Manchester City has been found guilty of serious breaches of Premier League financial regulations following an independent commission’s investigation into the club’s accounts between the 2009-10 and 2017-18 seasons, according to an official statement issued by the Premier League. The independent commission found the ten-time champions guilty in all charges concerning financial rules and the majority of charges regarding a lack of cooperation during the investigation, which stems from a multi-year probe triggered by Football Leaks revelations published in Der Spiegel.
Premier League Chief Executive Richard Masters described the proceeding and decision as den bedeutendsten Fall in der Geschichte der Premier League
and this disciplinary process and this decision are the most significant in the history of the Premier League.
Masters added: Es gehört zu den zentralen Aufgaben der Premier League, sicherzustellen, dass die von den Vereinen selbst verabschiedeten Regeln eingehalten werden, um die Integrität des Wettbewerbs zu schützen,
noting that the league takes this responsibility extremely seriously.
Financial Manipulations and Artificial Revenue
The club was also cited for submitting false annual financial statements, concealing the true state of finances, and violating both league and UEFA spending limits. The independent commission concluded that through this behavior, the club clearly intended to bypass Premier League rules.
The core allegations focus on the years between 2009 and 2018—during which the club won three English league titles—following the 2008 takeover by Sheikh Mansour of Abu Dhabi’s ruling family. Previous penalties involving European competitions include a 2020 UEFA ruling over Financial Fair Play violations that initially brought a two-year ban, which was later lifted by the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) while reducing a fine from 30 million to 10 million euros.
Pending Sanctions and Club Appeal
Manchester City now faces severe potential sanctions, which media reports indicate could include massive points deductions, heavy fines, the stripping of titles won during the period, or even expulsion from the Premier League. A separate private and confidential hearing will be held by the independent commission to determine the specific penalties.
The club has until Friday to file an appeal. Manchester City responded with disappointment and surprise, maintaining its innocence and asserting that the decision contains clear material errors regarding legal principles and facts. In an internal video message to staff, CEO Ferran Soriano dismissed the process as a Premier League conspiracy theory and claimed the club possesses irrefutable evidence proving its innocence. Meanwhile, the Premier League announced plans to expedite the remaining portion of the process to provide clarity for the league, its clubs, and fans.
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