Manchester City Say Premier League Financial Case Remains Ongoing

Manchester City have insisted the Premier League case against them is still ongoing after reports claimed an independent commission had upheld 114 of the 115 charges brought against the club.

Key takeaways

• City say major parts of the disciplinary process have yet to be completed and remain confidential.
• The allegations concern financial reporting and payments to players and staff between 2009 and 2018.
• The Premier League investigation followed leaked documents published in late 2018 and ran for four years.
• Any punishment must be proportionate, while an appeal would be expected after a final ruling.

City maintain their defence

Reports have stated that the commission ruled against City on all but one of the 115 allegations referred by the Premier League in February 2023. The club, however, has not accepted that a final outcome has been reached.

A City spokesperson said the procedure remained unfinished, with substantial stages still to come. The club added that it had observed due process for eight years and expected the Premier League’s board and executive to act as an independent, fair and impartial regulator without partisan influence.

That position follows City’s response when the charges were announced in 2023. The club said at the time it was surprised by the referral but welcomed examination by an independent commission, believing the evidence supported its case.

The Premier League’s case centres on accusations that City did not supply accurate financial information, including details of remuneration paid to employees and players. The alleged breaches cover the period from 2009 to 2018, after Sheikh Mansour’s Abu Dhabi United Group completed its 2008 takeover of the club.

City won three Premier League crowns and several domestic cups during the decade under examination.

Sanctions and appeal route

The charges include alleged breaches of the Premier League’s Profitability and Sustainability Rules as well as issues connected to UEFA Financial Fair Play requirements.

City have previously faced UEFA action over related financial allegations. In 2020, UEFA imposed a two-year ban from European competition and a £26.8m fine, but the Court of Arbitration for Sport later removed the ban. CAS found that some evidence could not be considered because it was time-barred.

The Premier League framework does not contain the same limitation period, leaving its commission able to assess older alleged conduct.

Rule W.51.7 gives the panel broad scope to impose one or several sanctions, or to create an appropriate penalty. A points deduction could be applied prospectively rather than retrospectively, on the basis that disciplinary panels generally avoid deciding past titles through legal proceedings.

The next stage is a final decision on any punishment. Whatever sanction is chosen would need to match the breaches found; a disproportionate penalty could provide City with grounds to challenge the ruling through an expected appeal.