Sussex to start 2026 County Championship with 12-point deduction after entering deal with ECB to combat financial issues
Sussex have entered three-year framework with ECB to tackle county's financial problems; Sussex will start County Championship season with 12-point deduction; they also face one-point deduction in both domestic limited overs competitions
Monday 2 February 2026 17:07, UK
Sussex will start the 2026 County Championship season with a 12-point deduction after entering an agreement with the England and Wales Cricket Board to tackle their financial problems.
The county announced on Monday that they had entered into a three-year framework with the national governing body for the sport.
Sussex will start their County Championship campaign with the hefty deduction and will also lose a point in each of the two limited-overs competitions after agreeing an arrangement with the ECB which includes safeguards, controls and closer oversight, which will remain in place until 2029.
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Sussex, who finished fourth in Division One - the higher of the competition's two tiers - last summer, suffered sustained operating losses in the last financial year and have moved to protect their future while changes are made.
Interim chief executive Mark West said: "We fully understand how disappointing this news will be for everyone connected with Sussex.
"Since taking on the interim role at the end of last season, it has become clear that a combination of internal decisions and wider economic pressures have contributed to the position the club finds itself in today.
"The points deductions will be an unexpected blow to the players and supporters, but we accept the ECB's decision.
"We are sorry - it hasn't been good enough. Our responsibility now is to put things right and ensure the club is in a stronger position going forward."
The club will be subject to a salary cap and will have to provide the ECB with a three-year business plan "demonstrating sustainable year-on-year operating profits by 2027-28" among a series of requirements which must be met in order to avoid a suspended £100,000 fine.
Each team has a 14-match schedule in the 2026 County Championship, with a win worth 16 points, and a further eight bonus points being available in each contest.
The one-point deductions for Sussex come in the Vitality Blast and Metro Bank One-Day Cup.
