Premier League Financial Verdict
Manchester City Found Guilty of Multiple Premier League Financial Rule Breaches
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Key Points
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One report says the commission found 114 of the 115 charges proven.
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The alleged financial breaches were valued at more than £900 million (about US$1.19 billion), according to one report.
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Premier League chief executive Richard Masters called the decision the competition’s “most significant” and said City had “systematically broken Premier League Rules for nearly a decade.”
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Enzo Maresca had won all seven of his matches across competitions since taking over, with City three points clear at the top of the Premier League.
An independent Premier League commission found Manchester City guilty of 114 out of 115 financial-rule breaches on September 29, marking what Premier League chief executive Richard Masters called the competition's "most significant" disciplinary case. The alleged breaches, spanning 2009–2018, involved sham commercial contracts and disguised funding worth more than £900 million ($1.19 billion). Manchester City denies all charges and has until October 2 to file an appeal.
Former manager Pep Guardiola publicly backed the club, saying via his statement "I am here; more than ever... we will get through this together." Current manager Enzo Maresca has won all seven matches since taking over, leaving City three points clear at the top of the Premier League table. The commission has not yet determined sanctions, which could include fines, transfer bans, or points deductions.
How Manchester City Disguised Billions in Secret Funding
Manchester City used fake commercial deals to hide direct funding from owner Abu Dhabi United Group, according to the investigation. The club created sham contracts and secondary structures—including image-rights vehicles and hidden manager payments—to make Abu Dhabi money look like independent sponsorship from companies like Etihad Airways. This inflated revenues and understated actual costs across nine seasons.
The commission found the club broke Premier League Profitability and Sustainability Rules designed to keep spending fair. Premier League chief executive Richard Masters said City "systematically broke Premier League Rules for nearly a decade." The scheme allowed City to spend far beyond what league rules permit, giving the club an unfair competitive advantage during their era of dominance.
City's Defiant Response and Path to Appeal
Manchester City rejected the guilty verdict through Chief Executive Ferran Soriano, who called the findings an "unsafe decision" based on "clear material errors." The club maintains its innocence and plans to appeal by October 2, 2026. Soriano told employees the decision represented a "Premier League conspiracy theory," signaling the club intends to fight the ruling aggressively in the appeals process.
Manager Enzo Maresca urged calm, posting on Instagram: "Time to breathe. Time to analyse. Time to learn." Under Maresca, City has won seven straight matches across all competitions and sits atop the league standings. The club's legal team is preparing its appeal strategy while reports suggest the commission will hold a separate hearing to determine penalties.
Potential Sanctions Could Strip Titles or Ban Signings
The independent commission will hold a second hearing to decide punishments, which could range from massive fines and multi-year transfer bans to points deductions or expulsion from the Premier League. Sports analysts note the severity of the breaches means City faces its worst-case scenario. Some discussions involve stripping the club of Premier League titles won during the 2009–2018 period, though the practical implications remain unclear.
Former Manchester City defender Micah Richards said the verdict left him "devastated." Rival executives have expressed shock; Hull City owner Acun Ilıcalı called the practices "financial doping." The scandal is already being characterized as the largest financial wrongdoing case in English football history, with implications that could reshape how the Premier League enforces its rules going forward.
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