Manchester City has been found guilty of 114 of the 115 charges brought against it by the Premier League over breaches of the league’s financial rules, according to multiple reports, in a verdict that will send shockwaves through European football. Sanctions have not yet been determined, and the club is widely expected to appeal.
What the Verdict Covers
The charges relate to alleged breaches occurring over a nine-year period between the 2009-10 and 2017-18 seasons, centered on the Premier League’s contention that City failed to provide “accurate financial information that gives a true and fair view of the club’s financial position.” According to reports, the Premier League had argued City broke the rules through methods such as inflating sponsorship income and paying some staff off the books in order to circumvent spending limits, and separately accused the club of failing to cooperate with the investigation.
One of the 114 guilty findings involves what people familiar with the matter described as one of the most serious charges the club faced. The single charge City was not found guilty of has not been specified in reporting so far.
The Premier League first brought the charges in February 2023, following a four-year investigation, before referring the case to an independent panel. The independent hearing took place at the International Dispute Resolution Centre in London, running from September through December 2024 over 12 weeks of deliberations. The verdict arrives more than three and a half years after the original charges were filed — a timeline that reflects, in part, just how unprecedented the scope of this case is; while a handful of clubs have been docked points for financial rule violations in recent years, nothing in English football has approached the scale of the City case.
Manchester City’s Response
Manchester City, owned by Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan of Abu Dhabi’s ruling family, has maintained its innocence throughout the process and is expected to appeal any adverse findings. The club has notably stopped short of denying that a guilty verdict exists, instead emphasizing that the overall process remains incomplete.
In a statement Friday, the club said: “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 that the Premier League Board and Executive would behave as an independent, impartial and fair-minded regulator, free from partisan influence.”
One source told ESPN that City sought an injunction Friday in an effort to block initial reporting of the verdict — a claim the club strongly denied when approached for comment. The Premier League, for its part, declined to comment on what it described as a “private and confidential process.”
What Happens Next
With guilt established on all but one charge, attention now turns to sanctions, which remain entirely undecided. Premier League rules allow for a wide range of possible penalties, from fines and points deductions to transfer restrictions or, in the most extreme scenario, expulsion from the league. Some reports have also floated the possibility of stripping City of previously won domestic titles, though nothing has been ruled on in that regard.
Any formal punishment handed down is expected to be appealed by City, a process that would extend the case’s timeline even further. Both sides will have a limited window to lodge an appeal once the sanctions phase formally begins.
Legal and Political Reaction
Sports lawyers have suggested the ruling could open the door to further legal action well beyond the Premier League’s own sanctions process. Paul Stothard, a partner at Norton Rose Fulbright, said: “This result, if upheld, will open the floodgates to further legal challenges. Manchester City being found liable for 114 out of 115 rule breaches means that other clubs may choose to pursue compensation for lost revenue, missed European qualification or relegation.”
The case has also drawn political attention. UK Prime Minister Andy Burnham said he wanted to review the independent commission’s findings after seeing reports of the verdict Friday. Asked whether City should be stripped of past titles, Burnham urged caution: “People shouldn’t jump to those kind of conclusions. I know this has been a long process between the club and the Premier League, I think quite a contested process… I think we would all need to study the independent commission’s report in some considerable detail.”
A Familiar Pattern for City
This isn’t the first time Manchester City has faced financial rule findings. In February 2020, UEFA found the club guilty of breaching its Financial Fair Play rules and issued a two-year ban from European competition along with a €30 million fine. That suspension was later lifted by the Court of Arbitration for Sport five months later, with the fine reduced to €10 million.
For now, Manchester City remains in the Premier League with no sanctions in place, and the resolution of both the guilty findings and any resulting punishment remains pending.
