Manchester City Still Await Premier League Verdict Two Years On
Manchester City are still waiting for a verdict in the Premier League financial-rules case, two years after an independent commission began hearing allegations against the club.
Wednesday marks two years since the commission proceedings opened. The Premier League charged City in February 2023 after an investigation that started in 2018, alleging more than 100 breaches of its rules. City deny wrongdoing.
Case timeline
- 2018: The Premier League opened its investigation into Manchester City.
- February 2023: City were charged over alleged financial-rule breaches.
- Two years ago on Wednesday: An independent commission hearing began.
- Now: No decision or timetable for a decision has been made public.
Delay draws criticism
Sports barrister Nick De Marco described the wait as an “incredible delay”, questioning the argument that sports arbitration is quicker and more efficient than court action.
De Marco is not representing either side in the City proceedings. Lord David Pannick, a fellow barrister at Blackstone Chambers, has acted for City in the case.
What happens next
Premier League chief executive Richard Masters said last month that the process had lasted longer than he anticipated, although he said it was not a leading subject in his conversations with top-flight clubs.
Masters insisted the case would reach an outcome but said he could not discuss either its substance or its timing. He also rejected the idea that an independent commission’s work should be restricted by a deadline, saying the panel must have the time and space required to establish the facts.
There is no announced date for the commission’s ruling. City’s case remains unresolved as the Premier League season continues.
