Manchester City Found Guilty of Financial Breaches as Club Faces Potential Premier League Sanctions

Manchester City’s nine-year financial case has taken a dramatic turn after an independent commission found the club guilty of serious breaches of Premier League financial rules.

The commission found that City used what it described as “sham” commercial agreements between 2009/10 and 2017/18 to artificially increase revenues and reduce reported costs by more than £900 million ($1.2 billion). The findings also said the club’s accounts did not accurately reflect its financial position.

According to the Premier League, the arrangements involved commercial partners paying only part of agreed sponsorship amounts, with the remainder funded by Abu Dhabi United Group Investment & Development Ltd (ADUG), which owned the club. The commission found that the arrangements helped City appear to comply with Premier League and UEFA spending limits when it would otherwise have been in significant breach.

The commission also found City guilty of all charges relating to serious financial breaches and guilty of three of four alleged breaches concerning its cooperation with the Premier League’s investigation. The league said the club made concerted efforts to frustrate the four-year investigation.

City continue to deny wrongdoing and have the right to appeal the commission’s findings. The club has until Friday, October 2, 2026, to lodge an appeal, which would be heard by a separate three-member Appeal Board.

The punishment has not yet been decided. Under Premier League rules, possible sanctions include fines, points deductions and other sporting penalties. The league said a separate hearing will determine the appropriate sanction, meaning reports of relegation or title stripping remain possibilities being discussed rather than confirmed outcomes.

The verdict has already prompted strong reactions from former City players and football figures. Former defender Micah Richards described the findings as “heartbreaking”, while former Liverpool defender Jamie Carragher said players could feel their careers had been placed under a cloud by the controversy.

City have been one of English football’s dominant clubs since Sheikh Mansour’s 2008 takeover, winning eight Premier League titles and the Champions League in 2023. The charges were formally brought by the Premier League in 2023 after an investigation that began in 2018.

Premier League chief executive Richard Masters described the case as the most significant disciplinary matter in the competition’s history, while stressing that the sanction and appeal stages remain outstanding. The outcome of those next stages will determine the sporting consequences for Manchester City.