Manchester City formally appeal Premier League guilty verdict, calling commission ruling 'unsafe'

Manchester City filed a formal appeal on Thursday evening against the independent commission’s ruling that found the club guilty of serious breaches of the Premier League’s financial rules, declaring themselves innocent and the verdict fundamentally flawed.

The Abu Dhabi-owned club submitted their appeal at 7pm on 1 October 2026, one day before the Friday deadline set by the Premier League. The commission had found the eight-time Premier League champions guilty of all charges relating to financial rule violations across a nine-season period, as well as the majority of charges concerning a failure to co-operate with the League’s investigation.

In a statement, the club said: “The club’s firm position is that, on multiple grounds, the opinion contains clear material errors, of law, principle and fact and is unsafe. The club is innocent of the accusations made by the Premier League and a comprehensive body of irrefutable evidence exists in support of all of its positions, relating to this case.”

City added that they would “continue to respect due process” but said they were “necessarily restricted” in what they could say publicly until all proceedings are complete.

The appeal sets the stage for a further legal process that could significantly alter the penalties — or the verdict itself — handed down by the original commission. The outcome will have major implications not only for Manchester City but for the broader integrity framework governing English football’s top flight.