Story summary
Manchester City has been found guilty of almost all (114 out of 115) charges related to breaching Premier League financial regulations, according to reports by The Athletic. The charges stem from an investigation that began in February 2023 and cover a period from 2009 to 2018. City has yet to confirm the verdict but maintains its case is still ongoing.
The offenses include providing inaccurate financial information, failing to disclose player and manager payments accurately, breaching UEFA’s financial fair play rules, and non-cooperation with Premier League investigations. The club faces potential punishments ranging from significant points deductions to suspension from competitions.
City plans to appeal the decision, which could extend legal proceedings for several months. Liverpool's Jurgen Klopp has previously welcomed any ruling that would see his team awarded a title if City’s three titles (2012-13, 2014-15, and 2017-18) are stripped due to the breaches. However, no sanctions have been finalized yet. The saga began in November 2018 when German outlet Der Spiegel published emails suggesting City had covered up true sources of income to comply with financial regulations. UEFA and the Premier League launched investigations shortly after these revelations.
Written for “Man City Premier League Charges Verdict” on 2026-10-05,
grounded in this article and the 85 other(s) covering the same event.
- Published
It has taken more than two years, but a judgement finally appears to have been reached on the 115 charges levelled against Manchester City over breaches of Premier League financial rules.
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judgement → publish → rules
Following a four-year investigation, City were charged and the hearing finally got under way on 16 September 2024.
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hearing → follow → September
BBC Sport has now learned a decision has been made, after the Athletic reported City had been found guilty on all almost of the charges.
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City → learn → charges
But what does this mean for City's titles?
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this → mean → titles
And how long will it be before this saga does come to an end?
What are the 115 charges?
In February 2023, City were charged and referred to an independent commission over alleged breaches that were said to have taken place between 2009 and 2018.
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that → come → 2009
The charges - relating to Premier League financial rules - are:
54 x failure to provide accurate financial information from 2009-10 to 2017-18.
14 x failure to provide accurate details for player and manager payments from 2009-10 to 2017-18.
5 x failure to comply with Uefa's rules including financial fair play (FFP) 2013-14 to 2017-18.
7 x breaching Premier League profit and sustainability (PSR) rules from 2015-16 to 2017-18.
35 x failure to co-operate with Premier League investigations from December 2018 to Feb 2023.
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charges → relate → Feb
City have always denied wrongdoing and BBC Sport has been told they would appeal were they found guilty.
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they → deny → wrongdoing
But what does that actually mean?
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that → mean → what
German newspaper Der Spiegel published leaked documents, including emails purportedly sent between top City executives (some of whom remain at the City Football Group), across several seasons following the club's Abu Dhabi takeover in 2008.
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some → publish → 2008
It alleged these showed the club had inflated sponsorship revenue from state-owned airline Etihad and state-controlled telecoms firm Etisalat by disguising direct investment from their holding company (Sheik Mansour's Abu Dhabi United Group, or ADUG) as sponsorship income by channelling the funds through the companies' accounts.
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club → allege → accounts
This, it was alleged, was a means of meeting FFP rules introduced by Uefa in 2011 - and PSR brought in by the Premier League in 2012 - limiting clubs' permitted losses.
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it → allege → losses
There then followed further allegations of misreporting financial information centred on documents that claimed to show secret 'off-the-books' payments to then manager Roberto Mancini via consultancy fees from a club in Abu Dhabi.
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that → follow → Dhabi
It is also alleged the club gave players more money than was officially going through the accounts so recorded spending was less than it actually was.
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it → allege → accounts
City, who have always maintained ADUG is a private fund rather than an arm of the state, refused to comment on any of Der Spiegel's revelations, saying the leaked emails were obtained illegally, and they were an "attempt to damage the club's reputation".
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they → maintain → reputation
City - along with the companies involved - strongly denied breaking any financial rules.
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City → involve → rules
But that did not stop both Uefa and the Premier League launching investigations as a result.
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Uefa → stop → result
November 2018: Football Leaks allegations emerge with Der Spiegel publishing claims Manchester City breached financial fair play rules.
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City → emerge → rules
March 2019: Uefa launches a formal investigation off the back of Der Spiegel's findings.
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Uefa → launch → findings
City criticise the investigation and launch an appeal process.
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City → criticise → process
November 2019: The Court of Arbitration for Sport (Cas) deems City's appeal inadmissible.
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appeal → deem → Sport
February 2020: Uefa announces a two-year ban for City from European competitions and a €30m fine.
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Uefa → announce → competitions
City's European ban is overturned after an appeal to Cas.
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ban → overturn → Cas
City lose a jurisdiction ruling that allows the media to report the Premier League is continuing to investigate the champions for alleged financial breaches.
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League → lose → breaches
Der Spiegel publishes a fresh report claiming the Premier League has been investigating the club for three years, providing detailed claims.
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League → publish → claims
The Premier League charges City with 115 financial breaches.
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League → charge → breaches
City manager Pep Guardiola says the club expect to learn the verdict "within one month".
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club → say → month
Guardiola left the Etihad at the end of last season.
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Guardiola → leave → season
Reports emerge that a verdict has been reached, with sources telling the BBC that City have been found guilty of breaking the majority of the charges.
What punishment could Man City face?
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City → emerge → punishment
It was never expected the verdict would come complete with the sanctions.
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verdict → expect → sanctions
We now face a waiting game for even that verdict to officially be made public by the independent panel.
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verdict → face → panel
We don't know who was on the panel that heard and ruled on the case, and that will only come once a written judgment is released.
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judgment → know → case
Being removed from the Premier League would mean City lose their membership and are demoted to a lower division from the end of the season.
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City → remove → season
That could also happen through a points penalty so severe they would effectively be relegated.
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they → happen → penalty
What has been said?
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What → say → ?
The Premier League declined to comment on the case when approached on Friday.
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League → decline → Friday
City issued a statement that showed frustration news of the verdict had leaked.
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news → issue → verdict
It read: "The Premier League process remains ongoing, with significant elements to be completed, and subject to strict confidentiality.
"
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process → read → confidentiality
As such Manchester City FC's position remains consistent with the club's statement of February 2023.
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position → remain → February
"The club has diligently respected due process for eight years on the basis that the Premier League Board and Executive would behave as an independent, impartial and fair-minded regulator, free from partisan influence."
Will there be an appeal?
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Board → respect → influence
How long would one take?
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one → take → ?
…and 38 more, not listed.
The Aporia
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