Manchester City Launch ‘Comprehensive Appeal’ Against Premier League Verdict
Manchester City confirmed on Friday that it had launched a “comprehensive appeal” after an independent commission ruled the club had broken Premier League financial rules.
The Premier League announced on Tuesday that an independent commission had found the Abu Dhabi-backed club guilty on more than 100 charges.
The 10-time English champions, who have always vehemently denied wrongdoing, said in a statement on Friday they had lodged an appeal on Thursday — a day before the deadline.
City’s Statement
“Manchester City Football Club can confirm that at 7:00 pm (1800 GMT) on Thursday 1st October 2026 the club lodged its comprehensive appeal against the opinion of the Premier League commission, in relation to the Premier League disciplinary matter,” the club said.
“The club’s firm position is that, on multiple grounds, the opinion contains clear material errors, of law, principle and fact and is unsafe.
“The club is innocent of the accusations made by the Premier League and a comprehensive body of irrefutable evidence exists in support of all of its positions, relating to this case.
“We will continue to respect due process and are necessarily restricted in what we can say further until all proceedings are complete.”
The Verdict
The independent commission found City guilty on 114 of the 115 charges brought against them in February 2023, following a four-year investigation into their financial practices. The charges included:
- 54x failure to provide accurate financial information (2009-10 to 2017-18)
- 14x failure to provide accurate details for player and manager payments (2009-10 to 2017-18)
- 5x failure to comply with UEFA’s rules including Financial Fair Play (2013-14 to 2017-18)
- 7x breaching Premier League’s PSR rules (2015-16 to 2017-18)
- 35x failure to co-operate with Premier League investigations (December 2018 – February 2023)
Potential Punishments
Potential punishments set out in the Premier League’s handbook range from fines, points deductions and even expulsion from the league.
In previous cases concerning Everton and Nottingham Forest, a points deduction punishment was used. That was, however, for a single breach, compared to City’s reported 114 breaches.
Any points deduction could potentially be handed out retrospectively, meaning that the club could be stripped of Premier League titles. A deduction could also be applied when the decision is made, as was the case with Everton and Nottingham Forest.
What Happens Next
City’s appeal will now be heard by an independent appeal panel. The process could take further months to resolve, with the sanctions remaining undecided in the meantime.
The club has maintained its innocence throughout, and its statement suggests it will continue to fight the verdict through every available legal channel.