Wigan Athletic: Latics to be deducted four points for 2023-24 season

Wigan Athletic finished this season bottom of the Championship, 10 points from safety

Wigan Athletic will be deducted four points for next season after failing to pay players' wages on time this month.

The punishment follows previous breaches of English Football League rules, including other late payments.

Wigan, who were relegated to League One this season, are also facing a further four-point deduction for next season, suspended until 30 June 2024.

That will be triggered if owner Abdulrahman Al Jasmi fails to ensure wages are paid on time before then.

Al Jasmi has been told the sanction will also be activated if he fails to deposit an amount covering 125% of the club's forecast monthly wage bill by next Wednesday, 24 May.

Wigan's relegation from the Championship was not helped by them being docked three points by the EFL for failing to pay player salaries in March, having previously been given a suspended penalty for similar breaches in June, July and October last year.

The EFL have now also deducted a further three points from this season's total, meaning Wigan have finished the season on 39 points, 10 points from safety.

The suspended deduction was activated in March when the club was two weeks late in paying staff, and when Al Jasmi failed to meet the terms of an agreement with the league, which resulted in him being charged with misconduct and fined £10,000.

The club was then 11 days late with their payment of the wage bill in May, making it five late payments in total.

A Wigan statement said: "Wigan Athletic accepts the sanctions from the EFL and intend to fully comply with the conditions.

"A detailed statement will be made public once owner, Mr Abdulrahman Al Jasmi adheres to the terms of the agreed decision and deposits an amount equal to 125% of the club's forecast monthly wage bill."