Pep Guardiola reacts on the touchline as Manchester City faces severe penalties following an independent commission’s guilty verdict for financial breaches. (Photo: Football news)
Manchester City faces a major Premier League disciplinary battle after an independent commission found the club guilty of serious financial breaches. The findings cover nine seasons between 2009/10 and 2017/18, ending years of scrutiny over the club’s finances.
The commission found that City used sham commercial agreements to inflate revenue and reduce reported costs. The Premier League said the arrangements affected the club’s finances by more than £900 million. The commission also found that City submitted misstated accounts and concealed its financial position from auditors and regulators.
Manchester City Faces Possible Punishment
The commission also found City guilty of most charges linked to its cooperation with the Premier League investigation. It concluded that the club made concerted efforts to frustrate the four-year investigation.
However, the commission has not yet imposed a punishment. The Premier League will hold a separate hearing to determine the appropriate sanction. Possible penalties under league rules include fines, points deductions and other sporting sanctions.
The Premier League has not confirmed whether City could face relegation or expulsion. Those outcomes remain possibilities under the league’s disciplinary rules, rather than confirmed punishments. City can also challenge the commission’s findings through an appeal.
Manchester City Rejects Findings
Manchester City has rejected the commission’s conclusions and maintains its long-standing position that it did not commit the alleged wrongdoing. The club has until Friday, October 2, to appeal the commission’s findings.
The case began with a Premier League investigation in December 2018. The league later referred its complaint to an independent commission in February 2023 after identifying more than 100 alleged breaches. The commission then held a 42-day hearing that ended in December 2024.
The ruling now puts one of the Premier League’s biggest disciplinary cases into its next phase. City’s appeal and the eventual sanction will determine the next chapter of the long-running financial dispute.
