Manchester City have been found guilty of serious breaches of the Premier League’s financial rules following a lengthy investigation by an independent commission.
The Premier League confirmed the verdict on Tuesday, stating that the club was found guilty of all charges related to financial rule breaches over a nine-season period between 2009/10 and 2017/18. The commission also upheld most of the charges relating to the club’s failure to cooperate with the investigation.
According to the findings, Manchester City used what the commission described as “sham” commercial agreements to inflate revenue and reduce costs.
The commission also found that the club submitted misstated accounts and concealed the true state of its finances from auditors and football regulators. It further ruled that City breached both Premier League and UEFA spending regulations during the period under review.
The Premier League said some sponsorship arrangements involved companies that paid only part of the agreed fees, with the remaining funds allegedly provided through Abu Dhabi United Group Investment & Development Ltd, the club’s owner. The arrangement enabled the club to report inaccurate financial figures for regulatory purposes, according to the ruling.
Premier League chief executive Richard Masters described the ruling as a landmark moment for English football.
“The core decision establishes the facts of what happened at Manchester City during this period. It details how the club systematically broke Premier League Rules for nearly a decade,” Masters said.
He added that the case was the most significant disciplinary matter in the league’s history and stressed the importance of maintaining fairness and competitive integrity across the competition.
Sanctions have not yet been determined. The next stage of the process will focus on deciding the appropriate punishment for the breaches. Possible penalties have been widely discussed, although no official sanction has been announced.
Manchester City have continued to deny wrongdoing and are expected to challenge the verdict through the appeal process. The club previously stated that it possesses evidence supporting its position and maintains that the legal process remains ongoing.
