
What this means
On these estimates, Stoke City sit comfortably inside the 85% Green Threshold. They have room to invest in the squad without straining the rules.
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 Stoke's position compares under both sets of rules.
| Old PSR (loss-based) | New SCR (revenue-based) |
|---|---|
|
3-year losses: −£54.7m
estimated
Limit: £39m Headroom: −£15.7m 2021/22–2023/24 (Championship) |
Squad cost: £22.3m
Limit (85% + top-up): £42.5m Headroom: +£20.2m Based on £32.3m revenue |
Adjusted losses of ~£18m, £11m and £25.7m over three years (~£54.7m, £15.7m over limit). Owner John Coates forgave £90m in loans in 2024/25 to avoid a reported loss of £29m. No EFL sanctions. Described publicly as 'constrained by PSR' but technically compliant via owner support.
Note on this club's figures. 2023/24 revenue £32.3m. Wage bill £22.3m (unusually low ratio - club has cut costs heavily after years of losses). Sources: Swiss Ramble, stokecityfc.com official accounts, Companies House.
Source.
Source.
Compare Stoke with another club
Figures are illustrative estimates from published accounts and public reporting, not
official SCR submissions. SCR uses adjusted football revenue, which differs from headline
turnover. Last reviewed 2026-05-17.
Full rules explainer →