Manchester City Found Guilty on 114 of 115 Premier League Charges
Manchester City have reportedly been found guilty of most of their alleged breaches of Premier League financial rules, a verdict which could send shockwaves through the league and have an impact on Arsenal, Chelsea and Tottenham.
The Athletic reports that a guilty verdict has been reached on all but one of the charges. Sanctions haven’t been decided and the club are expected to appeal the decision.
City’s Response
In a statement to The Athletic, a City spokesperson 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 the Premier League board and executive would behave as an independent, impartial and fair minded regulator, free from partisan influence.”
Sources have also told BBC Sport that City have been found guilty of the majority of the 115 financial rules they were accused of breaching .
The Charges Explained
Among the charges are 54 allegations of failing to provide accurate and up-to-date financial information from 2009 to 2018. There were another 14 charges for failing to provide accurate financial reports on player and manager compensation during the same period .
In total, City were charged with 115 breaches of Premier League regulations, broken down into five categories:
- 54x Failure to provide accurate financial information 2009-10 to 2017-18
- 14x Failure to provide accurate details for player and manager payments from 2009-10 to 2017-18
- 5x Failure to comply with UEFA’s rules including Financial Fair Play (FFP) 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 – Feb 2023
The Premier League originally charged the club in February 2023 following a comprehensive four-year investigation into their financial practices. A private 12-week hearing took place in late 2024, but an independent commission has been reviewing the immense volume of evidence since then to reach a final verdict .
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, who were both found guilty of breaching the rules, a points deduction punishment was used. That was however for a single breach, compared to City’s reported 114 breaches.
Finance experts have speculated that a points deduction could range anywhere from 40 to 60 points given the nine-year period the charges cover, with automatic demotion even mooted as a possibility .
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.
There is also ongoing speculation about whether the Premier League could retroactively strip City of the three league titles they won during the period in question if points deductions are applied retrospectively .
Premier League Chief Acknowledged Delays
Speaking on the situation last month, Premier League chief Richard Masters admitted that the situation has dragged on much longer than he expected.
“I do accept it’s taking longer than expected, and I understand that people want to find out as soon as possible what’s going on, but I simply can’t provide that,” Masters told the BBC .
“Our rules are very clear – we have to follow the process, and there’s only one real clear route through, which is to allow that process to reach its natural conclusion.”
What Happens Next
City are expected to appeal the verdict, a process that could take further months to resolve. The sanctions remain undecided, with all possibilities on the table including fines, points deductions, or even expulsion from the Premier League.
The case has already taken three-and-a-half years since the charges were first brought in February 2023 .