An independent panel found Manchester City guilty of 114 of the 115 financial rule breaches charged by the Premier League. Reports on 25 September 2026 confirmed the decision. Sanctions remain undecided.
The Premier League charged the club in February 2023 after a four-year investigation. The allegations covered the seasons from 2009-10 to 2017-18. They included failures to provide accurate financial information, incomplete details of player and manager payments, breaches of UEFA financial fair play rules, and violations of Premier League profitability and sustainability rules.
A 12-week hearing took place from September to December 2024. The three-person independent panel then deliberated for many months. Sources told outlets including The Athletic and BBC Sport that the panel upheld nearly all counts.
The Premier League handbook grants the commission wide powers. It can impose a points deduction, which could apply immediately or later. It can also levy unlimited fines or order compensation to other clubs.
In extreme cases the panel can suspend the club from matches or recommend expulsion from the league. Relegation could follow a severe points deduction. Titles already won will not be stripped under the rules.
Manchester City issued a statement that rejected any final conclusion. “The Premier League process remains ongoing, with significant elements to be completed, and subject to strict confidentiality,” the club said. Officials added that the club’s position remains consistent with its 2023 denial of wrongdoing.
The club is expected to appeal within 14 days. An appeal board would then hear the case. Only after any appeal process ends would the panel set specific sanctions.
Meanwhile other clubs learned of the verdict after a Premier League meeting. Several could seek compensation exceeding £100 million each if they prove they suffered financial harm. The Premier League itself declined to comment. “It’s a confidential process, we’re not commenting at all,” a spokesperson said.
The process now moves to a sanctions hearing. Further delays are likely as both sides prepare legal arguments.
