Chelsea will face a two-window transfer ban after the club lost their appeal to Fifa for breaching regulations relating to the international registration of players under the age of 18.

The English Premier League side were originally charged in February for deals with over 29 players, and could now take their appeal process to the Court of Arbitration for Sport.

Fifa revealed their decision through a statement on Wednesday which read: ‘With respect to all men’s teams, the ban on registering new players, both nationally and internationally for two registration periods, has been confirmed by the FIFA Appeal Committee, with the following exception:

‘The Fifa Appeal Committee believes that Chelsea’s wrongdoing consisted in not respecting the prohibition from internationally transferring or registering for the first time foreign minor players.

‘In the committee´s opinion, imposing a ban on registering each and every minor would not be proportionate to the offence committed.

‘Consequently, the Fifa Appeal Committee decided that, as far as youth categories are concerned, the ban shall not cover the registration of minor players under the age of 16 who do not fall under the scope of art. 19 of the Regulations on the Status and Transfer of Players, which refers to international transfers and first registrations of foreign minor players.

‘Additionally, the Appeal Committee confirmed the fine of CHF 600,000.

‘The decision issued by the Fifa Appeal Committee was notified today.’

The club are yet to comment on the decision.