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London — The Premier League has confirmed that Manchester City have been found guilty of all charges related to breaches of Premier League financial rules between 2009-10 and 2017-18.
In a lengthy statement on Tuesday, September 29, the league said an independent commission found that City systematically broke the rules for nearly a decade.
According to the Premier League, City arranged “sham contracts” with a number of commercial partners to artificially inflate the club’s revenues and reduce costs by more than £900 million (over $1.2 billion). The scheme was allegedly funded by Abu Dhabi United Group (ADUG), the club’s owners, to conceal the true state of their finances and avoid breaches of Premier League and UEFA Financial Fair Play rules.
The commission also found City guilty on the majority of charges relating to failure to cooperate with the investigation, saying the club made “concerted efforts to stop and frustrate” the probe which started in 2019.
What Next?
No sanction has been imposed yet. A separate hearing will decide the punishment, which could range from a massive points deduction, unlimited fine, to even expulsion from the Premier League.
Premier League CEO Richard Masters said: “The core decision establishes the facts of what happened at Manchester City during this period. It details how the club systematically broke Premier League Rules for nearly a decade... This disciplinary case, and this decision, are the most significant in Premier League history.”
Manchester City have denied any wrongdoing and say they are “surprised” by the verdict. In a statement, the club said it will appeal by the Friday, October 2 deadline, claiming the opinion “contains clear material errors, of law, principle and fact, and is unsafe.”
The club was originally charged with 115 breaches in February 2023 after a four-year investigation following leaked emails published by Der Spiegel.
