Premier League clubs eye compensation after independent commission finds Manchester City guilty of 114 of 115 charges
An independent commission found Manchester City guilty of all but one of the 115 charges, The Athletic reported on September 25, 2026, and Premier League clubs are reported to be preparing legal claims for compensation.
Manchester City’s trajectory changed after Abu Dhabi’s Sheikh Mansour took over the club in 2008; since then the club has won eight Premier League titles, one UEFA Champions League title and the FIFA Club World Cup. Players named in the report as having worn the City jersey include Sergio Aguero, Kevin De Bruyne, Rodri, Bernardo Silva, Erling Haaland, and David Silva. Pep Guardiola led the club for several years before passing on the baton to Enzo Maresca. Questions over City’s financing and whether expenditures and income were reported accurately prompted a Premier League investigation.
In February 2023 the Premier League charged City with 115 alleged breaches. The allegations included inflating sponsorship revenue to allegedly disguise funding from Abu Dhabi-linked companies, Etihad and Etisalat. The charges also encompassed undisclosed payments and breaches of UEFA’s Financial Fair Play regulations and the Premier League’s Profitability and Sustainability rules.
The Athletic’s report says an independent commission has found Manchester City guilty of all but one of the 115 charges. The report did not list sanctions, and it states that sanctions have not been determined. The article adds that Manchester City are expected to appeal the commission’s findings.
Premier League clubs are reported to be preparing legal action to seek compensation from Manchester City, with lawyers instructed and work said to have been under way prior to the commission’s outcome. "Premier League clubs planning legal action following guilty verdict against Manchester City relating to financial rule breaches. Lawyers instructed & work under way for some time before #ManCity outcome; would be after any appeals process @TheAthleticFC https://t.co/cNGSwkpn9J" The Athletic is cited in the report as the source for both the commission’s finding and the account of clubs' preparations.
The report points to the Burnley-Everton case as precedent: Burnley finished 18th in the 2021-22 season while Everton survived in 16th with 39 points, and Everton received a six-point sanction for financial breaches. Burnley argued that a six-point deduction for Everton would have ensured their survival, and an independent commission awarded Burnley £26 million plus £9.1 million in interest.
The Athletic further notes that in the 2009-18 financial reporting period City won three titles and that clubs such as Liverpool and Manchester United, who finished second in those three seasons, could claim compensable loss; the report cautions that finishing second alone does not prove entitlement to damages. The article uses Tottenham Hotspur’s 2012-13 season as another example, stating Spurs finished fifth and City finished second, and saying Spurs may be entitled to compensation if they can prove City’s breaches caused the loss of a Champions League qualification opportunity. The report lists income sources tied to Champions League qualification as UEFA participation payments, performance bonuses, broadcasting-related distributions and potential sponsorship and matchday revenues.
Sanctions against Manchester City have not been determined and, according to the report, City are expected to appeal the commission’s findings; any compensation claims by other clubs are expected to be pursued only after the conclusion of that appeals process.