Most red cards in a Premier League season: Chelsea close to breaking record for team with most players sent off

Chelsea’s efforts across multiple competitions in 2025/26 have been consistently undermined by their own lack of discipline.

In two Premier League games against Arsenal, for example, they have had a player sent off. They managed a draw at home to the would-be champions, but the game at the Emirates Stadium ended in a 2-1 loss for Liam Rosenior’s side.

Chelsea boast a young squad with a relative lack of experience at this level, but the sheer number of red cards they have accrued in 2025/26 — including one for their former head coach, Enzo Maresca — has been difficult to blame on youthful exuberance alone.

In fact, they are now close to the record for the most by a single team in a Premier League season.

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Most red cards in a Premier League season

The record for the most red cards for a team in a single Premier League season is held jointly by two clubs: Sunderland, and Queens Park Rangers with nine red cards in a single campaign.

It was Sunderland who first hit that benchmark back in 2009/10. Two years later, QPR matched the achievement.

In 2025/26, Chelsea received their eighth red card on matchday 28, when Pedro Neto was sent off against Arsenal at Emirates Stadium. However, only seven of those cards were for players — the other was for then-coach Maresca — which complicates their hunt for this particular record.

The Premier League’s official records page lists Sunderland and QPR as the teams with the most red cards in a single season.

Most red cards in a single Premier League season (by team)

Team	Season	No. of red cards
Sunderland	2009/10	9
QPR	2011/12	9
Leicester City	1994/95	8
Blackburn Rovers	1998/99	8
West Ham United	1999/2000	8
Newcastle United	2008/09	8
Sunderland	2013/14	8
Chelsea	2025/26	7

How many red cards have Chelsea had in 2025/26?

In total, Chelsea have received nine red cards in 2025/26, although only seven of those have been shown to players in Premier League games.

The other two were issued to Liam Delap, who got two bookings in quick succession in a Carabao Cup win over Wolves in October, and former manager Maresca, who got a red for his exuberant celebrations when his team beat Liverpool at Stamford Bridge 25 days earlier.

This explains why some outlets would argue Chelsea have had nine, eight, or seven red cards throughout the season to date.

Chelsea red cards in 2025/26

Chelsea’s red cards in 2025/26 have been shown to nine different individuals, although one (Delap) was in the Carabao Cup and one was given to their head coach.

Five were straight dismissals, while the other four were for two bookable offences.

Robert Sanchez

Sanchez earned a straight red card after just five minutes of Chelsea’s game with Manchester United at Old Trafford on September 20. The goalkeeper fouled Bryan Mbeumo outside his penalty area when the forward was clean through on goal.

Trevoh Chalobah

A week after the United defeat, Chalobah was dismissed for a foul on Georginio Rutter following a VAR review in a home game against Brighton and Hove Albion. The Seagulls went on to win 3-1 thanks to two stoppage-time goals at Stamford Bridge.

Malo Gusto

Gusto’s red against Nottingham Forest on October 18 ensured a third dismissal in four league games for Chelsea. This one was without immediate consequence — the Blues were already 3-0 up at the City Ground by the time Gusto got a second yellow card — but he was suspended for their next game against Sunderland, which ended in a 2-1 loss.

Moises Caicedo

On November 30, Caicedo was booked for a poor challenge on Mikel Merino, but a VAR review recommended the offence be upgraded to a red card. Chelsea battled to a 1-1 draw with Arsenal despite playing for the entire second half with 10 men.

Marc Cucurella

Cucurella got a straight red for a professional foul on Harry Wilson in a 2-1 loss to Fulham on January 7, with new boss Liam Rosenior watching from the stands. It was 0-0 at the time of the dismissal.

Wesley Fofana

Chelsea were 1-0 up at home to Burnley on February 21 when Fofana got a second yellow card for a foul on James Ward-Prowse. The Clarets went on to score a 93rd-minute equaliser, and Fofana was banned for the loss to Arsenal a week later.

Pedro Neto

Chelsea’s ninth red card of the league season came on March 1. Neto had already been booked for dissent before he lunged into a ridiculous challenge on Gabriel Martinelli to stop a counter-attack. The Blues were unable to mount a fightback and avoid a 2-1 loss.