Manchester City’s European season now carries the weight of an unprecedented domestic verdict after an independent Premier League Commission found the club guilty on every one of the 115 charges brought against it. No punishment has yet been decided, but a case involving alleged financial wrongdoing across nine seasons has reached its most consequential stage, with City able to appeal until 2 October.
A verdict with major consequences still to come
The Commission concluded that City had concealed the true state of their finances from auditors and regulators, while artificially increasing reported revenue by more than £900 million, a figure exceeding €1 billion.
The original 115 allegations were made public on 6 February 2023. Contrary to earlier reports that suggested only a finding of guilt, the Premier League’s statement says the club was found to have breached every charge initially laid against it.
- The breaches cover the period from the 2009-10 campaign through to 2017-18.
- City were found to have entered into sham commercial agreements with a number of partners.
- The club submitted inaccurate financial accounts and significantly exceeded spending restrictions.
- Most of the charges concerning a failure to assist the Premier League investigation were also upheld.
- The Commission said City’s conduct showed a clear intention to circumvent the league’s rules.
The Premier League also maintained that the club made coordinated attempts to obstruct and frustrate its investigation.
City promise a full challenge
Manchester City responded with a strongly worded statement, saying they were disappointed and surprised by the Commission’s decision. The club insisted it remains innocent of the allegations and said it possesses extensive and compelling evidence supporting its position.
City said they would pursue their case firmly, and where required proactively, through all relevant regulatory and legal channels. They argued that important parts of the process remain unresolved and said the ruling contains what they described as clear material errors in law, principle and fact.
The club also said it had observed procedural safeguards for eight years on the assumption that the Premier League’s board and executive would operate as an independent, impartial and fair regulator, free from partisan influence. City added that their public comments are restricted while future proceedings remain open.
The sanction phase becomes the next battle
Richard Masters, the Premier League chief executive, called the disciplinary case and the Commission’s finding the most significant in the competition’s history. He said the unresolved question is now the penalty to be imposed for the breaches.
Masters said the league would move quickly through the remaining stages in order to provide clarity for the competition, its member clubs and supporters.
For City, the ruling does not yet settle the practical consequences. The appeal window runs until 2 October, while the sanction process remains outstanding. Until then, every Champions League night will unfold alongside a domestic case that has become far larger than a single result or a single season.
