Manchester City reported guilty on all but one of 115 alleged Premier League breaches
Manchester City have been found guilty on all but one of the 115 alleged breaches of the Premier League's financial rules, The Athletic and The Times reported in Manchester, England on Friday, September 25, 2026. The Premier League declined to comment.
The Premier League referred City to an independent commission in February 2023 over alleged breaches spanning the 2009-10 to 2022-23 seasons, and the club have consistently denied wrongdoing. Among the most serious charges were allegations that City failed in each season from 2009-10 to 2017-18 to provide accurate financial information giving a "true and fair view" of revenues, including sponsorship income, and operating costs. According to British media reports, City hired lawyer David Pannick to lead their defence while the Premier League was represented by Adam Lewis KC.
The Premier League's spokesperson said: "It’s a confidential process, we’re not commenting at all," when asked about the reports. City issued a statement to British media saying: "The Premier League process remains ongoing, with significant elements to be completed, and subject to strict confidentiality," and added: "As such Manchester City FC's position remains consistent with the club's statement of February 2023. "The club has diligently respected due process for eight years on the basis the Premier League board and executive would behave as an independent, impartial and fair minded regulator, free from partisan influence."
The hearing began on September 16, 2024, and concluded nearly three months later on December 6, the reports said. The case was heard by an independent commission composed of three people appointed by the independent chair of the Premier League Judicial Panel. City were banned from the Champions League for two years by European football's governing body UEFA in 2020 after being found to have overstated sponsorship revenue between 2012 and 2016.
The club successfully appealed that UEFA ban to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS), which overturned the sanction, the reports noted. If confirmed, the reported guilty findings would represent one of the most significant rulings in English football history and mark a major development in a case that has overshadowed the league for more than three years. The proceedings have raised questions about financial regulation, competitive integrity and how the league enforces its rules against its most successful clubs.
Other clubs have faced sporting penalties for breaching financial rules: Everton were docked a total of eight points during the 2023-24 season after two separate breaches of the Premier League's Profitability and Sustainability Rules, while Nottingham Forest were deducted four points for a breach of the same rules in March 2024. Newcastle United narrowly avoided potential sanctions after selling players before a June 30, 2024, financial reporting deadline to comply with spending regulations.
Since Sheikh Mansour’s Abu Dhabi United Group bought the club in 2008, City have won eight Premier League titles, the Champions League, four FA Cups and seven League Cups. City top the Premier League after winning each of their opening five matches, and lawyers, club executives and supporters across the league have spent years awaiting a verdict.
The reports said the club are expected to appeal the findings. City has maintained that the case had not yet been concluded.
