Manchester City have been found guilty on 114 of the 115 charges brought against them for alleged breaches of the Premier League’s financial regulations, in what is the biggest regulatory verdict in the history of the competition.
The verdict was delivered by an independent commission following a lengthy investigation into the club’s finances between the 2009-10 and 2017-18 seasons, a period that covered the early years after the club’s takeover by Abu Dhabi owners. The charges were first filed in February 2023 after a four-year investigation by the Premier League.
According to reports by The Athletic, which first broke the news on Thursday, the panel found City guilty on almost all counts, with only one category of charges not proven. The report noted that the charges were split into buckets, meaning the single not-guilty verdict represents one category rather than a single charge.
The 115 charges include allegations that City failed to provide accurate financial information giving a true and fair view of revenues, including sponsorship income and operating costs. They also include 14 charges relating to player and manager payments, five concerning UEFA Financial Fair Play, seven relating to Profitability and Sustainability Rules, and 35 charges for alleged failure to cooperate with the investigation.
The hearing itself was held between September and December 2024 before an independent panel of three judges appointed by the chair of the Premier League Judicial Panel. It took almost two years for the panel to reach its conclusion, with the outcome only emerging on September 25, 2026.
Manchester City have consistently denied any wrongdoing since the charges were announced and maintained that position after reports of the verdict emerged. The club has always insisted it has a comprehensive body of irrefutable evidence to support its case.
In a statement issued to British media, a Manchester City spokesperson said the process is not yet over. “The Premier League process remains ongoing, with significant elements to be completed, and subject to strict confidentiality,” the club said.
The club added: “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 has declined to comment publicly on the reports, citing confidentiality. A spokesperson for the league said: “It’s a confidential process, we’re not commenting at all”.
Despite the guilty finding, no sanctions have been decided yet. The independent commission will now move to the second phase of the process, which will determine what punishment, if any, will be imposed on the club.
Reports indicate that all possibilities remain on the table, ranging from heavy fines and points deductions to more severe sporting sanctions. However, City are widely expected to appeal the commission’s decision, which could further delay any final resolution.
This is not the first time City have faced such action. In February 2020, UEFA banned the club from European competition for two years for overstating revenue, but that punishment was later overturned by the Court of Arbitration for Sport. Sources close to City have reportedly pointed to that precedent as a reason for confidence.
For alot football fans around the world, the verdict has generated huge reactions, with many recalling that City won the Premier League three times between 2009 and 2018, in 2011-12, 2013-14 and 2017-18, with their record 100-point season. Some reports have even speculated about retrospective title implications for clubs like Manchester United, Liverpool and Arsenal if points deductions are applied to those seasons.
The club’s manager Enzo Maresca, who took over at the Etihad this season, has so far made a perfect start to the campaign despite the off-field cloud. Focus will now shift to how the team responds on the pitch while the legal battle continues off it.
For now, the Premier League’s case has moved from establishing guilt to deciding penalty, and with an appeal expected, this saga which has overshadowed English football for over three years is far from over.
