Manchester City found guilty of majority of 115 Premier League financial charges

Manchester City have been found guilty of the majority of 115 charges relating to breaches of Premier League financial rules, an independent commission confirmed on Tuesday. The charges span a nine-season period between 2009 and 2018, following a four-year investigation by the league.

In a formal statement, the Premier League confirmed the commission’s findings: “An independent Commission has found Manchester City FC guilty of all charges related to serious breaches of the Premier League’s financial rules over a 9-season period, and the majority of charges in relation to its failure to co-operate with the League’s investigation.”

Central to the verdict is the commission’s finding that City arranged what it described as “sham” commercial deals with a number of sponsors during the period in question. According to the Premier League statement, those companies “were only required to pay a portion of the relevant sponsorship fees” — with the remainder allegedly constituting a disguised funding scheme.

Sanctions have not yet been determined. The range of potential punishments available to the commission includes points deductions, fines, or in the most severe scenario, expulsion from the league — though no decision on penalties has been announced.

Manchester City have until Friday to lodge an appeal. The club has consistently and strongly maintained its innocence throughout the process, previously stating it possesses “a comprehensive body of irrefutable evidence” to defend itself against the charges.

The verdict, which had been widely reported the previous Friday, marks a landmark moment in English football’s financial governance. City won five Premier League titles during the period covered by the charges and have gone on to become the dominant force in English football over the past decade, including winning the treble in the 2022-23 season.