Manchester City found guilty of majority of 115 Premier League financial charges

Manchester City have been found guilty of the majority of the 115 charges relating to alleged breaches of Premier League financial rules across nine seasons. An independent commission concluded that the English club used sham contracts with several of its sponsors to dress up its accounts. The verdict comes after a four-year investigation and leaves City, the current league leaders, awaiting possible sanctions while confirming they will pursue every appeal route.

• The commission ruled that City artificially inflated revenues and cut costs through sham agreements with sponsors.
• The club said it was disappointed and surprised by the verdict, and confirmed it will appeal.
• The Premier League published a 40-page document covering the case from 2009 to 2018.
• City were accused of failing to cooperate and of actively obstructing the investigation for years.
• Sanctions are yet to be decided, but the ruling already contradicts the club's strong claims of innocence.

Sham contracts that inflated Manchester City's revenue

The independent commission found that Manchester City arranged a series of fake commercial deals with several of its sponsors. Those contracts formed part of a disguised funding scheme in which the partner companies were only required to pay a portion of the agreed sponsorship fees. That allowed the club to book higher revenue than it actually received while also lowering its reported costs.

The findings state that City relied on sham agreements to artificially boost the club's income and reduce its outgoings. The commission determined that reported revenue across eight seasons was hugely overstated, by more than £830 million. It also found that the club feared exceeding the record single-season financial loss of £140 million set by Chelsea in 2006, and was adamant it should not break that mark.

Failure to cooperate made Manchester City's case worse

The independent commission did not look only at Manchester City's accounts between 2009 and 2018. It also examined how the club behaved during the investigation. The ruling concludes that City made concerted efforts to stop and frustrate the Premier League's work and that the club breached its duties of cooperation. The commission also found that City failed to act in the utmost good faith throughout the process.

The Premier League began its investigation in December 2018 and issued a complaint under Section W of its rules in February 2023. The hearing lasted 42 days and concluded in December 2024, but the commission took 21 months to announce its decision. The panel itself described the wait as regrettable after reviewing some 7,000 pages of evidence.

Manchester City claim an irrefutable body of evidence supports them

Manchester City's hierarchy responded with a message of outright disagreement. The club maintains it is innocent of the accusations made by the Premier League and insists it holds a comprehensive body of irrefutable evidence supporting all of its positions. City said it will be relentless and, where necessary, proactive in every available regulatory and legal forum.

The Club is innocent of the accusations made by the Premier League and a comprehensive body of irrefutable evidence exists in support of all of its positions, relating to this case. The Club will therefore be relentless, and where necessary proactive, in any and all appropriate regulatory and legal forums.

The statement insists that the process remains ongoing and that the opinion contains clear material errors of law, principle and fact. City believe the decision is unsafe and have confirmed they will pursue the appeal avenues open to them. The club had until 2 October to file an appeal but announced its intention to do so without waiting for the deadline.

A ruling that contradicts City's senior leadership

Manchester City chairman Khaldoon Al Mubarak and chief executive Ferran Soriano had repeatedly and strongly voiced their confidence in the club's innocence. The commission's verdict cuts against that stance and leaves the board in a difficult position just as the team leads the Premier League once again. The ruling also arrives as the competition enters its decisive phase and City fight to stay at the top.

The verdict finds that City failed to provide a true and fair view of the club's financial position for almost a decade. The commission concluded that sponsorship structures effectively worked as disguised funding while inflating reported income. Sanctions now sit with the Premier League, which must decide what sporting and financial consequences the club will face.

What is at stake for Manchester City after the verdict

With sanctions still unknown, Manchester City face an uncertain outlook despite their domestic dominance in recent years. Their recent honours include a Champions League title and a string of Premier League crowns, successes now clouded by a ruling that calls their financial management into question. The announced appeal opens a new chapter in an eight-year standoff between the club and the league's governing body.

Potential penalties range from a financial fine to points deductions or even relegation, though the Premier League has not yet revealed what measures it will consider. Manchester City, for their part, believe courts or appeal bodies will overturn a ruling they regard as fundamentally flawed. Time will tell whether City's era of sporting success can withstand a decision that has already changed the conversation around their dominance.