Manchester City, the English football giants, have been found guilty of 114 out of 115 counts of breaching the Premier League's financial rules. The charges date back to between 2009 and 2018. The allegations against the club began nearly eight years ago. The Premier League and UEFA have been investigating the club for potential breaches of Financial Fair Play (FFP) regulations.
The allegations against Manchester City first surfaced in November 2018. German publication Der Spiegel alleged that the club attempted to bypass UEFA's FFP rules by allowing their Abu Dhabi-based sponsors to make backdated cash injections. Manchester City responded by saying the claims came from an "illegal hack" and that the publication of internal club emails was part of an "organised and clear attempt" to smear their reputation.
In March 2019, both UEFA and the Premier League opened investigations into potential breaches of FFP by Manchester City. Despite the allegations, the club achieved significant success on the pitch, winning a domestic treble of the Premier League, FA Cup, and League Cup in May 2019. However, in February 2020, UEFA banned Manchester City from European competitions for two seasons and fined them 30 million euros for committing "serious breaches" of FFP regulations.
Manchester City appealed the UEFA ban to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS). In July 2020, CAS overturned the two-year ban but imposed a fine of 10 million euros. The panel found that most of the alleged breaches reported were either not established or time-barred. However, the club was still fined for failing to cooperate with the investigation.
In February 2023, the Premier League referred Manchester City to an independent commission over more than 100 alleged breaches of finance rules. The alleged breaches included failure to provide accurate financial information, FFP breaches, and failure to cooperate with investigations and regulations. Manchester City denied any wrongdoing, claiming to have a "comprehensive body of irrefutable evidence" to support their position.
Despite the ongoing allegations, Manchester City continued to achieve success on the pitch. In May 2023, they became the second English club to win a treble of the Premier League, FA Cup, and Champions League. The club's manager, Pep Guardiola, stated that the club had already been "condemned" but vowed to stay and fight to clear their name.
In September 2025, a verdict reportedly found Manchester City guilty of 114 out of 115 charges. The hearing in front of an independent commission began in central London in September 2024 and concluded in December 2024. The panel retired to consider their verdict. Key points include Manchester City's alleged breaches of financial rules, the club's denial of wrongdoing, and their continued success on the pitch despite the allegations.
Key points
- Manchester City found guilty of 114 out of 115 financial charges
- Allegations against the club date back to between 2009 and 2018
- The club denied any wrongdoing, claiming to have irrefutable evidence to support their position
