Manchester City’s legal horizon has widened beyond the football authorities, with chairman Khaldoon Al Mubarak reported to have held diplomatic immunity in the United Kingdom since 2020.
Al Mubarak has led City since Abu Dhabi United Group bought the club in 2008. His name was added to the UK diplomatic register in 2020, a status that normally shields its holder from criminal investigation on British territory.
Quick facts
- Khaldoon Al Mubarak has reportedly had UK diplomatic immunity since 2020.
- He has chaired Manchester City since the 2008 takeover by Abu Dhabi United Group.
- City are contesting findings relating to financial conduct between 2009 and 2018.
- The club have until Friday to lodge an appeal.
- An appeal process could include a 12-week review, a five-day hearing and up to 30 days of deliberation.
There is no suggestion that Al Mubarak has committed a criminal offence. Yet legal specialists have raised the prospect that the City case could eventually carry consequences beyond sporting penalties, depending on how allegations concerning the club’s finances are pursued.
The Premier League’s investigation concerns the period from 2009 to 2018. The findings presented to the independent commission allege that City overstated their budgets across much of that decade, distorting accounts by more than €1 billion.
During those years, the Manchester club won eight trophies, including three Premier League titles. City continue to deny wrongdoing and insist they possess conclusive evidence capable of overturning the independent commission’s decision.
The club’s next move is due by Friday, when it must submit its appeal. Once filed, the challenge is expected to undergo examination lasting up to 12 weeks, followed by a hearing of five days; the final deliberations may then require a further 30 days.
Al Mubarak remains one of the most influential figures in the United Arab Emirates, alongside his role as executive chairman of Abu Dhabi sovereign investment fund Mubadala. For City, however, the immediate contest remains in the legal rooms of English football rather than on the stadium pitches of Europe.
