The Premier League announced Tuesday that an independent commission has found Manchester City guilty of almost all 115 financial charges brought against the club over a nine‑year period. The panel said the violations, worth more than £900 million, involved sham sponsorship contracts, misstated accounts and a failure to cooperate with the league’s investigation.
Key findings
According to the league, City arranged contracts that misrepresented the true agreements with commercial partners, artificially inflating revenue and reducing costs. The club also filed inaccurate financial statements and concealed its true financial state from auditors and regulators.
Premier League chief executive Richard Masters called the ruling “the most significant in Premier League history” and said it showed City “systematically broke Premier League rules for nearly a decade.”
Potential sanctions
The league said sanctions will be decided at a separate hearing by an independent commission. Possible penalties include a large points deduction or even expulsion from the competition, which could cause severe reputational damage to the club’s Abu Dhabi ownership.
Club response
Manchester City has denied any wrongdoing, describing the verdict as “disappointed and surprised.” The club said it will appeal the decision and will be “relentless” in its fight to clear its name. An appeal must be filed by Friday, according to the league.
City chief executive Ferran Soriano declined to comment when approached by Sky News, stating, “I have nothing to say, thank you.”
Background
The investigation began more than three years ago after leaked emails and documents in 2018 raised concerns about the club’s financial practices. The alleged violations cover the period from 2009 to 2018, when Manchester City transformed from a regional club into a global soccer powerhouse, winning multiple Premier League titles and the Champions League.
In addition to the financial breaches, the panel found City failed to cooperate with the league’s investigation between 2018 and 2023.
Implications
The verdict is expected to trigger lawsuits from rival clubs seeking compensation for the alleged competitive advantage City gained. It also raises questions about the future of star players such as Erling Haaland and Rayan Cherki, and the role of owner Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan, the deputy prime minister of the United Arab Emirates.
Original reporting: Dallas TX News (HLL/CB) — read the source article.
