Manchester City found guilty of 114 of 115 charges

The independent panel found Manchester City guilty on 114 of 115 charges, the BBC reported, while the club said it would appeal. The Premier League has not decided or announced a sanction.

What the panel decided

The charges cover alleged rule breaches between the 2009-10 and 2017-18 seasons, along with allegations that City failed to cooperate with the league’s investigation from 2019 to 2023. Manchester City has consistently denied wrongdoing.

The case spans the period in which City won three Premier League titles, three League Cups and the FA Cup. The alleged breaches included inaccurate financial information, player and manager payments, cooperation with the investigation, the league’s profitability and sustainability rules, and UEFA financial rules.

The BBC said the punishment decided by the panel is expected to be released before the appeal is completed, although the timing of a public announcement has not been disclosed. Possible sanctions include a points deduction, a fine or expulsion from the Premier League. The league has no fixed sanctions for financial breaches, Sky Sports reported.

That uncertainty affects Premier League clubs that have already sought legal advice about possible compensation claims linked to City’s alleged breaches, according to the BBC.

What happens next

Manchester City said the Premier League process remains ongoing and subject to confidentiality. The club has maintained that it followed due process during the eight-year case and has disputed the allegations.

The hearing began in September 2024 and continued until the end of that year. The case followed a four-year Premier League investigation and charges brought in February 2023.

The decision is not Manchester City’s first financial dispute with a football authority. UEFA imposed a two-year ban from European competition in 2020, but the Court of Arbitration for Sport overturned the ban after City appealed. The tribunal also reduced a fine from $34 million to $11.3 million, finding that City had failed to cooperate with UEFA.

Premier League clubs now face the prospect of competing while the sanction and appeal process continue. Manchester City’s next match is against Liverpool on Oct. 11, according to the BBC.