Manchester City Found Guilty of 114 Premier League Charges

By Adedapo Adesanya

Manchester City have been found guilty of 114 of the 115 charges brought against the club by the Premier League over alleged breaches of its financial rules.

The verdict, reported by The Athletic, follows a long-running case concerning alleged breaches between 2009 and 2018.

The independent commission reportedly found the club guilty on almost all of the charges, while a sanction has yet to be determined.

The charges relate to allegations, including failure to provide accurate financial information, failure to disclose payments to players and former manager Roberto Mancini, and alleged breaches of Premier League profitability and sustainability rules.

Manchester City have consistently denied the allegations and are expected to appeal the verdict.

The club said the Premier League process remained ongoing, with significant elements still to be completed and subject to confidentiality.

The case was formally referred to an independent commission in February 2023 after a Premier League investigation, while the hearing took place between September and December 2024.

Potential sanctions under Premier League rules could include fines, points deductions and other sporting penalties, although no punishment has been announced.

The verdict brings a major development in a case that has remained unresolved for years and could have significant implications for Manchester City.

Manchester City have won eight Premier League titles, four FA Cups, seven League Cups and one Champions League since Sheikh Mansour’s Abu Dhabi United Group acquired the club in 2008, with six of those major honours coming after the Premier League charges were brought.

The club previously faced sanctions from the Union of the European Football Associations (UEFA) in February 2020, when European football’s governing body imposed a two-year ban from its competitions and a €30 million fine over alleged Financial Fair Play breaches linked to information published in the Der Spiegel leaks.

However, the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) overturned the two-year ban five months later, ruling that the alleged FFP breaches were either not established or were time-barred under UEFA regulations.

CAS nevertheless found Manchester City guilty of failing to cooperate with UEFA by not providing substantial amounts of evidence. The court described the breach as “severe” and imposed an £8.8 million fine.