Independent commission finds Manchester City guilty of 115 Premier League financial charges

Manchester City have been found guilty of all charges related to serious breaches of Premier League financial rules across a nine-season period, the independent commission ruled on Wednesday, with sanctions still to be determined in a separate hearing.

The Premier League confirmed in a statement that City were found guilty of “all charges related to serious breaches of the Premier League’s financial rules over a nine-season period, and the majority of charges in relation to its failure to co-operate with the League’s investigation.” The club continues to maintain its innocence.

The commission also addressed the 20-month gap between the conclusion of the 42-day hearing and Wednesday’s verdict. In its statement, the panel wrote: “It has taken us much longer than we would have wished, and much longer than we had anticipated would be the case when the hearing concluded, to produce our Decision. That is regrettable.”

The panel attributed the delay in part to the sheer volume of material it was required to review, including verbatim transcripts of witness and expert evidence that ran to approximately 7,000 pages, as well as extensive written submissions from both parties that were supplemented orally over four days at the close of the hearing.

Premier League chief executive Richard Masters broke his silence on the case, describing the ruling as the most significant disciplinary decision in the competition’s history. “The core decision establishes the facts of what happened at Manchester City during this period,” Masters said. “It details how the club systematically broke Premier League Rules for nearly a decade.”

Masters added that the verdict vindicated the League’s decision to pursue the case and reaffirmed its commitment to protecting competitive integrity. “It is paramount that the League remains competitive and fair for all clubs and for the fans,” he said. “We take that role extremely seriously.”

The investigation into City first began in December 2018, and a formal complaint was issued under Section W of the League’s rules in February 2023. While Wednesday’s ruling establishes the factual findings, the question of what sanction the club must face remains outstanding. Masters said the League is “committed to moving swiftly through the remainder of the process” now that the commission’s core decision has been delivered.