Manchester City found guilty on nearly all 115 charges of breaking Premier League rules
Manchester City have been found guilty on almost all of the 115 charges relating to breaches of the Premier League’s financial rules.
City were initially charged in February 2023 with breaking financial regulations over a nine-year period, dating from 2009 to 2018.
City are understood to have been found guilty on all but one of the 115 charges following a decision by an independent panel.
The Premier League has not yet decided on the sanctions, while City are expected to appeal the verdict.
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It is understood that clubs were told that a decision had been reached after the Premier League meeting on Thursday.
A City spokesman 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.
Man City’s 115 charges in full
Failure to provide accurate and up-to-date financial information (2009-2018) – 54 charges
Failure to provide accurate financial reports for player and manager compensation (2009-2018) – 14 charges
Failure to comply with UEFA’s regulations, including Financial Fair Play Regulations – 5 charges
Breaching Premier League Profitability and Sustainability regulations (2015-2018) – 7 charges
Failure to co-operate with Premier League investigations (2018-2023) – 35 charges
‘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.’
Between 2009 to 2018, City won the Premier League three times.
City have always denied the charges and claim they have ‘irrefutable evidence’ to support their position.
‘Manchester City FC is surprised by the issuing of these alleged breaches of the Premier League rules, particularly given the extensive engagement and vast amount of detailed materials that the EPL has been provided with,’ City said in a statement in 2023.
‘The club welcomes the review of this matter by an independent commission, to impartially consider the comprehensive body of irrefutable evidence that exists in support of its position.
‘As such we look forward to this matter being put to rest once and for all.’
What punishment could Man City face?
The Premier League does not have set sanctions for financial rule breaches which means City could face a points deduction, a fine, or even expulsion from the top flight.
In 2024, Everton were deducted six and then two points for breaching the Premier League’s Profitability and Sustainability Rules.
In that same year, Nottingham Forest were deducted four points.
In 2020, UEFA banned City from competing in Europe for two seasons for ‘overstating its sponsorship revenue in its accounts’.
City immediately submitted an appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) and their two-year ban was overturned.
CAS also reduced City’s €30 million (£25m) fine to €10m (£8.9m) after finding that ‘most of the alleged breaches reported were either not established or time-barred’.
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