Manchester City have reportedly been found guilty of breaching the Premier League’s financial regulations in 114 of the 115 charges brought against the club, with sanctions yet to be determined.
The development was reported on Friday following the conclusion of a long-running case that has remained unresolved since the Premier League formally charged the club in February 2023.
According to reports citing sources familiar with the matter, an independent commission found Manchester City guilty on all but one of the 115 charges. The commission’s verdict follows a 12-week hearing that took place behind closed doors between September and December 2024.
The charges relate to alleged financial-rule breaches covering the period from 2009 to 2018.
The Premier League had accused City of failing to provide accurate financial information concerning the club’s revenues, costs and related-party transactions. The allegations also included claims relating to payments to players and managers, compliance with UEFA’s financial regulations and the league’s profitability and sustainability rules.
City were also accused of failing to cooperate fully with the Premier League’s investigation.
The club has consistently denied wrongdoing and has maintained that there was substantial evidence supporting its position. In a statement following reports of the verdict, a Manchester City spokesperson said the Premier League process remained ongoing and that significant elements were still to be completed.
“The Premier League process remains ongoing, with significant elements to be completed, and subject to strict confidentiality,” the spokesperson said.
The reported findings concern a case that began with a Premier League investigation in 2018 after financial documents relating to the club were published by German magazine Der Spiegel.
Formal charges were eventually announced in February 2023, covering nine seasons between 2009 and 2018. The scale and complexity of the case contributed to the lengthy legal process, with the independent commission examining a large volume of evidence before reaching its decision.
The immediate question now concerns the punishment Manchester City could face.
No sanction has yet been announced, and reports indicate that the club is expected to appeal the verdict. Both sides are understood to have a limited period in which to challenge the commission’s decision.
Potential sanctions under discussion in media coverage include financial penalties, points deductions and other sporting measures. However, these remain possibilities rather than decisions that have been imposed on Manchester City.
The club’s current Premier League campaign therefore continues while the sanctions process remains unresolved.
The case has attracted significant attention because several of the alleged breaches concern a period during which Manchester City established themselves among English football’s leading clubs. The charges cover seasons in which the club won three Premier League titles, among other major domestic honours.
Premier League chief executive Richard Masters had previously acknowledged frustration over the length of the proceedings but said the league had to allow the independent process to take its course. He also stressed that the commission, rather than the Premier League, was responsible for the decision and its timing.
For now, the reported finding of 114 breaches represents the latest stage rather than the conclusion of the entire dispute.
Manchester City continue to deny wrongdoing, while the Premier League disciplinary process is yet to determine the sanctions, if any, that will follow the commission’s findings.
The eventual sanction and outcome of any appeal will determine the sporting and financial consequences of the case for the club.
