Manchester City found guilty of nearly all 115 Premier League financial charges, vows appeal

Manchester City have been found guilty of nearly all 115 financial charges laid against them by the Premier League, the league announced on Tuesday in a statement that sent shockwaves through English football. The club faces potentially severe sanctions, up to and including expulsion from the top flight, but has vowed to appeal the verdict.

The case has its roots in November 2018, when German outlet Der Spiegel published internal City emails — obtained by the “Football Leaks” website, whose founder is Portuguese hacker Rui Pinto — that allegedly detailed schemes to conceal the true sources of the club’s income in order to comply with Financial Fair Play regulations. City did not dispute the authenticity of the emails but described the publication as “an organised and clear” attempt to damage its reputation.

UEFA opened a formal investigation in March 2019, and by February 2020 had handed City a two-season Champions League ban for “serious breaches” of spending rules and a failure to cooperate with investigators, alongside a €30 million fine. City appealed to the Court of Arbitration for Sport and, in July 2020, successfully overturned the ban. CAS ruled that some UEFA allegations were unproven and others were “time-barred,” though it did impose a reduced €10 million fine for non-cooperation.

The Premier League’s own investigation continued in parallel. In February 2023, City were formally referred to an independent commission, which alleged more than 100 breaches of financial rules covering the period from 2009 to 2018, including providing misleading information about finances and a failure to cooperate with the league’s inquiry. The charge sheet eventually grew to 115 counts.

Tuesday’s verdict represents the conclusion of one of the longest-running and most consequential disciplinary proceedings in English football history. The precise punishment has yet to be determined, and City’s intention to appeal means the final resolution of the case could still be some way off. What is already clear is that the outcome will have profound implications for the club, the Premier League, and the broader governance of the sport.