Man City In Major Trouble As Independent Commission Finds Club Guilty On Almost All Charges

Manchester City have been found guilty of 114 of the 115 financial charges brought against the club by the Premier League, although the independent commission handling the case has yet to determine any sanctions.

According to Bush Radio Academy, the charges relate to alleged breaches of Premier League financial regulations between 2009 and 2018. The allegations include claims that Manchester City failed to provide accurate financial information concerning the club’s revenue, player and coaching payments, as well as alleged breaches of UEFA financial regulations and the Premier League’s profitability and sustainability rules.

Manchester City have consistently denied the allegations and are expected to appeal any sanctions imposed following the commission’s decision. The club has also maintained that the matter should be handled through an independent and impartial process.

The Premier League referred the case to an independent commission following an investigation triggered by leaked financial documents published by German newspaper Der Spiegel in November 2018.

A Manchester City spokesperson said the process remained ongoing and stressed that the club’s position had not changed, adding that the club had respected due process throughout the lengthy proceedings.

The case has taken several years to reach its current stage, with Premier League chief executive Richard Masters previously acknowledging that the process had taken longer than initially expected.

Any punishment will be determined by the independent commission. Under Premier League rule W.51, possible sanctions include a reprimand, financial penalties, points deductions or expulsion from the competition. The commission may also combine different sanctions where appropriate, while any punishment would remain subject to the applicable appeal process.

Manchester City previously faced disciplinary action from UEFA in 2020 when the club was handed a two-year ban from European competitions and a €30 million fine over alleged financial fair play breaches. The Court of Arbitration for Sport later overturned the European competition ban, ruling that the relevant allegations were either not established or time-barred. However, CAS found City guilty of failing to cooperate with UEFA’s investigation and imposed an £8.8 million fine.

Manchester City have won eight Premier League titles since Sheikh Mansour’s Abu Dhabi United Group acquired the club in 2008, with six of those titles coming after the Premier League investigation began.

The club has also made a strong start to the 2026/27 Premier League season, winning its opening five matches under new head coach Enzo Maresca and moving to the top of the table.