Abramovich, who had been under scrutiny following Russia's invasion of Ukraine, had announced he was selling the Premier League club last week.
That process is now on hold, leaving the west London club, ranked by Forbes as the seventh most valuable in world soccer at $4.7 billion, in a state of limbo, operating under a special government licence.
The Russian bought the club in 2003 for a reported $204 million and his investment resulted in the most successful era in their history as they won five Premier League titles, five FA Cups and the Champions League twice.