Manchester City have been found guilty of serious breaches of the Premier League’s financial rules covering a nine-season period from 2009 to 2018, following a ruling by an independent commission.
The Premier League announced the decision on Tuesday, saying the commission found City guilty of all charges relating to the serious financial breaches and the majority of allegations concerning the club’s failure to cooperate with the league’s investigation. (Premier League)
The findings relate to allegations that the club used commercial arrangements that artificially increased its reported revenues and concealed the true state of its finances, helping it avoid spending restrictions imposed by the Premier League and UEFA.
The commission’s findings also covered the club’s conduct during the league’s investigation, with City found guilty on most of the charges relating to its cooperation with the process.
Premier League chairman Richard Masters said the commission’s decision had established what the league described as the facts surrounding City’s financial conduct during the period under investigation.
“The core decision establishes the facts of what happened at Manchester City during this period,” Masters said.
He added that the Premier League would now seek to move forward with the remaining stages of the process.
Despite the ruling, no sanction has yet been imposed on Manchester City.
The club has rejected the findings and said it intends to appeal, arguing that the decision contains what it considers to be significant errors in law, principle and fact.
“Manchester City FC will now pursue the appeal avenues open to it, on the basis that the opinion contains clear material errors, of law, principle and fact, and is unsafe,” the club said.
The case dates back to 2023, when the Premier League charged City following a lengthy investigation into alleged financial rule violations.
An independent commission began hearing the case in September 2024, with the proceedings concluding three months later.
The charges cover the period between the 2009-10 and 2017-18 seasons.
Manchester City have enjoyed significant success during the period under scrutiny. Since Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan’s takeover in 2008, the club have won eight Premier League titles, four FA Cups and seven League Cups, while also claiming their first Champions League trophy in 2023.
The latest ruling does not represent the end of the case, as City have the right to challenge the commission’s findings through the available appeal process.
The Premier League has said it is committed to progressing the remaining stages of the case following the commission’s decision. (Premier League)
Source: AFP.
