Manchester City FC have been found guilty of serious breaches of the Premier League’s financial regulations following an independent commission’s ruling on more than 100 charges relating to the club’s finances between 2009 and 2018.
The Premier League announced the verdict on Tuesday, saying the independent panel found Manchester City guilty of all charges relating to serious financial breaches over the nine-season period.
The ruling marks a major development in one of the longest-running financial cases in English football.
According to the Premier League, the commission found that Manchester City had arranged commercial agreements that artificially inflated the club’s reported earnings, submitted inaccurate financial information and breached certain Premier League and UEFA financial regulations.
The league said the commission found that City had inflated its commercial revenue by about £830 million ($1.08 billion) between 2009 and 2018.
The charges against Manchester City covered a range of alleged financial violations.
They included accusations that the club failed to provide accurate financial information, reported inflated sponsorship figures involving companies connected to Abu Dhabi and breached spending rules designed to regulate clubs’ finances.
The commission also examined allegations concerning the club’s cooperation with the Premier League’s investigation between 2018 and 2023.
The Premier League said Manchester City were found guilty of all the serious financial charges covering the nine-season period and guilty of the majority of charges relating to the club’s alleged failure to cooperate with the investigation.
The financial figures cited in the ruling are substantial.
Between 2009 and 2018, Manchester City reported £949.94 million in commercial revenue from Abu Dhabi sponsors. The independent panel found that only £119.25 million of that amount was actually paid by the sponsors, according to the Premier League’s account of the findings.
Manchester City have strongly rejected the findings and said they intend to appeal.
In a statement, the club said it was disappointed and surprised” by the verdict and maintained that it possesses evidence supporting its position.
Manchester City also argued that the commission’s opinion contained what the club described as material errors of law, principle and fact.
The club has until October 2, 2026, to appeal the verdict.
City have consistently denied wrongdoing throughout the case and have maintained that the allegations against the club are unfounded.
Although the commission has delivered its verdict, Manchester City’s potential punishment has not yet been determined.
The Premier League said sanctions will be considered at a separate hearing by the independent commission.
Possible penalties could include financial sanctions and sporting consequences. The Premier League also has the power under its rules to impose expulsion from the competition, although any eventual punishment remains subject to the disciplinary process and potential appeals.
The league said it intends for the complete process, including appeals and publication of relevant decisions, to be concluded as soon as possible.
The period investigated includes the early years of Pep Guardiola’s tenure at Manchester City.
Guardiola became City manager in 2016 and went on to lead the club to multiple Premier League titles, an FA Cup, a Champions League triumph and a historic treble.
Manchester City also won four consecutive Premier League titles during his time at the club.
The independent commission’s findings concern the club rather than establishing that Guardiola personally committed the financial breaches.
Guardiola has previously expressed his trust in Manchester City’s ownership and leadership when questioned about the financial allegations.
One of the central findings concerns the club’s reported commercial income.
According to the Premier League, Manchester City’s owners allegedly provided additional funding through sponsorship arrangements that resulted in commercial revenues being reported at significantly higher levels than the amounts actually paid by sponsors.
The commission found that the club’s commercial revenue had been artificially inflated by approximately £830 million over the period covered by the charges.
The findings are significant because Premier League and UEFA financial regulations were designed in part to prevent clubs from gaining an unfair financial advantage through spending beyond permitted limits.
Manchester City are expected to challenge the findings through the available appeal process.
The outcome of the appeal could affect the final status of the verdict and any sanctions imposed on the club.
Until the disciplinary process and appeals are concluded, the full sporting consequences for Manchester City remain unresolved.
The case has already become one of the most significant financial disciplinary matters in Premier League history, with the eventual outcome potentially shaping how financial regulations are enforced across English football.
