NAIJASPORTAINMENT BLOG

25th September 2026

MANCHESTER CITY REPORTEDLY FOUND GUILTY OF 114 OF 115 PREMIER LEAGUE CHARGES

Manchester City have reportedly been found guilty of 114 of the 115 alleged breaches of Premier League financial regulations, marking a major development in one of the longest-running financial cases in English football.

Reports from The Athletic and The Times, cited by Reuters and other major outlets, say an independent commission ruled against Manchester City on all but one of the 115 charges brought by the Premier League. However, the Premier League has not publicly released the commission’s ruling and has declined to comment, while Manchester City says the process remains ongoing.

THE CASE DATES BACK TO 2023

The Premier League formally referred Manchester City to an independent commission in February 2023 following an investigation into alleged financial-rule breaches.

The allegations cover several seasons and include claims relating to the accuracy of financial information, sponsorship revenue, player and manager remuneration, UEFA financial regulations, the league’s profitability and sustainability rules, and cooperation with the Premier League’s investigation.

The alleged breaches span a period beginning in the 2009/10 season, while some of the cooperation allegations extend into later seasons.

Manchester City have consistently denied the allegations and have maintained that they complied with the relevant regulations.

HEARING LASTED NEARLY THREE MONTHS

The independent commission hearing began on 16 September 2024 and concluded on 6 December 2024.

The case was heard privately by a three-person independent commission appointed through the Premier League’s judicial process. Under the Premier League’s rules, the commission’s final award is to be published on the league’s website.

The lengthy period between the end of the hearing and the reported verdict has attracted considerable attention because of the scale and complexity of the case.

CITY EXPECTED TO APPEAL

Manchester City are expected to appeal the reported findings.

In a statement reported by British media, the club said the Premier League process remains ongoing, with significant elements still to be completed and subject to strict confidentiality.

The club also reiterated its longstanding position that it has respected due process and denied the allegations.

NO PUNISHMENT HAS BEEN ANNOUNCED

Despite the reported finding on 114 charges, no sporting or financial sanction has yet been announced.

That means it is too early to state that Manchester City will be deducted points, relegated, stripped of titles or face any other specific punishment. Those possibilities have been widely discussed in connection with the case, but no final sanction has been confirmed.

The reported verdict is therefore an important stage in the case, rather than the end of the entire process.

A CASE THAT HAS FOLLOWED CITY FOR YEARS

The financial case has remained one of the biggest off-field stories surrounding Manchester City during a period in which the club established itself as one of the dominant teams in English football.

Since Sheikh Mansour’s Abu Dhabi United Group takeover in 2008, City have won multiple Premier League titles, FA Cups, League Cups and the UEFA Champions League.

The case has also become an important test of how financial regulations are enforced in the Premier League.

For now, the reported outcome has moved the long-running 115-charge case into a new phase — with the full ruling, any sanctions and Manchester City’s expected appeal still to come.

By OLAWALE HAMZAT TOP STRIKER

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