Manchester City have been found guilty of breaching Premier League financial regulations following a verdict on more than 100 charges spanning 14 seasons.
The independent panel handling the case found the club guilty on almost all of the charges, according to The Guardian, potentially exposing City to substantial sanctions.
The Premier League has not officially published the verdict. However, clubs were reportedly informed of the outcome at a shareholders’ meeting on Thursday and required to sign non-disclosure agreements.
Manchester City said the regulatory process remains ongoing, with significant elements still to be completed, and indicated that its position remains unchanged. The club is expected to appeal the findings.
The 134 charges brought against City in 2023 cover the period from the 2009-10 season to 2022-23. During that period, the club won seven Premier League titles, the Champions League, three FA Cups and six League Cups.
What are Manchester City’s financial charges?
More than 80 of the charges relate to Premier League rules requiring clubs to provide complete and accurate financial information and act in “the utmost good faith” when dealing with the league.
The Premier League alleged that City failed to provide a complete picture of its financial affairs and withheld information that could have shed further light on the club’s finances.
Other charges relate to breaches of the Premier League’s profitability and sustainability rules (PSR) and corresponding UEFA financial fair play regulations.
A further 20 charges concern alleged failures to provide full details of player and manager remuneration.
Eight-year Investigation
The Premier League opened its investigation into Manchester City in 2019, following years of scrutiny of the club’s financial affairs.
UEFA had previously found City in breach of its financial fair play rules in 2014 and imposed a €20m fine.
The Football Leaks revelations subsequently triggered further scrutiny, culminating in UEFA suspending City from the Champions League in 2020 after finding that the club had overstated sponsorship revenue.
City successfully appealed that decision at the Court of Arbitration for Sport, which overturned the Champions League ban.
The Premier League investigation continued, eventually resulting in the 134 charges announced in February 2023.
City has disputed the allegations throughout the investigation and is expected to challenge the latest findings.
The club said the process remains subject to confidentiality and reiterated its expectation that the Premier League board and executive conduct the proceedings independently and fairly.
The eventual punishment, if the findings survive any appeal, could have significant implications for Manchester City and the Premier League, although the nature and timing of any sanctions have not yet been announced.
