Derby and Sheffield Wednesday have both accepted suspended points deductions after being sanctioned by the EFL for failure to pay their players.
The Rams have accepted a three-point penalty which will be implemented if the club fail to pay their players before June 30, 2022.
The Owls have accepted a suspended six-point deduction which will apply if the club do not pay in full the arrears owed to the players on or before July 5, 2021 and/or they fail to pay their players before June 30, 2022.
If Wednesday pay their players up until December 31, 2021, the sanction will be reduced to a suspended three-point deduction.
An EFL statement said: “In December 2020, Derby County failed to pay their players as per the terms of the agreements between the club and its players and were charged with misconduct under the EFL regulations.
“In the months of March 2021, April 2021, May 2021 and June 2021, Sheffield Wednesday failed to pay their players as per the terms of the agreements between the club and its players and were charged with misconduct under the EFL regulations.
“The regulations permit the EFL to enter into an agreed decision with a club in order to resolve disciplinary matters without them being referred to a disciplinary commission for determination.
“Upon consideration, the board determined that it would be appropriate to do so in these circumstances and offered the clubs sanctions, which were subsequently agreed.”
Derby have endured a turbulent few weeks, having been hit with a £100,000 fine last month for breaching rules relating to financial fair play.
There was also uncertainty over which league the Rams would be playing in next season after the EFL announced an “interchangeable fixture list”.
Derby avoided relegation from the Sky Bet Championship on the final day of last season with a draw against the Owls, who were relegated to League One, but were threatened with a points deduction that would have seen them also relegated instead of Wycombe. However, the EFL decided not to implement the decision to deduct points.
The club are also in the midst of a potential takeover as current owner Mel Morris looks to sell. The Rams have seen two potential deals fall through in the past few months.
Last season, the Owls were docked 12 points, reduced to six on appeal, after breaching EFL spending rules. Had the club not been hit with the penalty, they would have avoided relegation and Derby would have gone down.
