Manchester City Found Guilty Of All But One Premier League Financial Charge

Manchester City have been found guilty of all but one of the 115 charges brought against them by the Premier League over alleged breaches of the competition’s financial regulations.

The sanctions have yet to be determined, with the independent commission still to decide the appropriate punishment. Manchester City are expected to appeal any sanctions imposed.

The charges relate to alleged breaches between 2009 and 2018, including claims that the club failed to provide accurate financial information and details of payments to players and coaches. The Premier League also accused City of breaching UEFA’s financial fair play regulations and its own profitability and sustainability rules.

Manchester City have consistently denied the allegations and maintains that the Premier League process should be handled by an independent and impartial regulator.

A City spokesperson told The Athletic via the New York Times: “The Premier League process remains ongoing, with significant elements to be completed, and subject to strict confidentiality. As such Manchester City FC’s position remains consistent with the club’s statement of February 2023.

“The club has diligently respected due process for eight years on the basis the Premier League board and executive would behave as an independent, impartial and fair minded regulator, free from partisan influence.”

The Premier League referred the case to an independent commission after an investigation that followed the publication of leaked financial documents by German newspaper Der Spiegel in November 2018.

UEFA imposed a two-year ban from European competitions and a €30 million fine on Manchester City in February 2020. However, the Court of Arbitration for Sport overturned the ban five months later after ruling that the alleged financial fair play breaches were either not established or time-barred.

CAS did find City guilty of failing to cooperate with UEFA by not providing substantial amounts of evidence and imposed an £8.8 million fine.

Naija News reports that the Premier League case has taken several years to reach its current stage. League chief executive Richard Masters acknowledged last month that the process had “taken longer than expected”, while insisting that the league had to allow the independent process to run its course.

If the commission imposes a punishment, Premier League rule W.51 allows for sanctions ranging from a reprimand and fines to points deductions or expulsion from the competition.

A points deduction could be imposed prospectively or retrospectively, potentially affecting previous league positions and titles. The commission can also combine sanctions or impose other measures it considers appropriate, although any punishment must be proportionate to the breaches and could be challenged on appeal.

Manchester City have won eight Premier League titles since Sheikh Mansour’s Abu Dhabi United Group acquired the club in 2008, with six of those titles coming after the investigation began.

Under new head coach Enzo Maresca, Manchester City have won their opening five matches of the 2026-27 Premier League season and currently sit top of the table.